The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1913-01-24
PROVE
TO Be INSPIRING
LAST YEAR $4,000 CHILDREN
COMPETED FOR PRIZES.
State Superintendent Says It
Is Only Commencement Of a
Permanent Movement.

ConoorDlng the lndu6trlal movement
for school children, Superintendent of
Public Instruction Alderman writes to
the Press as follows:
Last year, as near as we can get at
1t, there were about 10000 children
engaged in making or raising some
thing with which to compete for pTiz-
es in the industrial contest. That
was only little start in the work,
but it was great stimulus to future
effort. As result of the inspiration
gained last year we hope to have prac-
tically every one of the $4,000 school
children Of the state engaged In some
phase of the work this year.
To those who did not get interested
last year, and are not familiar with
the rules of the contest. we wish to
say they are very simple. The most
important one is that the children
must do tie work themselves and that
the parent or guardian will be re-
quired to sign a statement to that
effect. In raising garden, some one
else may plow the ground and harrow
it. but the child must do the rest-the
planting, cultivating. harvesting. etc.
In raising poultry the child does not
have to own the parent flock. hut
must set the eggs and feed and care for
the chickens they exhibit.
One OF tha main features Of these
contests is to get the boys and girls In
terested in doing something. To teach
them to do something practical. some
thing worth while, something by
which they can earn living when
they grow up to manhood and woman
hood. And the only way to learn how
to do something is TO do that thing
with your own hands. II you show
something that some one else has
raised or made you are cheating your
self out Of the most valuable part of
the contest the experience gained by
doing it yourself.
Not only that, but in showing some
thing that is not the product Of his
own effort ne is praoticing deception,
cultivating dishonesty and laying the
foundation for life of dishonor and
trouble. He may be successful in de-
ceivinR Others. No one but himself
aud the mem bers of his own family
may evei know that he has cheated.
but that is enough. In doing what
he knows is not right be loses respect
for himself, and that is long step In
the wrong direction. When person
loses respect for himself he soon loses
the confidence and respect Of others.
"To thine own self be true; and il
must follow as the light the day. thou
canst not then be false to any man. "
Every child should early in life gel
this principle firmly fixed in bis mind
and through life never depart from
it.
Parents, do not think you are favor
ing your child by giving or loaninG
him something to take to the fair
with which to win a prize, for YOU
are not. On the other hand. You are
doing him an absolute injustice. Yor
are cheating him out Of the valuable
experience of learning how to do some
thing, and at the same time educating
him tc be dishonest Character build
ing is the most important part of tbs
early education Of the child, and The
greatest value in these industrial con
tests is along that line--fosming in
the child habits of industry. economy,
system, honesty. self-reliance and al
the traits that 90 to make up the goof
citizen.
There will be many valuable prizei
for the children at the State Fail
again next year, but none of then
will be worth as much as clear con
science and the experience gained b.
raising or making something will
which to win the prizes.