The Detroit times., 1911-11-03

learned in school. but IL the purpose Of
tho school has been fulfilled in any
sense he Will have gained the power TO
do things, to solve the problems that
daily confront him. II he has not gain
ed tins power, there is something lack
ing in the training he has received.
The most practical thing that a
young person gets out OF his educa ion
Is wholesome respect for honest.
hard work, together with wholesome
regard for law and reasonable disci-
pllne. Nothing good comes without
great labor, said the Roman poet Hor-
ace Certainly. young people should
be made TO realize that success IN
their studies can only be gained by
hnTd work | am not In sympathy
with the feeling that pupils must he
forced TO do difficult and disagreeable
tasks, simply for the sake OF doing
them. or that they must never he help
ed because they ought to learn TO over
come difficulties for themselves
do believe In the ideal OF persistent
EFFORT on the part OF the pupil Con-
stant defeat and failure do not de-
velop power. but result in discourage
ment and lack OF confidence. while sue
cess arouses interest and success Will
follow well-directed, persistent effort.
The other Extreme.
Nor am in sympathy with the idea
that everything should be made simple
and easy for the child. that all difficult
oBstacles must be removed from mis-
path. that he must not do anything
tGat he does not want to do, that
everything must be carefully devel-
oped for him, that he must always
follow the trail so carefully blazed for
him by his teacher that no mental ef-
fort is required on his part This sort
OF work does not train for efficiency
AMI ignores the fact that human pro-
gress has been attained only by per-
sistent EFFORT and hard work
Improved methods in teaching have
made things easier for the pupil in the
sense that he can accomplish more IN
a given time. but not in the sense thai
work is to be done for him The most
helpful thing that child gets from
his education is the inspiration to la
Dor faithfully and cheerfully to accom-
plish the tasks that fall To his lot
whether pleasant or disagreeable. The
next most helpful thing is to so equip
him that he will have the power to
solve such problems as he meets.
VIII these ends be best accomplish
ed by Introducing into the school
course utilitarian subjects and the cs-
tablishment OF vocational schools or
can the SUBJECTS that give knowledge
without any direct bearing ON the
heeds Of life he SO taught that the
same ends will be accomplished Tno
problem of vocational training will
never be solved without a careful IN
yestigation in all OF it's bearings II
can never be solved without being sub
mitted 10 careful experimenting 10
bring out the really. useful features
and exclude the fads that result from
the enthusiasm OF the promoters. When
all OF this is done the school course
viii still be rich in all OF the subjects
that give knowledge without any di-
rect utilitarian bearing. but which
store the mind with useful Information
and train IL for greater efficiency.
II IN not necessary to eliminate the
older subjects TO make room for the
rev, Improved methods in teaching
ana the elimination OF useless material
from some OF the time-honored sub
Jects will give the necessary room for
the Introduction of the new. The
backbone of the course OF study must
always be the subjects OF which
knowledge is essential 10 social and
politiCa, life.
should Keep Latin and Greek.
Personally. regret exceedingly to
see Latin and Greek dropping out of
our high school courses. not only on
account OF their culture value and the
training in consecutive concentrated
mental effort they afford. but also on
account of the effect and bearing on
English language, You have met pu-
pills, and many OF them. who have
great difficulty in solving mathemati-
cal problems and you are inclined to
difficult for such pupils, or that they
have no mathematical ability. Exam
Inc carefully into their difficulties and
you VIII find that the funda amental diff
ficulty Is the inability on the part Of
the pupil TO read English. and by read
ing English ] mean the ability to in
terpret the printed page Judging
from personal experience with high
schoOi graduates, the inability to In
terpret the printed sentence and TO
state fact or argument In good clear
English far exceeds-the- inability 20
solve mathematical problems when
once the English IL mastered. And /
suspect that the same inaccuracy in
the use OF English exists in depa rt :
merits Of work other Than mathema-
tics. or course, the dropping OF La
tin ano Greek from the high school
course is not the cause of this evil, but
language study does have an import
ant bearing on the study Of the Eng
lisa language. Nor do / intend to at
tempt to point out the cause, bur the
evil exists and TO Il greater extent
than Il ought.
u is impossible TO define the ideal
education for young people IL is inn
possible 10 do more than consider n
few Of it's main aspects. hut there are
81 few elements that most OF US Will ad-
NIT must form a part OF our ideal The
foundation OF integrity, a love OF
Knowledge for its own sake, efficiency
character, are all essential element 3
bearing on the education OF today, II
we expect young people to develop
into useful citizens.
|