The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-03-19
OF STUDIES OF
THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
By w. S. Cawthon.


made outside the school room, by
those not engaged in the school busl-
ness. 1t did not originate In the brain
OF some impractical enthusiast on edu-
cation.
Would we be far wrong in saving
that these subjects-drawing and man
ual training-are offsprings of the
tariff? Whether they are or not. let
us hope that their influence will be
exerted for the benefit of all mankind,
instead of for the enrichment OF a few
to the detriment of the many as is the
case with protection.
The world has always had good rea-
son for placing paramount importance
upon the art of reading. The power
to scan the printed page to interpret
| the thoughts of others of both past
and present ages, to make generaliza-
| tons by virtue OF the information
| gained, differentiates the civilized man
! from the savage, whose world is limit
ed to the experiences acquired through
his five senses. Reading places the
child in touch with the accumulated
thought of his race, enabling him to
make the most of the life experiences
of men and people of all times.
| The conditions under which many
children learn to read today-learn to
use the master key to the doors nf the
choicest literature-are quite different
from those of half a century ago
| There is an old saying that God made
| the country and man made the town.
/ However that may be, man in Amer
! lea, at least, has shown a decided pref
erence for his own work
In 1890, out of each 100 persons,
three lived in cities and 81 in the open
country or in small villages; in 1870,
the ratio of urban to rural population
was 8 to 81; in 1890, it was % to II.
! Before the day of cities in America,
| children had much in common with
the writer's whose works they were
destined to read. The vocabulary of
| both was that of the country. Much
of the best literature of all epochs had
| its inspiration amid the scenes OF ma
ture far from the madding crowds
| ignoble strife. Allow me to quote
few passages to illustrate this state
ment:
1.-The groves were Gods first temples,
Ere man learned, to hew the shaft or
! lay the architecture
J And spread the roof above them, ere
he framed
The lofty vault to gather and roll
back the sound of anthems
In the darkling wood, amid the cool
and silence he knelt down
| And offered to the Mightiest solemn
! thanks and supplication."
l"Yet many a sheltered glade with
blossoms gay
Beneath the showery sky and sunshine
{ mild
-, Within the shaggy arms Of that dark
forest smiled.
The calm shade shall bring a kindred
| calm y
And the sweet breeze that makes the
green leaves dance
Shall watt a balm to thy sick heart.
Thou wilt find nothing here
OF all that panied thee in the haunts
of men
And made the loaethe thy life
Even the green trees partake OF the
deep contentment,
AS thy bend to the soft winds; the sun
From the blue sky looks in and sheds
blessing on the scene
Is it any wonder that in order to aid
| city children to appreciate such
| thought and language, nature study
| found its way into the program of the
elementary school? The introduction
of this subject was an attempt to give
the same. opportunities to the children
of the cities that had been enjoyed
| by their forefathers Of rural expe.
rience. During the last few years the
compulsory in many states. Whence
did the demand for it originate?
Among the teachers? No. They realize
full well that with the increasing re-
quirements made of them and their
pupils by the multiplication of subjects
much imperfect work will necessarily
be done. They know better than any
other class of people the superficial
| character of a child's attainmetns, and
-
things well rather than a great many
things poorly.
Besides, their training has not as a
rule equipped them for teaching sub
Jects recently required, and they ma
other things to do than mastering g.
new subject in order to teach it.
The reason for this widespread in
terest in agriculture has already been
intimated. 1t hes in an effort to make
farm life profitable and attractive and
to keep the rural population from
crowding into the cities 1t is
| worthy aim, let us hope that It will
be realized. Every day we hear some
thing of the increased cost of living
among those who must bury all of the
| farm products they use. James J. Hill,
president Of the Great Northern Rail-
way, predicts that within a few years,
the American people will cease to pro-
duce enough from their farms and pas
lures 30 support themselves. There is
much taelk of the desirability of an
existence on the farm but it is note
| worthy that such talk is done mainly
by those keeping away from the farm
as much as possible.
From what has been said, it can
safely be inferred that relief from
what many consider a congested pro-
gram is not to be expected by dimin-
fishing the number of subjects. The
manner in which subjects get into
curriculum seems to show that they
are not to be arbitrarily set aside.
| Where does the remedy lie? The
only hope appears TO be in the omis-
sion of certain topics that have
| hitherto been taught The statement
often heard that this or that part of
arithmetic, grammar, or geography
should be omitted because there is no
need of studying it, seems to me mar
row and unwarranted.
| However, inasmuch as we have
many more subjects and no more time
| than we formerly had in which to