Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-19
WHATTHE WOMEN ARE DOING
Davidson and Estelle Discuss Modern
Educational System.
WOMEN FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD
Club Educational Committee An
IL VIII Have a woman
Candidate Ready at Next
school Election.

The public school, It's defects and its
progress. afforded the topic for an alto
gether profitable discussion before the
woman's club Monday afternoon. the edu-
cational committee Of the club having
charge. The program had teen announced
as a debate on 'The Lack Of Practical
Education in the Public Schools" Judge
Lee Estelle OF the Douglas county Juvenile
court speaking In criticism and superin-
tendent Of Public instruction w. NJ. David
son in defense Of the schools.
Judge Estelle stated In beginning that
he spoke from the viewpoint Of an OBJ
server of results Of the public school edu-
cation, at which he was often as disap-
pointed as surprised. Character building
he counted the chief essential.
While commencing the schools for much
that Is excellent he likened the modern
system to q great hopper, into which all
children are dumped regardless Of their
natural qualifications or their defects, with
the expectation that all will come out pro-
fioient and satisfactory. Mathematics and
spelling he named as the only things in
which the pupils were not expected to
come UP to the standard. 'Our greatest
need now is the uncommon schooi for the
uncommon child" he said. IAN ungrsded
school where the chiid's handicap may be
recognized. whether It be mental, moral or
physical, and his education conducted ac-
cordlngly." And then he told from his own
experience Of children that come before the
Juvenile court as truants or fer other forms
Of delinquency, who dropped out of school
merely because they were physically, and
not mentally, handicapped, and so unable
to keep up with normal children of their
own age. He advocated medical examina-
tion in the schools that should enable
teachers to determine whether a child's
defect is physical or mental. and held that
less stigma should or would attach to at
tendance at an ungraded school that would
meet the requirements OF each child. than
to these children getting into trouble as
a result Of inadequate schools. An even
more serious criticism, he said, is to be
made of the attempt on the part of the
school to usurp the province of the home
and he said that domestic science might be
we'll enough in communities where the
mothers were confronted with the bread
problem, but that it had no place IN the
high school for girls who should have this
training at the side of their mothers. He
further criticised the schools as embracing
too many fads and being too congested.
Mr.. davidson Defense.
Mr.. Davidson maintained that the public
schools today are more proficient in giving
students the rounded, general education
with which to meet life than they have eve
been. and that they are continually i'm
proving. sympathy, he said, has taken tn
place of the rod as a stimulus, and M
l quoted from the findings of those who hat
l made exhaustive Investigations to prov
that there is improvement. The schools, h
said, also are not usurping the PROVING
> Of the home, but merely seeking closer CO
operation so that the child, no matte
from what plane he may come, shall thin
the more OF his home. I'VE live In an az
! OF specializing" he said, land SO are prom
l to Judge by the extremes"
During the business hour the school quet
ton was touched again. One membe
5 called attention to the injustice of the la
which restricts the school vote to wome
Q who have taxable property or children c
: school age, while any man may vote n
matter what he may have. This led to
discussion of the injustice of woman's dis
= franchised position, and another membe
. | called attention to the absence of wome
: on the school board and the fact that !
many instances inferior teachers are n
: tanned in the city schools because OF III
: political influence Of relatives or friend
= on the board.
The educational committee announce
that it would see that there is a woma
candidate on the next ticket for membei
-. ship on the Board Of Education.
Two petitions were passed and slgne
: by the members, one petitioning congre,
for an amendment to the constitution gi'
ing the ballot to women, and another Il
Nebraska legislature asking the passage
. g bill providing prohibition in Nebraska.
. BY unanimous vote Mrs, @. w. Lining,
: was made an honorary member OF the civ
\ and another member was announced
having qualified.