The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1911-12-16
MOORHEAD NORMAL

Thursday to make an address before
convention of school officers, which
Superintendent Thorson of Polk coun-
ty had assembled for the purpose of
advocating liberal improvements in
the interests of rural life. Mr.. Weld
spoke on the relative responsibilities
of the state and local. communities in
promoting the larger educational pro-
jects Of these later days. His thesis,
roughly stated, was this: Since the
demand for more practical and eff
ficient education through the intro
duction Of agriculture, manual train
ing, and household arts, is involving
larger burden upon the schools, and
hence larger expenditure of money |;
and since the state has taken a gen.
erous and advanced position in furth-
ering by large appropriations and the
most jealous cooperation of its edu-
cationaI forces, these new lines of
work for the benefit Of the people; ii
is therefore the plain duty Of local
communities to put forth proportion
ate effort, to further the work Of the
schools by giving them more attention
and more money.
Judge Amidon made an address at
chapel last Saturday which was re-
markably energizing and inspiring.
It was distinctly Emersonian in Its
message and Its tone. Simple in plan
and diction, 1t was both penetrating
In insight and idealistic in its con-
clusions 1t was the sort of comment
M odn hof a..
sanity of real observer; not from a
propagandist on the outside who is
bent on kicking the whole thing into
smithereens just to see the splInters
fly and demonstrate a hobby, nor from
worshiper on the inside who is In
toxicated with the workings Of his
beautiful machinery. It's real signi-
ficance cannot be summarized In prop
ositions, any more than can a poem
or one of Emerson's essays. But its
points were something like this; You
study too much. You make a fetish
Of books, neglecting life. things, and
observation of nature. The incentive
to read, the obligation to read, becomes
an incubus; in America 1t is produc-
ing a hard, eager type OF youth who
outstrips his health and buoyancy; in
Germany 1t is driving youths to sui
eide. Six to ten hours in the school
room; ten to sixteen hours OF study;
It Is sapping the vitality of our race.
But there is another flaw in your sys-
tenn: You take too much time for
your studies. You learn less by stu
dying more. In fourth Of the time
you devote to study. you could learn
as much as you do. An hour, with
right conditions, is worth a day of
mere drudging. I have demonstrated
in my own experiences that a child
can learn In less than an hour daily
what the less vital conditions of the
scbooiroom require five or six hours
to teach. A child learns best in con-
nection with activity: we should
therefore teach all knowledge in con-
nection with work. Impressions are
thus retained But our besetting sin
In America is educating the mind and
not the feelings. Uncle Sam IS all in
teIlect; no heart. He is the composite
portrait of all of us. / speak with
conviction when say that we Ameri-
cans, rigid Puritans ALL have crucified
ourselves in crucifying JOY. We should
take lessons from the Germans in their
unfettered joy in great music, great
emotional loveliness. We are too
prone to rhapsodize over st. Peters
and to see nothing In this great dome
Of Gods great outdoors Studying
the beauty OF masterpieces is but
slumber to the soul If it does not fit
us to go forth under the stars and the
trees and drink in the uncatalogued
loveliness Of nature
This, stripped Of its poetic and ur-
bane spirit, Is the message Of Judge
Amidon. incidentally. he paid a frank
and decisive compliment to the normal
school, where his three children have
studied.
Sen James p. Boyle OF Eveleth was
q visitor at eschool on Tuesday, where
he spoke at chapel and was informally
received by the faculty in Comstock
hail. His address held his hearers In
tent upon every word throughout a
period OF thirty five minutes Not so
much because of what he said. though
hts ideas were all wholesome and clear
cut, as because Of the fascinating style
OF his oratory. he was the lion OF the
school and received such tempest Of
applause as IL rarely accorded to d
stranger on the platform. He first
exploited the region which he repre-
sents In the state Legislature, the
range. All rangers are boosters, and
Mr.. Boyle is an aeronaut at the art.
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