The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1910-08-04
HERBERT KAUFNAN'S VIEW
Kenosha School Superintendent Sends
Open Letter to Parents Quoting Edi-
torial of Well Known Writer on Ed
vocational Questions

Willie, and every parent OF " VIII
lie IS" sister will read carefully what
Herbert Kaufman said in the Record
Herald of last Sunday.
l am asking the News to reprint the
article, which is packed full of truth,
in order that it may reach other read
ers, who have boys to educate. Thou
sands have made the mistake of not
sending willie back to school," That
Kaufman s forceful sentences may save
some repetition of that mistake, is
the s ncere hope of your superintendent
of schools, Mary D. Bradford
SEND WILLIE BACK TO SCHOOL
BY Herbert Kaufman.
Willie wants to work. For the past
month he has eloquently, sullenly,
steadfastly, sophistically, earnestly
argued why he must quit school.
He insists that he already knows
enough. He yearns to earn instead of
learn. With brave show of self-sacri-
fee, ne proclaims that you have more
than done your duty. In tones Of vol
untarv martyrdom, he declares his in.
tention to assume his share Of life s re-
sponsibilities.
He has heard the call Of ambition,
urging him to carve his own way--to
surge onward-to mount without addi-
tional guidance.
He has burst through his chrysalis of
depcndence-his wings are aching to
flap in flight.
His present education is far beyond
yours when you became captain of your
career. He is setting forth with more
years to his credit and is determined
TO prove credit to you.
Avaunt, idle hoursl Away with
pampering paternalism! Farewell to
soft theory Now is the time to be-
come practcal-to plunge into the hui
man vortex-to wrest from the rest
TO take his knocks and take lesson
from them, etc, ETC., etc.
And you, with fine show of stern
ness, have frowned and grated and lost
your temper and fumed and stormed--
you have peremptorily denied his de-
mands. And all the while, sheaking
glow of FOOLS pride has warmed your
heart to think that Your boy volunteers
to- share your burdens instead of your
income.
You visualize a second Marshall
Field or Edison, and inside of fort
night you'll capitulate and casually
stop at Brown s table, discuss crops,
weather, tariff, baseball, the market,
and incidentally refer to that head
strong cub of yours who simply won t
listen to reason Every much to your
Disappointment but, ahem fine young
fellow--stalwart, eager type-you know
she sort, " ETC., etc, etc.
If truth be known, however, Willie
doesn't know enough to know he
doesn t know enough If he had suf-
fcient brains to get along with half
trained mind, he d be clever enough to
realize that he needs all the education
he can acquire.
He isn't old enough to have real
sense. His foresight has never gotten
past his nosetip. He's merely a cal
low youth with fallow judgment-ex-
perience has never plowed his mind
observation has never furrowed his
brow
lie s tailor-mad-t clothes fever is
very virulent at his age.
Spending money is, more than likely,
another root of trouble.
He hears the cali of the theater, and
sees the lights of the cafe district. The
blood of Ancestor Esau is urging him
to swap his future for more musical
comcdy--more suits with four-inch
pant cuffs and a more regular supply of
Turkish death-sticlls.
GIVE him tull rein today and before
many days he will wear the permanent
check-reia Of handicapped incompet-
ency.
You forget that things have been
happening at the rate of year an
hour since you threw away your text
books. You overlook the modern pace.
You confuse the mental requirements Of
forty years ago with those of 1910
1t doesn't occur to you that more
men graduated from colleges this
spring than were turned out of acade-
mics in l877-S-9-that we are quite
used to university men in business
that there is 50 much available material
wearing A. B. and B. S. tags, that we
regard men Of your degree of culture as
almost illiterate
If Willie doesn't keep on with his
books, he'll be lucky if he gets bet
ter post than bookkeeping.
He must meet a different competition
than you faced. We re travelling at a
faster gait, and the ticket that admit
ted you to opportunity won't pass him
through the same gate. We're raising