Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-12-15
The Influence and Extension q
School Work Outside and Be
yond The Walls Of the
School Room.
School Room.

School Room.
Paper by County Superintendent
Wimple at Meeting of Teachers
Association at Pierre.)
Taking the broad view OF school
work we can only admit It's influence
has extended and does extend far, far
beyond the walls OF the school room.
1t takes only a glimpse back into per-
sonal experience for most of US to see
how great an impress Che school and
it's work have made upon the charac-
ter, the attitude toward life, the
choice of life work and the way we go
community where we understand con-
ditions best most of US will be able to
trace much that we find there direct
ly or Indirectly to the school, and
looking still further, Is it not possible
to see the direct result Of education
In some of the great national move.
ments OF today? Who are the leaders
In the great Chinese revolt? II press
reports are true. they are students.
Where lies the hope Of Russia? In
its students. And l am not so sure
but that some of the cleaning up OF
the murky spots in III " body pol
itic NAL be traced to the influence OF
our own school men.
Helpful as this influence has been l
am sure that you will agree that
there is much yet to be done and per-
haps the first step is to get more peo-
pie to realize how great 1t is and can
be. l believe that If we we're able to
look down into the hearts of men
that we would find In all of them pos
sibly in some hidden away spot among
so many other things that 1t would
take considerable searching to find it,
but in the most Of them pretty near
the FOREMOST believe we would find
the desire to do something for the
lasting good of the world, the real
yearning to help lead up out of the
binding, bewildering fogs of ignor-
ance and seltishness to where the sun
shine of right understanding might
have the opportunity OF warming
even the stubborn spirit until it must
expand into touch with it's fellows.
II this be true of people in general it
is doubly true of our school people.
Almost without exception they are
hoping for the time to come when
theirs will be the opportunity to
make some great sacrifice for the up
lifting Of humanity, put many, how
many do not realize that every hour
Of every day is the great and probably
the only opportunity for the fulfill
ment of their ambition. How often
do some teachers stop to think that
"what I do this day is to live for all
eternity" that what l do this hour
Is to hasten the time when harmony
and happiness shall be the common
heritage or Is to compel generations
yet unborn to struggle on under the
burden Of sorrow and sin which might
have been lighter had I done my
work Alright To me our greatest
privilege, our greatest responsibility
as superintendentS il to open the
eyes Of our teachers to the Opportuni-
ty for good which they have. Their
desires are right, their aims are noble,
they simply do not realize their pos
sibilities.
There Is only one way OF making
the influence OF the school greater.
That Is by getting more people In
touch with 1t. BY getting more into
it and keeping them longer. But
who can say the number of ways in
which 1t can be made hetter2
The realizing OF ones influence does
not determine the extent OF that in
Anence but its character. The indif-
ferent and ,unrealizing may anwit-
tingls do as much in the wrong d.
rectioa IS the most earnest q do in
the right with all his efforts. Look
ing back YER personal experience I
fnd nc memory OF any one connected
with school life who deliberately tried
to instill those things that would be
harmful. but I do remember many
who, by their negligence or lack of
wisdom allowed much to develop that
Was lastingly Injurious to those under
their care. Their OWE personal habits,
methods Of work and Indifference to
the best things were copied and ap-