Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1912-10-05
THINGS EDUCATIONAL
Devoted to School Topics Primarily,
But Also to the Larger. Mean
ing Of Real Education.
Eaised by Principal .. ). morgan.

II
Edited by Principal u. J. Morgan.
By way Of explanation, and Of intro
duction as well, 1t may be proper to say
here that the purpose of this department
will be to acquaint parents and citizens
in general, on one hand, and teachers
and pupils, on the other, with each
others problems. as regarding educa-
tional matters that are and ought to be
Of interest to every intelligent person.
This is not weekly budget Of ''school
notes." 1t is not mere arena of personal
opinions of the writer hereof, nor 10 it q
group Of stersotyped paragraphs for the
sole sake Of filling space. The Publisher
Of the CHRONICLE has been SO progress
sive and public spirited as TO request the
writer to utilize certain amount Of
space each week for the subject of edu-
cation, and we accept his offer gladly.
For educational subjects this space will
be used; and for that only: but the
reader must bear in mind that education
means more than book learning; means
more than text books, or tablets, or
school rooms. To show fully what the
term education really means, and what
it ought to mean to the youth of Amer
ica, is one aim of this department. Too
many persons think that every man who
is learned is educated and that the only
educated one is he who is scholastically
trained. Sadly, and yet fortunately, this
is not the case. A man is educated
when all the powers of his being are
fully developed to the greatest possible
extent. To be endowed and developed
mentally is not to be educated. That is
indeed a primary and essential factor,
but too long have We Americans deemed
brain training to be the whole condi-
ment of that which ia called education.
Too long have we said that John would
finish his education next June, forget
ting that education is growth, and that
its consummation comes only when life
itself shall wane.
Sadly but truly have we forgotten or
ignored the fact that many of our train
ed boys and girls are our most undesir-
able citizens; that many of our most IL
lustrious and serviceable men have been
unframed in the lore that goes to make
up the school and college curriculum.
Often with the utmost unconcern have
our teachers striven TO inculcate into the
pupils mind merely the principles of
grammar, the methods of mathematics,
the vocabulariss and the dsclensious OF
language, entirely impervious to the
fact that that pupil had soul; that he
had physical body; that he had car
nal body; that he had future of bread
winning; or future of more brilliancy
but less service, that of politics.
Speed the day when Americas idea
of school teacher shall not he that of a
person standing before a class, with text
book in hand, requesting Mary to ex-
plain problem number eight, or asking
James to rise and recite on the details
of the battle of Marston Moor. This is
the goal Of too many teachers, and !
fear that some draw salary for doing lit.
tie more. OF all the human beings who
ought to be endowed with that magic
thing we call individuality, who ought
to possess an unlimited amount of what
is real originality, who ought to be char
acterized clearly by that God-given, rare
and matchless quality Of broad-minded
ness, who ought to have, live, and fee
that sweetest boon to all mankind, love
for his fellow man-of all the human
race who ought to conform to these
ideals, it is the man or woman who
stands before the youth, as friend, ex
ample, helper, instructor, adviser of tht
plastic lives of today, which in the white
heat of time and tomorrow, will BLEND
into that which we call citizenship.
cannot forget that Earth's greatest Mar
was himself teacher-the Great Teach
er: and He taught not alone by parch
ment or scroll, but by example, by per
suasion, by the forces that govern man
existence. And can say, think, will
reason, that when humanitys recort
shall reach its finale. and when the stor,
ola mans achievement shall be writ
ten, the silent forces of all the ages shal
bow in honor and obeisance to tn,
teacher, who made some life brighter
who made the world little wiser, bet
ter, smoother, higher.
A great many persons have asked m
what think of Custer, and how lik
the school, and the pupils, and the tow
in general. 1t is short story, and
plain one. All can report is what m.
first impression is, cleaned in the 81,
weeks have been here. Everything
can say is good. Every man, ever.
woman, every hoy and girl seem to m
to be just the kind of people anon
whom was raised and among whom
have lived most OF my life; they ar
respectful, good natured and cooper
alive. never saw 30 few knockers
in any town as at Custer. neve
knew people to make me any more wei