The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1910-04-15
School Notes

OF school work were given out tuesday.
Teachers and pupils have been quite
busy preparing programs, which will be
given this (Friday) afternoon begin
ming at $50. Visitors are welcome.
The ball game last Friday afternoon
resulted in a score Of 7 to II in favor
of the boys from downstairs, who chal-
lenged the boys from the upper floor.
The following pupils have entered
school recently: Horace and Edna Dun
lap, from Brookhaven, Miss; Elizabeth
and Helen Nicholas, from Appleton,
Wis; Grace and Blanche Dalton, from
Hillyard, Wash, and Genevieve Coons,
from Mansfield, Wash.
In a communication received from
Prof. c. w. Macomber, who recently
inspected our school, he states that in
his report to the state board Of educa-
ton he has recommended that the two
years of high school which we maintain
at the present time be placed on the
accredited list. Two more years should
develop a fully accredited four-year
high school course.
Yesterday Mr.. Moore distributed 200
packages of flower seeds, and suggest
ed that we might find suitable places
to plant them in some corners now va
cant-since they have been robbed OF
their store of tinware through the efforts
of the City Beautiful club.
When spring work begins some of
the larger pupils find it necessary to
give up their school work to fill posi-
tons in the home, on the ranch, or in
the mill; to become producers, to earn
a livlihood. Then the thought comes
to US, have they received something
while in school that will make them
more efficient workers; that will increase
the productivity of their efforts; that will
assist them in earning dollars.
Located as we are here in the famous
Wenatchee valley, which is equaled by
few and surpassed by none in the pro-
duction Of fruit, would it not be we'll
for the girls and boys to have some in
struction in the propagation of plants
and trees; some knowledge of fruit
pests and how to combat them; some
knowledge of the soil, and Of the con-
ditions peculiarly favorable to certain
plants? Would it be wise to introduce
agriculture and horticulture into our
course of study?
In town whose chief support is a
lumber industry, closely followed in
importance by the railroad shops, what
vocation will the boys select for their
life work? People are influenced by
their environment, and no doubt many
of the boys will become mechanics and
craftsmen. Would it be we'll for these
boys to have some early training in the
use and care Of tools? Would it be
we'll to introduce manual training into
the curriculum OF our public schools2
When we are producing more, either
from the soil or with our hands, we will
have overcome the difficulties that now
beset this country by reason of the high
cost OF necessities. For this reason any
measure encouraging higher standard
of efficiency in agriculture or in the
trades is of great importance.
Schools are rapidly changing their
view points, and more and more they
must give attention to the education
of children with view of making them
better producers in their life's vocation.
There may be just as much mental
training, just as much intellectual
training, just as much true education
in learning how to do piece of car
penter work and doing it well, or in
learning how to cultivate and care for
an orchard to obtain the best results, as
in the study of Greek or Latin.
William c. Brown, president Of the
New York Central railroad, in an ad-
dress given at Cornell university, at
Ithaca, N. Y, said: Il would have a
frst-class manual training school attach
ed to every high school and to every
college and university, where young
men could be turned out good, practi-
cal journeymen, blacksmiths, cabinet
makers, plumbers, or skilled workmen
at some other useful trade, and then l
would make attendance compulsory.