Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1913-01-23
SCHOOLS COMPARED
Prof. Gilmore Compares American
Schools in Michigan With Those
of England in Detroit Paper.

an article written some time ago for
l. a Detroit paper comparing the
schools of Europe with those of
America, as seen from his viewpoint.
1t will prove of interest to those of
our readers interested in such sub
jects:
1t is not a little strange that there
should be such a general misconcep-
ton, the world over, as to what edu-
cation actually means. In the esti-
nation of some people it matters lit
tie how dull the pupil, so long as the
teacher is brilliant and thoroughly
equipped for his work, the chief be-
ing that the genius of the pedagogue
and not the capacity and alertness
of the student is responsible for re-
suits. This clearly ignores the fun
damental principle implied in the
word education-the drawing out
and developing OF natural endow-
ments and not the creation of mental
forces made to order, so to speak,
for special purposes.
The truth is that push and energy
allied to ordinary intellectual pow
ers will accomplish more for a man
in life than the most brilliant en-
dowments, if such endowments are
suffered to remain inactive and
neglected; but the fact still remains,
| however, that we cannot be other
| than we were created; that nature
has though fit to withhold, as we'll
as to confer special gifts and, for a
wise and beneficent purpose, the
world is composed of all sorts and
conditions of men.
With education thus defined the
task becomes comparatively easy in
dealing with the public school sys-
tenn of England, where, above every
thing else, the practical in life is
always kept steadily in view.
Tangible results" may be said to
be the educational battle cry of the
English school system, and these re-
suits, based upon the three elemen-
tary subjects of reading, writing and
arithmetic, are ascertained by an ex-
animation at the hands of a govern
ment inspector of each child attend
ing school. The committee of coun-
Gil on education imposes no restric-
tions upon the subjects to be taught,
beyond the three RS, but they insist
that the three essentials" as they
are termed, should first be taught in
combating ignorance in the state,
and then needful subjects may be
added thereto.
Pay of the Teachers.
. The government pay-and pay lib
erally-for the teaching of the three
RS in the shape of a capitation
grant, but all further support is ex-
pected to be provided for at the ex-
pense of local effort under the au-
spices either of board or denomina-
tional schools. The board schools
are supported entirely by local taxa
tion, as IN the case of our own pub
lie schools, but the system of pupil
teachers-who serve apprenticeship
of four years and pass on to the
training schools free for three years,
nrnUinnA hn
aminations emitting them to queen
scholarships-is feature of school
government essentially British in its
makeup.
A pupil teacher gets $50 for the
first year, rising to $500 the last,
and, after serving his allotted time
at the training college, a government
certificate bearing money value for
life is granted him, dependent, how
ever, upon his passing the required
examinations. These certificates are
first, second and third class, each
class having three divisions, and it
Is not little curious to note that
when tried in the balance of actual
school life better results are often
times achieved by the teacher who
secures a third Of the third" than
the one whose brilliant intellect has
perched on his banner first of the
first"
To possess knowledge would seem
to be one thing, while the imparting
OF it to others is quite another.
The Church of England schools
and the dissenting" schools, which
latter include the British" and
'Lancastarian," are at liberty to
provide themselves with pupil teach
ers and to share in all advantages
that accrue from obtaining queen
scholarships and government certifi-
Gates.
Next to the board schools the
Church of England schools are the
more influential, and mention should
be made of the fact that while all
schools throughout England are
opened and closed with prayer, the