Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1912-10-03
HOME DUTIES ARE TOO FEW.
School Children of Today Suffer
From Lack of Responsibility.

the matter of caring for the country
roads is of course in line with the
whole new movement, to adapt the
school instruction to the vital needs
of the community, and the child as
a member of that community. Some
of the readers of the Register who
are not school teachers but are in
terested in all good things would find
a new book by Macmillans very inter
esting. 1t is called Education of All
the Children of All the People," by
w. M. Smith. 1t is as entertaining as
moved and is possessed of much
more meat than most of them. Mr..
Smith is a business man and takes
issue with our present methods of
teaching as well as with what is
taught.
In the not far-away times, as we
have had pointed out frequently,
much of child's best instruction was
in the home. Every child as soon as
it could contribute it's mite OF labor
to the family's welfare did it. Often
little girls who were too small to
reach to the level of the kitchen ta-
BILE had some things placed on a stool
lOl lnCDl W WdOu Wlpc, DOlH W
give them pleasure and training in
useful household art. Boys were put
to pulling weeds, ETC., before they
could do heavy work. AS lad seven
years old l had several well-defined
duties, such as driving the COW to
and from pasture, which had to look
after This meant that | had to keep
track of time, had often to break
away from play, often go when it was
raining or otherwise disagreeable.
By the time l was nine or ten | did
the milking as well, carried in the
coal in winter for the various fire
places, prepared the kindling for the
morning fire, etc. | certainly did not
look upon these and many other SINH
lar duties as ether hard or eXcep-
tional, for they were common to all
the boys of the village of the thrift
ier class. | recall that some fine af-
ternoons when some boys were play
ing ball near our place | did dislike
working away at hoeing potatoes, but
| also know that when our table was
furnished with vegetables from this
garden, that | felt pardonable pride.
And my mothers recognition of my
contribution added to it.
Parents made it a point in building
a home or renting to get on piece
of ground big enough ito give the
boys something to do"
| How things have changed! Even
when family is located on a good
space of ground there is little garden
in many cases, and very many will
| buy lots just large enough to accom-
modate a house. OF course in a
large city that is a matter of neces-
tsary economy. But it is not so in a
small place as is Eugene One of the
great calamit', S of this time is that
suburbanites wish to live as do city
people, and this extends to the limi-
tations of the city dweller as well as
to his advantages. By a little care
most of the children of Eugene could
be put in the position to get much
greater benefits of an industrial edu-
cation than can be given in the
schools. In small place as this is
where few of the women go into fac,
tories but give their time to house
hold duties, every girl should have
certain tasks to do which would leat
her finally to do we'll the things O.
a home. AS it is, many mothers will
let their children lie abed in thu
morning until breakfast is ready, anC
then hurry them off to school, anC
in the evening what time is not giver
to play is given, or reserved for thei
books and lessons. That the grea
thing is the education which is to b,
gotten in school is one of the bigges
illusions of this age.
Schools are necessary, of course
but in the essential things of a child
education they are poor substitute
for the home, if the latter will do it
duty, Just as books are poor substi
tute for life, as Stevenson says.
Then there is an economic side t.
this matter. In cities it is not posi-
!, BILE to have gardens, but in Eugen
|, very many people of moderate Gil
cumstances could well afford not t
buy their vegetables-the none
, saved would be a real advantage.
know OF teachers not many mile
from here who think the distriC
does not pay enough salary, and tha
may be so. On the other hand, thes
same teachers do not raise a thins
depending for their pocketbook t
furnish everything. So one may b
sure that in such a case there is yer
,, little money l-ft for the savings banl
There are several hours in the day t
say nothing of Saturdays and th
long summer when profit and plea.
ure could be gotten from small gal
den to supplement the salary.
= know teacher in this town who TIL
year has raised several bushels of pt
; tatoes, lots of beans, lettuce, beet
etc. By so doing he has killed Sc,
: eral birds with one stone. He hs
afforded healthful employment [
, himself and his children, and the
n have had plenty of vegetables, most
. much nicer and fresher than could |
. obtained at the stores. He has bee
a good neighbor to many about hir
q giving away many vegetables, and l
has sold a good many to the store
And he is one of the busiest men
this town in his school work. 1t m:
be worth while for the state superb
a tendent to push school gardening
y the rural districts in Oregon; |
Il not know the condition, but l a
, sure that it needs to be pushed in Il
!, schools of this town. AS is oft,
y said TODAY il is NOT tho nrohlaD,