Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1912-06-27
To get an inductiye definition of

view, talked with many differenf So
>cialists about the meaning of educa-
ton for them. The different answers
always reduced to: Learning things
so that you can get along better"
To further questioning ito get
along better" nearly always reduced
first ITO get more for your work." sec
ond, (the hardest of all to draw OUT
Ito be happier and to make others
happier"
Building on this, Socialistic educa-
ton means ~ learning to live more
efficient economic life. (a) as a CO.
operative producer Of wealth, CD as
a cooperative worker for the equitable
distribution of wealth, (c) as a ra-
tional consumer of wealth for the hap
piness of self and others; (2) learn
ing to live a more efficient social life
40 by knowing and approaching all
the great and good things that the
race, through Its long history and
evolution, has done for the present
individual, (b) by understanding the
causes for and fully feeling the econo-
mic, social and moral condition of all
classes Of the people of the present,
(c) by actually living, in so far as
possible, the social life of the near
future individual as preparation for
the best possible form Of adult social
life.
Taking up these elements of mean
ng In order, the school and course of
nstruction implied by the above. de-
finition are as follows:
% To learn to live an efficient
economic life the school must give to
all the pupils actual labor for vocation
al training, together with vocational
science studies necessary for such
efficient labor (a) in an environments
where the work must take the CO.
operative group form of labor rather
than the tndividualistic, competitive
form, (b) with the school organized
as q Junior Cooperative common
wealth (c) where wealth consumption
will be democratic according to actual
needs, rather than for conspicuous,
cumulative, display purposes; 90 to
make for a more efficient social life,
the school must give, by actual living
in a school society, an appreciation OF
the past, present and future progress
of man on earth, together with such
social science studies as will be nee
essary for this appreciation.
Man and his environment, then,
should constitute the subject matter
of the Socialist school, and all studies
should be but tools to work out sue
cessfully the economic and social pro-
blems that will and must arise in
such Junior Cooperative Common
wealth.
When education means these
things universally for all the children
of all the people, then we may fully
feel that at last the race is being pro-
perly educated, and know, as well,
that the highest educational aims OF
the best thinkers are being realized.
The best form Of Socialist school
would be the one most nearly giving
the environment and training for ell
Gent social and economic life, as out
lined above. Such a school should be
a Junior Cooperative Commonwealth,
an industrial farm school, located at
the edge Of the village, town, or small
city. or outer suburbs of the larger
city. All education and training,
whether literary, scientific, social,
moral, cultural or economic should
be based on vocational activities on
this school farm and its industries
related to its intensive agriculture.
In this proposed industrial farm
school education can be carried on
more easily, cheaper, and with far
better results for the individual and
the State than in any other form OF
school. The proof Of this is abundant
and convincing.
First, this form OF scnool Is pfdc-
teal. 1t has demonstrated its prac-
ticability in a variety of ways and
places. The George Junior Republic,
well known to all. has been an emin-
emit success even with the very worst
material. Tuskeegee and Hampton
Institute are striking examples OF sue
cess along almost similar lines. Many
of our public rural High Schools ap-
proach and are steadily gravitating
toward this ideal. The School of the
: Ozarks, at Forsythe, Mo-, with but
very small capital but plenty of en-
thusiasm, has in few years practi-
oally reached. as private school,
such a stage OF success in this line OF
work as to make sure Of being taken