The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-11-05

ings, be made available for social uses
OF the people?
The school building ought to be
made the center of all social activ-
ity, and this side OF the students
life as carefully directed as his intel
lectual development
Community life ought to center
about the school. and every one
should feel that the school means
more than simply place to study
books and recite lessons.
Whatever its short c0mings, the
early New England town was an
Ideally many-sided. school, wherein
to educate the threefold nature OF a
growing boy. Physically the active
life, with Its varied farm or house
hold task, its exposure to weather,
light fare and early hours, made
strong, wiry men.
Manually, the wide variety Of in
dustries, most Of them requiring skill
and keen observation, developed an
ingenuity which assured success.
Mentally the district school kept
usually by college students, who liv-
ed among the people, and who knew
the pupils, served to foster individu-
aality
Politically the town meeting train
ing boys In principles Of liberty. de-
mocracy, social responsibilities and
free debate, was a school Of citizen
ship.
-ducation In the city has not keut
pace with our rapidly differentiating
social needs; If all members of a
modern community do not realize that
they are responsible on large scale
for the all round development of
boys and girls, then might we well
claim the superiority Of the village
school.
AS city school rooms become more
attractive and as the schools func-
tions broaden, as the buildings be-
come more largely social centers, for
their neigh borhoods, the antagonism,
so often existing between scholars
and school diminishes and truancy
lessons.
The school should be the common
public house of its neighborhood. as
Universities should be the Cathed-
rails Of great cities, standing in ample
surroundings, thus focusing culture.
1t is a good thing when the par
ents and children of neighborhood
Ihave opportunity to enjoy recreation
together. In the crowded districts
such wholesome relations bring hap
lpiness and good will. The more wide
lily such and similar opportunities are
provided, the better will it be for the
community and for the welfare of all.
School, or raher education ought
not to be an incident in the childs
life; it should be the main interest
and purpose of his first. sixteen years.
His home. his health, his food. his
play, his work, his companions, his
recreations- all are matters of pro-
found Importance to the community;
for 1t is those things which determine
whether he is to be a source of
strength and profit to, OR burden
and weakness within. the body poll
tic; and all those matters the com
munity, if 1t choose, can supervise
mad largely regulate, through its pub
lie schools.
Boys and girls do not like to be
idle, disorderly and vicious; but, UNI
der conditions which give them moth
ing definite to do out of school, and
nowhere to 60 except the streets and
alleys. they have little chance of be-
ing anything else. Give them play
grounds and teach them how to play:
make 1t possible for them to employ
themselves usefully in varied handi-
crafts; teach them to enjoy good
books and rational amusements;
show them how to organize them
selves, how to help at home, how to
improve their neighborhood and the
whole community; and you will find
them sturdy enemies to idleness and
vice.
In doing this, moreover, education
will really have performed Its proper
function. that of developing strong,
healthy, capable, intelligent and NOR
al ciizens.
E wish to refer to the vocational
life which is now being fostered in
the schools. We have come to re-
gard the development of the individ-
ual as the goal Of education. Some
writers treat the schools of previous
ages as though they represented a
bad attempt to do what is being done
today instead of reasonably good
attempt to do something entirely diff
ferent.
Early schools were occupied with
the creation and maintenance Of
standards of thought and of conduct,
rather than with the practical end Of
fitting the student for his life work.
Now the schools seek to accomplish
results; they try to fit the pupil to
do something. If the ideals are high.
they wish to enable him to do some
thing to benefit his fellow men; II
the ideals are a little lower they
teach him to do something which will
add to his reputation; II on a still
lower plane, they are chiefly con-
cerned in preparing him to make
money.
Tangible success is largely the
goal!
wish to consider In this investi-
cation what women and women's
clubs can do toward the new out
look
In the schools we have seen bur-
dens multiplying almost beyond en-
durance, and are we to add more? In