The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-05-11
GIVE TO EVERY CHILD
OPPORTUNITY
Real Education is Their
Birthright
Interesting and Valuable Letter from
DR. Frank = BigeloW

The questions which arr now In
teresting our townspeople are OF
deepest concern to every citizen for
they begin with education, and what
the true significance of education is
must develop as life unfolds the
deeper and higher issues Of ciyiliza-
ton and the relationship of indiyid-
uals to home, country and 10 eter-
nifty. Childhood holds every POSSIBLE
ity, every latent faculty, every germ
of wisdom. The child makes its I'M
conscious appeal to love, it looks
with innocent eyes to responsive
guidance, it seeks with tenderness of
nature for its birthright of truth.
Teachers, parents and guardians,
You were designed to represent to
them all that is pure, noble, helpful.
and strong Until they can look to
you and find honor and efficiency how
can they adj ice securely to the po-
sition of men and women. to the du-
ties and responsibilities of matur-
ity? Every generation suffers from
the wrongs of the preceding genera
ton. The noxious weeds have
sprung up in the gardens of the soul,
and that which should have been
the flowers of Paradise have never
bloomed in the perfection of their
rightful atmosphere.
The first requisite in this march of
progress is sound mind in a sound
body. The laws of life proclaim
of the body, the sanitation of the
home, the cleanliness of the commu-
nifty is an understood science This
is the initial step in education, in be-
ginning with the parent and culmin-
ating in the birth of a normal child
Into this life the whole universe asks
to be represented. Its mineral, its
chemical, its vegetable, its atmos-
pheric marvels, its civilization, its
f iANi Oioihoi Ito l1llllOoODIlItS, It's IuAcD-
tions its purposes, its usefulness.
Education should lead to citizenship.
The defense of the whole world
should be in the soul of each man
and woman. In every heart should
be the laws of good government, of
liberty, of justice, of reform of kind
ness, of peace.
The teacher, the parent, the com
munity should judge intelligently of
the varying talents and tempera-
ments of each child He should be
given his chance in the fields, in the
workshop, in he engine room. in the
factory, in the library. in the art gal
lery, in the quarry of the earth. and
the quarry Of the air." The mind
should be invited outward. il should
not be mdened by details aud ar
fetal events aud memoriziug which
merely makes a machine of the in
tellect The child should be made a
free, healthful, loving inheritor of
nature-an observer of the princi-
pies of growth and decay of the
seasons and their significance. of the
joyous, healthful life that is mostly
outside -four walls, that is not in ma
] thematical problems until the reason
asks for measurements, that harks
not back 10 dead languages and I'M
civilized strife but that looks toward
the development of every resource.
that aims to adjust every inequality
and thai feels the immortal destiny
of every soul
Whatever the past gives of this in
! formation is of value. We have the
accumulated knowledge of all nations
We must choose the important and
discard the mere detail. Let us
learn 10 generalize, to summarize
events and peoples, and progresses,
In this way, guided by discriminating
intelligence the youths of today and
tomorrow will advance to the front
ranks of the truest and the best and
education will be a natural unfolding
of all the superior qualities in the
constitution of every individual. 1t
is gratifying to have the people of
Skowhegar unite in so manifest an
effort for a school system that shall
be more in accord with the needs of
youth
f. S. BIGELOW.
A garbled quotation may be the
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