The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1910-04-14

to repeat and memorize the words of the text
books
A girls class in history was asked to choose
a subject for dramatization. The girls chose
"The Boston Tea Party" Then they selected
who should be King George. the speaker of the
house of commons, the captain OF the teaship,
the leader of the American patriots, and so on
Presently the little ones-their ages aver
aged IL or 12 years-acted out the historical
incident which precpitated the American rev.
olution. They used their own language. and
not the language of the books
The object of all this was, of course, to sup.
plement the memorzing of books by persuad-
ing children to realize history through the ex-
ercse of reason and imagination In the at
tempt TO reproduce persons and events.
There is just now great conflict on the sub
ject OF American public schools. Here and
there are educators who believe that there is
too much experiment In the new system. How
ever the dominant thought is generally ac-
cepted.
This striving toward industrial training re-
ates to cities and towns. 1t is we'll under
stood that country boy or girl receives man.
ual training and acquires a practical knowl-
edge of things in his or her ordinary life In
a farm district
1t is the children growing up In centers Of
population, where everything is specialized.
and almost everything reduced to machinery.
who need vocational development in school,
The confessed general object of the average
American school teacher to-day Is to de-
velop the natural Industrial and artistic capac.
tiles of children. in addition to a good COM
mand of the three Rs, that when they reach
the ordinary age for leaving the elementary
schools. say from IA to 16 years, they will have
distinctly shown their various mental and
manual aptitudes With technical and indus
trial schools in place OF the academic high
schools. hardpressed parents will make an
effort to keep their children in training longer
for the sake of higher wages and greater OPP
portunties for promotion insured by vocation
al education. OF course the academic high
school will continue to exist for that compare
lively small number whose means and ambi-
tions destine them to classical or profess
sional course
The growth of cities and towns. the concen.
tration and specialization of industries and the
inundations OF immigration have thrown other
new burdens on the public schools, The old
American home training, with its ideals OF
conduct, helpfulness. patriotism and morals.
can no longer be depended upon as before In
centers of population. The old American home
life, and its standards are rapidly disappear.
ing. and at time when the church. too. is los
ing authority and influence
In this confusing era OF loosering social
bonds, OF drifting ideals and OF fierce sordid
competition-still more confounded by the ney
er-ceasing flow of mixed bloods from alien civil
lizations-the American school house stands as
the one universal instrument left to society.
II has largely taken the place of the home
guardian OF the health OF children. That
is one OF its most significant developments 1t
has also accepted sociological duties through
its kndergartens in keeping mere infants out
of the streets II teaches sewing, cooking, and
other household things that were taught
at home. II maintains recreation grovsss.
where children are trained to play.