The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-08-18
ADVANTAGES OF
The THREE RS
CORRESPONDENT WRITES EN-
TERTAININcLY OF ANOTHER
PHASE OF WORK IN RURAL
scHooLs-FADs AND FRlLLs
HAVE. A USEFUL SPHERE.

Bantry, N. D., Aug. 9.-To The Fo-
rum: / read with much interest your
quotation from an editorial in The Min
neapoljs Journal, wf.ch condemned ut
terly the work of their city superin-
tendent' because it ran to frills; and
which suggested asking the grade
teacher, as to the flimsy foundation In
the three RS to be found under the
friIls.
Let us look irto this The three RS
are only tools; and they may not be
sharp, or of good steel.
| Whats do we want Of reading. ex-
cept as the great key to unlock life and
knowledge?
What do we want of writing, except
to tell others something when the
spoken word will not serve? @
What do we want Of arithmetic ex-
cept to count up?
| Now boys who read must read some
thing. If this tool, reading, is used
easily for things worth while, during
the grades, and the boy was helped to
his reading, / do not fear any taste
arising for penny dreadfuls, or dime
horrors-and l have been looking at
the lives of a whole generation to
prove this.
For that great tool, writing-the lad
who tells story, because he likes Ii,
and wishes to hand it on, need only
be held to quality. not quantity, and
his manhood win use writing well
You and ] will read his writing
gladly.
Arithmetic is keen delight to all
healthy minds, when 1t is well taught
But some do not try to think or rea-
son and to them 1t is a bugbear. But
arithmetic is not an end in itself, it
Is only tool, useful, IL in good shape.
The little lad on the farm loves to
count the eggs and the chickens = let
him grow till he counts the half cent
on the bushel at the elevator and the
per cent that means on his investment
Girls don't handle grain? Well, she
will count the eggs too, the butter at
2Sc pound-curre1t price here today,
and bye and bye half yards of silk
won't trouble her, and she will handle
her savings bank book and see that the
interest is correct. She will add it in
each year and compound it. Give her
a chance
The eighth grade teacher in this
state has something to say, and ought
to say it.
No wonder SO many slide out of
school without graduating from the |
grades.
For it is a common thing nowadays |
to bear able instructors in summer |
schools and Institutes say mo cube |
root in the grades" mo problems but
practical ones; discard those big mass
IS Of figures; give simple work"
And teachers, who listen, go home
and act on these solid principles.
But 10! UP comes the eighth grade
pupil for final examination, and The
questions set would be a pretty stiff /
test, in some respects, for a teachers
certificate.
Indeed have known of many permits
o teach granted on eighth grade ex-
limitations.
And then We hear means and groans
No foundation in the grades"
Who draws up said final questions?
The teachers have name and repu-
alton to sustain; on these depend her
y living and failures?
So our boys drop out of the grades. l.
Perhaps they would strive for more Il
Eighth grade final passers, II things
we're even, and they themselves, the
eachers, were more permanent, not
mere birds of passage.
II the chief end of schools is to turn
'ut budding men and women Of sound
mind in sound bodies with earnest
purpose in life, faculties of body, soul
nd min@Spll educated, that is trained,
We venture to say the three RS areI
God only when well attuned; and that
rills which train eye and hand, are {
ust as good. {
How do you like the three Hs-head,
cart and hand? Ia
But how shall we please everybody
or here are the bankers deserving
heir old IL per cent balance for in
crest in the farm and the farmers
oy
Witness Valley City essays and
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