The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-09-28

University Authority says
Standard BY E
The time has arrived in the opinion
the teaching of morality has become
an essential for the schools Of the
United States.
How it shall be done is still in the
formative stage; but all educators
have agreed that. II the youth Of
America are to grow to manhood and
womanhood with the cardinal virtues
implanted in their souls sturdily
enough to resist the general tendency
right living. some way must be found
to make universal an appreciation Of
morality.
It is an. undertaking fraught with
difficulties. The education which was
founded In the light of pure reason.
with the moralities left to church and
home. able to inculcate the virtues
only indirectly is believed to have left
wanting the attributes that are indis-
pensable to the highest citizenship.
In the character of the child. during
that period of his life when school Is
actually his most obvious. most inn
pressive environment, the formative
influences of the virtues, taught and
explained in. their practically signif-
canoe. are needed even more than
they can be afterward. It is the aft
erward" that Is their test, not their
incubation. 81
While American teachers as a body
have made haste to put themselves on
record as indorsing this momentous
step in the training of the young, the
opinions of leading instructors have
become of immediate importance, in
relation to the feasibleness of any
method proposed; and they are equal
~ important in the origination of
methods that shall be Of such pr;acti.
cal efficacy as will attain the ends of
a genuine. national morality while
avoiding the dangers and embarrass-
ments so long apprehended.
DIR. Edgar FANS Smith. provost of
the University of Pennsylvania. has
disclosed one means to the end which
a only awaited the occasion for, ex-
preston. 1t has the merit of being at
once eminently practical and at least
agreeable to the eager imagination of
the childs 49, =. e4 -.
Provost Smith would teach the vir-
tues through biography. School chill
dren should learn. Of many, more
things than the mere ambition to
leave footprints On the sands OF time.
from the lives Of great men and
women. ...
In those notable careers. myriad in
their variety. yet all pointing to the
few major virtues which r the main
springs of national morality, example
and precept are to be found for every
emergency of. the conscience and the
character that can arise to tempt them
to downfall in later life.
Unwilling to arraign Americans for
all the shortcomings that have been
laid at their doors, Provost Smith new
ertheless Endorses heartily the move.
ment set afoot by the National Edu-
cattonal association. for making the
school the great artery of supply to
the virtues which alone al preserve
the nation In tonic moral health. His
contribution to the educational sourc.
es of the supply does not conflict with
n OF the means previously proposed:
1t merely supplements them.
The associations national council
vas uncompromisingly emphatic. in
Its report this summer, on the neces-
sity that exists for a system which
shall be effective in the teaching OF
morals in the public schools.
There We're men on the committee
that prepared the report who have
nationwide regulations as instructors
q the young. The chairman was Jas.
NJ. Greenwood. who is superintendent
Of schools of Kansas City; John w.
Carr. superintendent at Bayonne, N.
J., was among. the members. with NJ.
G.: Brumbaugh, superintendent at
Philadelphia; William Lowe Bryan,
president. Of Indiana university; and
associated with them was Clifford w.
Barnes. the chairman Of Chtcago's
committee on moral training.
Their report formally ayerred that
disregard for law is fast becoming an
american characteristic. They cited
notorious examples Of lawlessness, and
no class or section was exempt. Con-
trastins with mobs. riots. lynchings
and the traffic in white slaves were
nstanced graft. boodling. bribery. the
against shippers. The ..~lawleesness'
which. Americans have been accus-
toned to limit to breaches Of the peace
and crimes OF violence, in. the teach
ers' Interpretation Of the term takes
a vastly broader significance, ana in
cludes all offenses against morality
ana Inc commonweal which are con-
f ilis: identified with our national
Only the elemental virtues. inculcat-
ed in childhood and youth, can meet
the situation. And the committee
proposes to begin at the very begin
ning-in the kindergarten. where the
child should be taught ttdiness. obedi-
ence and seIf-sacrifce.
In the grammar grades 1t was urged
mat the fndividual Virtues-patriot-
ism. courage. deterrnination-should
be instillec into tho pupils. The high
schools receive students of an age
where the more intricate aspects Of
the virtues. in their practical appli-
cation to everyday life. can be ex-
planned to advantage. Here the stu
dent should learn what are the re-
iatlons of an individual to society, TO
his vocation, to the state; and es.
pecially he should be taught the i'm
portance Of the family as the founda-
ton Of society.
= have always believed we need
some such safeguard in our schools
Tor our national morals" said Provost
smith. at the, University Of Pennsyl-
Vania. 1T. Is a mistake to eliminate
moral instruction from our schools. is
IT. not the groundwork on which we
nave erected this whole republic of
ours: The men who landed on Ply-
9 rock held. priceless, above. all
ether things. their moral
ity.
There is nc need that the inatruc-
Q he sectarian: we can differ in
many respects and yet be n in this
f.! think the teacher who "a n%crfectiv
honest would. whatever the pcrsonaI
! views, Ei"c. moral instruction witch
would not bias the child mind.