The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-11-07
VOGEL TALKED ON
PRESENT NEEDS
PRlN. FRANK VOGEL OF UNDER
WOOD SCHOOLS DISCUSSED
IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED IN
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION BE.
FORE ELEMENTARY SECTION.

Prof. r. A. Vogei, principal Of the
schools at Underwood, said in his ad-
dress before the elementary section Of
which he is secretary:
Fellow teachers: / shall attempt to
speak to you today from the view
point of a graded school principal.
You have already heard the discus
sions of an able county and city su-
perintendent upon the needs in ele-
mentary education in this state. I
shall make no effort to avoid repeat
ing some of the phases covered by
these educators because each of us no
doubt, felt that the same defects ex-
listed. You will pardon, then, any
repetition for it seems we smaller fry,
educationally, are continually being
imposed upon by those higher up even
to the extent in which you find me
placed today. h third speaker on a
given topic.
II desire to reach, if possible, a few
teachers and principals Of the two
hundred fifty odd graded schools in
this state.
My first major defect Is most as
suredly a crowded curriculum,
Whenever any educator, l care not
who he may be, tells me that an
eighth grade pupil can successfully
complete eight subjects in nine months
or less as is the case many times in
country districts, and attain any de-
gree OF proficiency in any one of them
! most emphatically disagree with
him. Whenever we reach that par
tlcular stage In educational progress
where there is not enough hours in
the day nor days in the week to cover
the required curriculum especially in
the major subjects, there Is to nv
mind at least too much ~hobnobbing
to a system and not enough broad
minded conception of the aim Of edu-
cation.
What are we expecting Of these
upper grade pupils? He must have a
a working knowledge, sufficient at the
most to pass the final examinations
In the following subjects: Reading,
writing, spelling, arithmetic, history,
grammar, geography, agriculture. CIV
les and physiology. Besides these
some time during the week must be
devoted to the manual arts, drawing,
music and physical education. And
still we find specialists along some
particular trend of education agitat-
ing the introduction of still others.
is 1t ay wonder, fellow teachers.
that the business men of today are
insisting that a change be made some
where and that magazines and period
lcals are Investigating our school
methods? Can you blamethe boy or
girl for becoming discouraged with
school n dropping out when such a
multitude Of subjects meets his gaze?
To-day the advanced pupil | narith-
metlc receives abouto from three +
four hours instruction in the subject
while but a few years ago the same
grade of pupil received about six.
Speaking Of the work in arithmetic,
l was dumbfounded the first wear
LOOK charge Of a class of sixth grade
boys in manual training. They had
no firm grasp of the practical appli-
cability of the subject and invariably
reached for their pencils when con-
tronted with the simplest problem. In
our roWded state Of affairs the work
must be largely written work. Here,
100, the teachers, are at fault who fail
to feel the need Of Bnappy. work in
mental arithmetic and rapid caIcuIa-
ton, largely because we have failed
70 receive the necessary training for
the work during our Professionalism
ing.
Surely, too, something is radically
wrong farther up when teachers grad
uatlng from normal schools must take
d. course after graduation in
snip and be continually criticized for
incorrect spelling. These teachers are
the products Of the elaborate school
system of which We boast.
And then the subject of ~civicsl
With what a chaotic tumble of unre-
lated facts and shady misconceptions
does the pupil complete this all i'm
portant subject. And why? Simp1v
because some educator, SO called, feels
that 1t Is Of more Importance for the
boy or girl to know who Is ountv
Judge than it is for that same boy or
girl to understand clearly his or her
duties to the home, the school. the
state and the nation. To how much
better advantage that time might be
put in feeding the cattle. or doing
chores at home, as far as the intrinsic
value OF this type Of education is con-
cerned. And we wonder WHY parents
md fault with our educational ideas
and take the pupils out of school be-
fore entering high school. Can YOU
blame a boy for becoming DISCOURAGED
after studying civics a year, if he fails
because he does not happen to know
VINO constitute the board of eouaIiza-
ton or how a bill makes way through
a democratic congress-. I should he
rather skeptical of placing that last
before this body Of teachers for solu-
tlon and yet similar questions appear
every year in this subject.
Leaving the questions of school
SUBJECTS let us stop for a brief time |
on another phase of the topic. 7 have
given a few Of my reasons for a lack
or interest among school pupils and
school patrons. There are others that
are just as vital. Are we as school
principals and graded school teachers
doing our part to make the school a
part of the community? This is the
solution to the other defect in ele- |
mentary educational progress. the
lack Of enthusiasm and school spirit.
] should spell success for any school |
with the letters of one word "Enthu-
siasm." ~
Organize literary societies using
both the talent from the town and the
school How often teachers in small
schools feel the need of a literary So
clety and SO one is organized that
meets every Friday afternoon at a
time when few parents can get ont To
attend. How much better to make If
an evening session. get the town peo-
pie to organize and then work in the
school to make the programmes in
teresting. If possible, hold the meet
ings In the schoolhouse.
Get the pupils interested in the
school first of all by making the school
/ MIA Iyprrfyral a4&1-a nfirvz. 49,