The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-08-05
WHAT'S WRONG WITH scHooLs7

as follows on a subject close to the
heart of every parent and taxpayer:
There is something wrong with the
American school system. It fails some
how to do the work it ought to do.
Every year a quarter million children
in American cities quit school before
! reaching the eighth grade. There is
! deep discomfort among the people over
the results Of school training for their
| children. In Boston this discomfort has
burst forth so violently as to threaten
turnover from top to bottom. In
other cities there are questionings and
murmurings, while in still others the
| awakening has led to heroic measures
Of reform.
What is being done in Minneapolis?
The superintendent of schools has just
made his annual report in which he
| recommends that domestic science be
taught in the high school, that the
school for stammerers be continued,
that the kindergarten work be extend
ed, that the night schools be enlarged!
Not word in the whole report about
arithmetic and grammar. Not word
about teaching the child how to figure
and how to talk and write. A vast
deal Of talk about domestic science and
other frills and fads, but nothing about
the essentials of a common school edu-
cation, nothing about improving the
average of scholarship, nothing about
relieving the stoppage Of the lower
grades by pupils who lag behind, moth
ing about sending our youth into the
world or to institutions of higher learn
ing equipped with thorough and prac-
tical knowledge Of the fundamentals.
The Journal recognizes, as do most
thoughtful Minneapolitans, the high
value Of the twenty years work in the
schools Of the present superintendent.
He has labOred much and wrought
nightly There must always be among
us a keen sense of gratitude for what
he has done. But the time has come
when the need Of a different and more
thorough going supervision must be
recognized. Conditions have changed
with growth. The need here is for
strong executive leadership. The school
system of this city is too important,
too expensive, too vital a thing to be
sacrificed to personal considerations.
The future welfare Of the rising gen.
Grafton is too completely involved in
the effectiveness of our schools to JUS
tify us in neglecting their thorough re-
formation. 1t is no time to palter with
stitching and stewing, when the three
RS are neglected.
The school board has received spe-
cial reports from the highly important
department of drawing and dabbing,
from the vastly essential department
of gymnastic gimcracks, from the in
dispensable department of singing
songs, and so on. Each is a bulky doc
ument in which is pointed out the ne
cessity Of appropriating more money to
carry on the work. But what light has
the board received from the grade
school teachers. from the devoted wom-
en- who are struggling against the flood
Of fads to give their pupils a sound
foundation on which TO build? What
does the board hear from the princi-
pals of the schools and the problems
with which they grapple almost unaid-
ed? And what good advice does the
superintendent, with his hand on the
throttle, give as to the running of the
school machine?
Next November there will be pre-
sented to the voters of Minneapolis the
opportunity to fill three places on the
school board. In September will come
the chance to nominate the right sort
Of men on both tickets for these places.
1t Is the duty of every citizen who loves
his city and who wants it's children to
have the advantages of the best posi-
Bile school system, to do his share in
nominating men who will go into the
board untainted by political purpose or
self-seektng object, men of character
and ability who are willing to give all
the necessary time to the largest and
most costly department Of our civic
endeavor.
On such a board, so elected and so
regenerated, will deyolve the duty and
responsibility of putting the schools on
the best basis and Of giving them in
telligent and energetic supervision.
&B John Lind wouldn't come back
whether he could or not
sB7 Fargo combines a pleasant sum-
mer resort and prosperous market
~ II eggs are sold by the pound
an ancient custom will be abandoned
"a The wireless stories in the daily
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