Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1909-12-23
S. COwEN

b4e4a-ssS.s.a.s-s..i's.
The historical education Of any
community is of vital Importance to
every progressive, up-to-date citizen.
Parents contemplating a change in
residence invariably enquire first
into the educational advantages of
the locality toward which their at
tention has been especially attracted.
A town, village. or even a community
whose educational facilities have
been neglected, is hopelessly handi-
capped until such incumbrance has
been removed. The era of the log
cabin school houes is no more, but
rather serves only as a milestone
which marks one of the various de-
cades along the path of progression
The public schools of America are
the very foundation upon which the
nation is built. Here it is that the
impressionable mind is moulded.
ideas generated, and convictions
gained. Oh, a wonderful, awesome,
delicate thing is the huanm brain.
and much-so very much-depends
upon the method and maner of it's
development. In the school room,
as no where else, every word must
be fraught with a vital significance,
every act should be considered, aye,
every thought is winged messenger
seeking Judgment in some immortal
soul. For the public school may we'll
be likened to the sculptures studio,
only herein one vital difference lays.
The sculpture works on marble,
beautiful, white and clean, fashion
ing it into images Of loneliness, grace
and art. Should the chisel miss the
mark, the image mahaps is ruined,
cast aside to be easily replaced by
another. But not so with the model
on which the teacher is employed.
The material given into her hands
for moulding and perfecting is tiny
little human souls. standing all in
nocent and defenceless before her,
waiting for the master touch which
is to make or mar their destiny.
The teacher who can enter the
school room and gaze into that great
sea of upturned faces unmoved by
any sense of the great moral respon-
sibility which rests upon her is not
worthy of the high. the sacred cal
ling to which she has aspired. We
are accustomed to look upon the
ministerial profession with solemn
reverence and awe. If this time
honored custom be right, then in just
what light ought we to regard the
profession for training. for mould
ing into manhood and womanhod?
Is there, can there be any place along
the entire road of life where quite
such careful, pains-taking judgment
should be used, where quite so en-
tirely every other consideration
should be cast aside and everything.
all things. count as naught save pur-
ity, honesty and efficiency? And
this. when once secured is simply
priceless in its intrinsic value.
Economy, rightly used is a virtue.
but let it be the emergency only that
allows il to be even considered in
connection with the training of
the mind of the child A cheap
article is always in reality expensive
at any cost. but it can assume far
graver proportions when applied to
the training of a child and suddenly
appear before our startled vision
clothed in the robe of a crime. Par
ents if you must economic, do not,
I emplore you, begin your expert
ment either on the minds of your
own or your neighbours children.
You cannot get teachers whose
education and trainig are too great
to mould the future of your child
You cannot build school houses and
equip them too carefully to preserve
the health and comfort of your chill
dren. Nine months out of every
year. six hours out of each school
day they spend within those sacred
walls surrounded, aye. permeated
with the influence of that teacher
Does it behOove you. then. to look
well into the building of the struc-