The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-02-26
vox PoPUL1.
MR.. BROWNS FIGURES
NOT TO BE DOUBTED


MR.. BROWNS FIGURES
NOT TO BE DOUBTED
Editor Pensacola Journal.
The truth Of the figures pertaining
to our public schools presented by your
correspondent. Rev. John II. Brown, In
Sundays issue il not to be doubted.
He has evidently gone into the subject
carefully. The question he asks rela-
tive to the large number leaving school
after the fourth grade is worthy the
serious thought Of every parent and rs
one of them. the writer submits the
following for confederation:
Just what is wrong with the school
system in this state and county we are
not prepared to say but that there is
putrefying rodent somehow in the land
OF the Dane 10 apparent when we
know that certain lad but a few
months out Of the Sth grade Gin Walton
County, entering the educational de-
partment Of the Y. M. c. A. in this city,
was unable to perform q simple oper-
alton In addition Of common fractions.
We know that great deal Of val
liable time of pupils is FILTERED away
in the primary grades In drawing CD
green daisies. blue roses and animals.
the prototype Of which has never been.
seen above. on or beneath the earth.
We know that valuable time is
wasted In plating weaving and folding
tinted paper or creating scientifically
constructed mud-pies. that should be
devoted to impressing upon Young
America the fact that horse is not with
an "a"
We know that our youngsters are
being too much fmbued with the idea
that every boy has chance to be pres
ident and that rail splitting as a
means Of livelihood went out Of fashion
when Old Abe was sentenced to the
White House for four years.
We know that but slight provocation
IL sufficient to insure holiday-more
time wasted,--a circus parade. mardi
gras, and solid week along about
Dec. 25th.
All of the foregone ways and means
now obtaining may today be consider
ed essential in administering pedagogic
law and lore but to those of US who
earned our Dbl, BIZ "be-be," from the
grand old Webster Blue Back our fig
gering' from Robinson's Practical and
our ability to parse from Smiths, are
prone to doubt the soundness of the
argument and the paucity of intellect
possessed by some Of the resultant
graduates prove 1t too.
In. 1900 there were in the United
States 6,180,O69 persons over ten years
of age who were illiterate and Alabama
alone had eleven per cent of them. The
increasing poverty Of the masses, the
increasing difficulty OF making both
ends meet in forcing youths and babies
to leave the halls of erudition at IA
years to help keep coin In the family
exchequer. The Indifference Of many
parents to the importance Of education
engenders disrespect for books in the
children. The lack Of supplementary
home training, teaching and encour-
agement contribute much to a child's
loss of interest in studies. Rural COM
munities are largely dependent upon
the child population for help in this
field at planting and harvest times
unable because OF scarcity Of help or
inability to pay for It, the little Bills
and Mary Ellen's are conscripted, re-
sulting in a product likely to handle
the Queens English in a manner as
follows:
How'd do Miss. jimmy Jones. did you
went to the party last night?"
Nav, I didn't went, didn't wantter
went, an eff I hadder wanted ter went
couldn't ter gotten ter gwine."
Mr.. Browns suggestion Of the addi-
ton of manual and domestic science
branches to the curriculum Is good. and
would encourage attendance in a way
but the real solution Of the problem
lies In SO reconstructing society that
the necessity Of boys and girls entering
the industrial arena in competition
with the natural bread winner will
be obliterated-so rebuilt that our
embryonic homemakers need not sub
stitute steam laundry and clerical
rules for rules Of orthography. nor our
marble players bid good bye to the
multiplication table to cultivate ths
viles Of blasphemous machinist or
crafty business men.
We are almost disposed to advocate
a compulsory education and a truant
law when we contemplate the cursory
and superficial education being ladled
out to our youth in this city, county
and state. Due allowance must be al
lowed, in discussion of this subject, for
the difference In mentalities Of the pu-
pills themselves Of course-all are not
constituted alike but most of the blame
| is to be laid at the feet Of those de.o-
gated to teach, upon the methods used,
| the curriculum and to the .heinous cut
throat competitive brand Of society
we have in this country which denies
to parents a compensation common
surate with the demands imposed upon
them.
Since the public schools Is one Of the
foundation stones Of our Republic, let
| us have the best 1t Is possible to
evolve.
S. D. BENNETT. JR.
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. THE JOURNAL AND :