The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1905-1910, 1910-03-29
PROF. IRELAND WRITES
MORE OF N. E. A. MEETING
Importance Of Teaching Patriot
ism In Schools Impressed On
Educators.


Educational Association, at Indianopo-
lis, the first chapter of which appeared
in the INTERIOR JOURNAL Of a recent
issue, writes as follows:
The Importance Of teaching patriot
ism in the schools Of our land. as a
means TO a greater nationalism, was
the burden Of the message Of u. S.
Senator Albert J. Beveridge in bis
masterful address to the superintend-
ents assembled in Caleb Mills Hall in
Indianapolis. In an eloquent introduce
ton he asks. what is education for,
and answers with these words: ''lt
seems to me that the purpose of what
we call education is life. IL is to make
human beings able to live and to un-
dersttnd Gods purposes better; to
make every breath they draw more
worth while: to make every heart gol-
den with meaning. Its purpose is moth
ing more than to make Gods children
approach their Father"
Just here we are constrained to say
we need patriotism that will make US
loyal to our country. loyalty which
makes one not only willing. but anx-
ious to die, il need be. for curl native
land. Parents can help in this instruc-
tion by teaching their children to be
loyal to our own schools; industries,
business systems, ct al. Do you boast
of Stanford's enterprise, her public
men. or do you criticise and disparage?
Do you tell the child teacher is good,
preacher is good, county officers are
good, etc? Perhaps you speak dispar-
agingly. Is this teaching patriotism or
| loyalty? Let us teach the children ideals
and the love for the western world.
Ii is not impossible to teach patriot
ism. Read patriotic literature land in
spire young minds to preserve and to
strengthen the republic.
The republic is not. however. a fic-
ton; nor is it to cause the ignorant to
cheer at political gatherings. 1t is to
give persons living under it the best
chance to live their lives. A republic
must depend on its citizens. The great
est forces in the proper guidance of its
citizens are a healthy public opinion,
the pulpit, the press and the schools.
Love Of country is richeri than calculus
and more thanrmodern or ancient Ian
guages. The Senator said further that |
indifference in time of peace was what
is rotting out the heart of the repub-
lie. 1t is not enough to die for your |
country in time Of war. but to live for
it in time of peace.
After Senator Beveridge's address |
the educators were given reception at
the John Heron Art Institute, where
are portraits Of Indiana's favorite sons
and famous works Of art.
Physical education and life needs |
were discussed largely in the latter part |
of the session. The tendency was to
rationahze education and not make the |
whole purpose of school to turn out lit
erary or clerical persons. Speaker Joe
Cannon recently said if you desire to
know who are to be rulers, 20 to the
farm and the public school and find
the children Of the sons Of toll. who,
under Gods fiat. are eating bread in
the sweat of their faces, and are build
ing castles in Spain.
We see that concurrent opinion bears
US out in the assertion that we need
richer moral ideal and a high standard for
citizenship. Talking better morals and
better citizenship is like talking physi-
cal culture-both must be practiced il
practical benefit is to be derived. Give
heart training as well as head training.
both at home and in the school, and
this republic will remain as it is today,
the greatest experiment in liberty.
Doing and not simply knowing was the
magic word at all sessions. Efficiency
rs not measured by what man knows,
but rather by what he can do with
what he knows. The one care which
we as teachers must exercise is to
avoid frills and fads. 1.-The fad is a
barnacle that attaches itself to the ed
ucational ship and the inexperienced
are sometimes prone to mistake the
barnacle for the ship. We do not mean
by this that we should not adopt new
plans or methods. but do not discard
entirely the old. Every progressive
farmer now has moving machine,
which has taken place of the.old scythe.
but he still keeps his scythe Ito get into
the corners where he cannot take his
mower. SO with old-time and modern
methods "a combination Of the two will
make the golden mien
The closing days of the meeting were
devoted to physical training and n.y.
giene. Stress was placed upon the ne
cessity Of strong bodies in teacher and
pupil, for the reason that the basal
II a Ia. Il