The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-03-06
The Modern Trend
OF Education
(By a Teacher.)

(By Teacher.)
In this age of scientific research
and general awakenings in almost ev-
cry line of work it is almost impossi-
BILE to know what the morrow will
bring to US. When we think of the
wonderful discoveries made during the
last century and the progress made
along the lines of steam, electricity,
wireless telegraphy and radium we
do not wonder that these forces are
constantly forming new occupations,
and consequently demanding trained
workmen to take charge of these new
industries, and so we find our old
school system constantly changing in
order to ADJUST itself to the new con.
ditions
When our present school system
first was organized in Boston within
the last century the present great age
of scientific, industrial and commercial
activity had not yet commenced. Up
to this time all children had been eth
er taught at home or else had been
sent to private schools and educa-
ton consequently was confined al
most exclusively to the prosperous
class. All colleges and universities
were for those who expected to enter
the professions, such as law medi-
cine and the ministry.
When our public schools were Or
ganized the courses We're arranged to
meet the college requirements and al
though it was intended for the masses
and to be democratic, still it's courses
favor the well to do class, therefore
since it is an acknowledged fact that
only one and one half per cent of the
youths of school age attend college it
has been found that in some regards
the present system is not fulfilling to
the highest degree the object for
which is was intended.
BY the term education, l believe
We generally mean, the fitting of the
child for life work and at the same
time so broaden and train his mind
hat he can appreciate at least to some
extent all that the world has to give
him.
II a school in it's work can secure
a proper appreciation of the right
books We certainly can feel that it is
a success, but are we sure that such
is the case. The later years Of school
life are often those in which children
desire to get free from school. Is it
because they can see no connection
between the things they do in school
and the things they hope to do when
they leave On all sides there is the
demand that the school should be a
more thorough preparation for life in
the fullest extent.
The opportunities before young PEG
pie today are undoubtedly the most
wonderful that the world has ever
known. The forces of steam and
electricity whose powers We have
only begun to understand and tae
new ways of navigation SO recently
discovered and now under way Of be.
ing perfected are changing rapidly
the needs and requirements of the
country as whole.
The present age OF industrial and
scientific work demands the adop-
ton OF trade and industrial schools to
properly train the students who take
up the new lines of work, and in con.
sequence all higher educational
schools are conforming rapidly to
the new ideas by putting into their
courses nature study or agriculture,
domestic science and manual train
Ing.
The installing of the last two sub
jects into the curriculum of both High
schools and grades show plainly the
spirit Of modern education, /. e., the
aiming of the hands to work in con.
junction with the brain and at the
same time teaching the child in school
to do, quickly, neatly and scientif.
cally the practical things of life.