The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1912-03-20
EDUCATION OUT OF SCHOOLS

',
The rather startling statement in
DR.. Sisson's address before the out
look Bible class that fifty-two per
cent of the children who enter the
American public schools leave before
the completion of the sixth year, IS
a subject for serious thought on the
part of that growing number of cit
liens who are at present engaged
in promoting the social uplift. The
first line of thought suggests a rem
edy through means to keep the chill
dren in school for a greater length
of time, through better compulsory
laws and through methods that will
rouse the parents from their seem
ing indifference and secure their CO.
operation in keeping the children in
the schools and melting and slim
ulating their interest in educational
work.
But aside from this, and perhaps
be found in a cooperative move
ment to see to it that all other edu-
cative influences are encouraged and
made efficient in the development Of
the child. 1t is of profound impor-
lance that the people of every COM
munity should realize that the schools
are only one of many educative in
fiuences at work instructing the
growing child and the youth of the
land training habits of thought, fix
ing ideals and giving bent and pur-
pose to life.
1t is a well recognized belief that
the home and the church are vital
factors in the education of the child,
but 1t is not till recently that we
have become awake to the import
ance of the fact that the child is ed
ucated just as vitality by the nature
of his amuse ments, that just as much
supervision and thought ought to be
of recreation as to the hours spent
in study or in work. In the matter
of play and recreation the American
child has been allowed to run wild. ="
But play is a part OF his brthright
and 1t is a part of the wisdom Of
present day education to see to it that
the proper environment is provided
for the playground as well as for the
school room.
Aside from the tendency for nor
nal and natural play, on the play
ground and later. in athletics there
are the amusements including the
theatre, the moving picture show
clubs, parties, lyceums, lectures, fairs
expositions, associations and similar
organizations all educative and all
an inseperabe part of the social life
of the community in which the grow
ing child and the future citizen is
receiving his education.
While it is a deplorable fact that
larger percentage of the children
of the nation are not kept in school
longer, and while it is imperative
that a remedy should be sought and
found in that direction, it will be far
more deplorable if the citizens of the
community do not awake to the re-
alization of the fact that education
out of school is equally vital and the
only possible means of reaching and
influencing that large percentage of
children who have dropped out OF
the public schools.
If this nation is to so forward, its
institutions saved and it's problems
met in the spirit that patriotic fore
sight has idealized and with the
high aim that its statesmen and wise
men have set for it, the forces of
social uplift must Cooperate to the
end that every educative influence
be set to work that all the children
of all the people be given opportunity
for self development and for a real
ization of the best things possible fol
each individual.