The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-09-07
SCHOOL OPINIONS
BY VETERAN WRITER
MRS. STEVENS COMMENTS or
THE EXCELLENCE or THE
METHODS OF SOME TEACHERS
AND TELLS OF DANGERS or I'M
PROPER DRIVERS.

Towner, N. D., Sept. 5.--To The 30.
rum: The sage OF Chelsea--does any.
body now know him by that name
lido they even know him as Thomas
Carlyle "opens one OF his wise books
Sartor Resartus, by making a flight in
fancy, as he might do now in reality
over the roofs OF the city. He left a
tiny skylight In every home and peers
at the people.
| How forcibly that came home to me
tonight as trudged around our grow
ing little town of Towner In the dusk
For as picked my steps through the
wet, sandy roads, drying up, but soft,
saw home after home light up.
Nobody drew the blinds. In this
great land OF opportunity each home is
too busy to think Of passers-by.
So everywhere I had a glimpse Of
comfort and cheer, often of a Preside
altar where the evening meal was
spread.
Here and there the worshippers had
assembled.
Twice was obliged to break in on
the peace and harmony. But not once
did see anywhere studious heads bent
over book under the lamp.
Here and there some belated games
were going on out doors, and the
treble OF children's voices f1oated
eagerly over to listening me.
School opened here today, all over
North Dakota, too, no doubt the little
white schoolhouses on the prairies, as
Wen as the big red sandstone in our
ambitious little cities, opened its doors
to the flowing tide OF youth and pulls
ing life.
And there. too, gathered the great
industrial army of teachers, that no
BILE band of merry women, and a few
men, whose privilege it is to guide
the feet Of our coming citizens into,
and along the paths of learning,
Guide only, mark you. You remem-
Der the old saying OF one man taking
a horse to water, but ten do not make
him drink
He only is a successful teacher who
calls forth the willing efforts of the
pupil to make a man of himself.
She, alone, stands in the front rank
who induces the growing youth to
carve ont character, as he reads and
writes, and ciphers.
All else is but sounding brass and
tinkling cymbal, o., We my masters
and mistressesg
Guide only! No making your pupils
do this or that. Show them the way.
and-walk i'm it yourself.
But teachers are not the only factors
In our great educational problem.
We sat spellbound under our old
friends of the schools in Minot when
ex-State Supt. ]. M. Devine touched
high water mark in his inspirational
talk.
But, bark! what note Is that? Con-
solidated schools have come to stay.
and every cog in the machinery thereon |
must be OF first grade quality or TO-
600 Dakotans will know the reason
why. 5iI5I2g
The driver of the bus? We'll Mr.
Devtne told the story of an appeal |
made to him by a man working on |
his farm whose children have been go
ng in the bus for two years and their /
schooling is good. But the recent driv- |
er brings the children, spends the day |
n the poolroom, then drives his pre- /
,ious freight home with a rollicking
hand on the reins and tongue loosened |
nto ribald speech.
The children waited quite a while
after r. m. for his coming, so pos
'ibly the teachers did not see the con-
lition OF the driver.
This was not an isolated occurrence.
,ut habit.
The bus calls sometimes at $3.50
l. M; sometimes at 1880 a. m.
You can imagine the friction. This
$ too big a price to pay for book
a
What becomes of the sturdy muscles
Traced by walking in our clear. dry
Lir?
What chores can be done so early
'r SO late?
This story sent one listening tax