Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-09-01
Bio Joke, But Serious.


One evening not long ago / sat in g
room where two scbociTIasters were
talking. l ives interested in what they
had to say, and so listened and took
notes. This is the substance OF their
conversation: One of them, high
school principal, said.
Our county superintendent told me
during the past year that she has
come to the conclusion that our
schools, with their system of educa-
ton. are huge joke, a great biz
Joke, and that whenever she under
takes serious thought upon the mat
ter she cannot help laughing. Now,
| have great faith in our schools, and
so could not see the joke; therefore |
asked to be shown.
Well" said he, "she says the peo-
pie tax themselves pretty heavily In
order to build good schoolhouses, Sc
cure apparatus and books, and then
pay generous salaries for as good
teachers as they can get. In general
our schools are excellent, and our
children are CITING pretty good train
ing. But when they so out into the
world those same people who took so
much psias to provide means of edu-
cation go at it to undo what is by fa-
the most important part of that edu-
cation And she THINKS it is a great
joke.
This is the way she feels, after
having been county superintendent
about sixteen years, and | think that
she is about right guess that if she
would tell in some detail her ideas up
on the subject her discourse would
run about like this:
Our form of government is unique
in this particular respect; it is based
upon law. Our laws are made by the
people, through their chosen represen-
tatiyes, and when made are just as
binding upon the men who made them,
upon governors, presidents and judges
as upon the humblest citizen in all
the land. This is the foundation
principle of our government. Just so
long as we all both respect and obey
our laws, not only to the letter, but
in spirit, just so long will our govern
ment be safe and secure. Every man,
woman and child who maintains
cheerfully and willingly this attitude
towards laws properly made by the
people is a good citizen; and every
person who does not maintain this at
titude is, Unjust so far as he does not,
bad citizen,--undesirab If you
please. His attitude is that of disre-
gard for the very principle without
which our government could not ex-
list. 1t is truth that the law abid
ing man is a loyal man, patriot,-the
law breaker, disloyal.
1T seems to me, then. that, for
sake of our government, the most i'm.
portant lesson to be taught to our
boys and girls is respect for and ODE
dience to law. This teaching should
begin at home without loving
regard for parental authority no home
can be good home or happy But the
/ Importance of this home teaching
reaches out beyond the household. No
young man, no young woman, who
has been unsubmissive at home will
be willingly submissive 70 the laws of
the land An attitude of disobedienee
having once been assumed is not easy
to change.
Now | think the best school, the
school that is doing the best work for
/ the government that establishes and
maintains it, is that one which best
teaches a ready and cheerful obedi-
ence in school and a wholesome re
gard for the laws under which we
/ live. A school that sends out bril-
/ liant students. but with an Indecent
regard for law, is in the most import.
ant respect of all failure. 1t may, in
fact, be doing more harm than good,
The brilliant young man who has
contempt for law is we'll aquipped to
become a most dangerous citizen He
| is ready to enlist in that rebel army
I've have come TO call grafters.
g From wtat I have seen of our
schools in the years during which
have gone about among them, | am
glad TO feel that as a whole, they are
doing noble work in the training oil
| the young folks for good citizenship
AS a rule, the schools are we'll gov
erned-not by force, but in reason
able way. In the most OF them the
discipline is excellent The ehiidres
are led into a habit of obedience
There is not much visible sign OF au-
thority on the part of teachers, yet
the authority is there all the same,
and pupils are learning not only TO
recognize it hnt respect 1t. Their
movements In body are almost OF
military precision. and they obey not
only the spoken directions of their
teachers but their unexpressed wishes
It is beautiful to see school like
this at work. 1t gives one faith In
the future of our country. And then
this faith is strengthened when
teacher in her simple lessons in civ
les leads her pupils to understand that
the textbook on civil government Is
not dry.dust affair, 70 be barely
memorized for the sake of passing
and then gladly forgotten, but fun o.
practical ideas for everyday life