The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-02-11
FADs IN THE SCHOOLS.

| On Friday morning The Tribune had ar
article. - Burdcning the Curriculum
of the schools, which gave au account
OF the effort TO introduce into the Ore.
gon schools the fad of building bird
houses and requiring public school teach
ers 10 give instruction IN bird lore The
| opinion was expressed in that editorial
that, while one fad might not make
! much Of an cncroachmcut on the proper
curriculum in the schools, the multipli.
cation OF fads would certainly tend to-
wards the limiting Of the instruction IN
school matters proper. and would dc.
tract materially from the attention and
efforts of both pupils and teachers TO
the regular studies. This view is in
dorscd by j. w. Mckinney, Esq, late
member Of the City Council in the
following communication:
Salt Lake city. Feb, ..
Editor Tribune;-I have read with
much interest and pleasure your Cdi-
tOr!al, "Bugdcnipg the Curriculum, IN
Yesterdays Issue OF The Tribune. II
has seemed 10 me Tor some time that The
true work OF the public schools is be-
the introduction into the schools of so
many whims, fads. and hobbies. Doubtless
there are many subjects about which II
is advantageous TO acquire knowledge,
but the place for acquiring such knowl-
edge is not the public schools We send
our children 10 the public schools, not
IN order that they may there be taught
how TO make various toys and gIm-
cracks. but IN order That they may be-
come proficient in those subjects which
go 10 make up what Is generally under
stood as a common school education.
Pupils In the public schools today
seem TO be more or less sl<iiitui III MAX
ing various toys and trinkcts. but many
of them have not been taught how to
hold their pen OF pencil when writing
They can make q paste board box or a
spoilers; they can fashion a toy ham
mock, but are woetully deficient in
reading and writing.
It is notorious that many students who
have completed the public school course
and also the high school course arc so
deficient IN knowledge OF the English
language. spelling. grammar compost
tlou, etc. that in order 10 qualify
themselves for clerical positions they
are compelled TO take special courses in
private educational Institutions and 10
there learn those things which they
should have learned and would have
learned In the public schools had more
attention been given TO the genuine
work OF education and less time wasted
In foolish !ndS and iduCtcS.
The Importance OF the public school
system can hardly he exaggerated. II
Is indeed a bulwagll OF the nation, and
no doubt II has been the means OF max
ing TINS the most intelligent ana en-
lightcncd people on the globe Anything
that tends 10 Vitiatc the public school
system strikes at the foundation OF free
institutions. IT the schools are being
injured by laddism; If Tie curriculum
is being burdencd by foolish Innovations
there should certainly be a correction,
and the good citizens who pay their
taxes Cheerfully for the purpose Of sup
porting this great free Institution should
demand the elimination thcrcfrom oil
anything that is detrimental thereto.
IT is 10 he hoped that more attention
VIII be given 10 this matter by fathers
and mothers and all those who have at
heart the rcal welfare OF the public
schools. and that more articles similar
10 yours VIII bc written, 10 tho end that
the mischief may be rencdied.
j. w NJ KIN NEH