The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1910-03-05

to repeat and memorize the words of the text
books.
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 Il years-aeted out the historical
incident which precfpitated 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 memorizing of books by persuad-
ing children to realize history through the ex-
ercise 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 &C
cepted.
This striving toward industrial training re-
lates 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 her ordinary life in
a farm district.
1t is the children growing up in centers Of
population, where everything is specialized,
,
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'
titles of children. in addition to good COM
mand of the three Rs, that when they reach
the ordinary age for leaving the elementary
schools, say from IA to Is 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 hard-pressed parents will make an
effort to keep their children in training longer
for the sake of higher wages and greater OPP
portunities for promotions insured by vocation
al education. OF the academic high
school will continue to exist for that compare
lively small number whose means and ambi-
lions destine them to a classical profess
Sional course
The growth of cities and towns, the concen-
tratiOn and specialization of industries and the
foundations of immigration have thrown other
new burdens the public schools. The old
American home training with its ideals of
conduct helpfulness, patriotism and morals,
no longer be depended upon 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 loose-ing social
bonds of drifting ideals and of fierce, sordid
competition-still more COMPOUNDED by the new
Sr-CeaS1nS HOW OF mixed DlOOQS from alien civil
liZations-the American school house stands as
the universal instrument left to society.
1t has largely taken the place of the home
as a guardian of the health of children. That
is one of its most significant developments 1t
has also accepted sociological duties through
its kindergartens in keeping mere infants Crat
of the streets. 1t teaches sewing, cookir G, a1d
other household things that were once -41snt
at home. II maintains recreation grounds,
where children trained to play