The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-02-12
Building and Maintaining Z
= a System Of Schools
BY Jupt. J. r. Nc Comb

1t has come to be truism that
the public schools of community
stand out in bold relief as an index
as to the general temperament Of her
people.
The degree Of excellence main
tanned therein, and the interest mani
tested toward them by her patrons, is
the most perfect measure, not only
Sof her intellectual standard, but of
her moral and religious tenets as
we'll Here, too, is most clearly
evinced the social ideals of a people;
and the degree of patriotism and
brotherhood of man is no where more
apparent than when we take sim
gle glance to see If "Old Glory" is
flung to the breeze from the flag
pole on the schoolhouse. The quail
ity of the school buildings and the
completeness of their equipment
speaks more loudly than words as to
the generosity of her people, and the
careful and judicious management of
her affairs. give a clearer insight
into the business success of her pa
irons than Dunn or Bradstreet.
In the light of all these things, it
is not surprising that there is always
local pride which centers about the
schools, neither is it surprising that
there is always a slight to our feel
ings if one fails to speak of our sys-
tenn of schools as Excellent" and a
4 pique of the conscience, IL in spite of
Your pride we are forced to recognize
the Justice of the omission. And it
is this feeling of pride, coupled with
the desire to give to our children the
best advantages which we can afford,
which causes our people to give gen.
erously and freely of their means to
b1iad up and maintain an excellent
system of schools.
To the casual observer who gives
no more than passing notice to the
requirements of a well organized and
excellently equipped school, the task
seems simple, but to him who looks
carefully into the matter and assumes
the responsibilities encumbent upon
those who have it's organization and
management in hands the task takes
on gigantic proportions.
The requisites for establishing and
those of maintaining a system Of
schools are almost identical. The
only difference being that in the
former there is need, perhaps of a
little more creative genius, and
prophetic insight, while in the latter
case there is required preponder-
ance Of patience and careful manipul-
alton.
The building up Of an excellent
system of schools presupposes live,
wide awake, enterprising people, who
appreciate the advantages, not only
to the child, but to the community
4 and nation as we'll, of highly edu-
Gated and cultured people, a people
who will spare no efforts to accom-
plish their desire, no matter what the
cost. They must be generous to a
fault, but that generosity must be
tempered with careful judgment and
judicial management.
The community which is imbued
with the predominant idea that, be-
cause / did not have these advan-,
tages, my children do not need them;
that our children are no better than
we. and hence need no better condi-
tions than was our lot to enjoy, needs
not a crier at the city gate to tell
the people the fact. The wise man
from afar will see there is no gilded
tower on the schoolhouse and no
stars and stripes waving in graceful
folds and kissing the passing breeze,
and will know full we'll that there
does not dwell those among whom he
would wish to make his home and