The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-09
KANSAS COMAENT
SWINGING BACK.

| Whenever an outsider opens his
| mouth to criticize the modern school
system, he puts his foot in it, so far,
I at least, as the pedagogues are con-
cerned. And the teacher. to some
! extent, may be right in the contention
/ that the outsider doesn't know what
| he is talking about, and should be
| equipped with a Maxim silencer. or
/ turned over to the society for the pre-
vention of needless noises. But, there
being no law against it, the criticism
continues, as will criticism of other
fields of human endeavor, in all their
wide range there being no such
thing as perfection, and the teachers
should take it good naturally. Parttc-
ularly should they when the criticism
comes from teachers of high rating,
rather than from one unframed in the
gentle art of teaching the young idea
how to shoot. And it comes from such
a source when Ella Flagg Young, su-
perintendent of the Chicago city
schools, and formerly head of the Ma
tional Education association, decides
that present methods run too much to
frills. incidentally, she is supported
in this theory by the board of educa-
ton of that city, who propose to move
more swiftly than she had planned in
eliminating frillS from the curriculum
1t seems to be the consensus of opin-
ion among those patriots that the stu
dent of today has too much to inter
fere with the proper study of read
ing, writing, arithmetic, spelling,
grammar, physiology and geography,
and that, because of the side lines,
many finish the eighth grade without
those rudiments of an education
which they are entitled to, consider
ing the constitution and the price
paid. Therefore they propose to elm
mate courses in basket weaving,
m ound- building, rifle practice. en-
broidery work and pastry cooking
while the students absorb a little more
OF the knowledge contained in books.
I,iC Of hn 6i0p i o.
among the highbrows may contend. is
a step backward. Certainly it is more
like the old system under which the
parents of today were educated before
they began postgraduate courses in
the school of experience. But If it
means more thoroughness, it should
be wise step, regardless of the d.
rection. We aren't sure that it would,
and, never having outgrown our fear
of school teachers. we Introduce Mrs.
Ella F'lagg Young, who seems a cap
able woman, to any proud preceptor
who wishes to continue the argument.
-Atchison Globe.
BACK TO THE FOLKS.
There is only one way for the Repub-
lican party to get on it's feet and be in
position to take advantage of the natural
strength of Republican principles and
polID1es. That way is to go right to the
the wishes of the folks. There is no need
of a Progressive party, especially in
Kan5aS where 1t can not DO anything Dut
help Democratic success. The fractional
troubles, the divisions into ''Progres-
sives'' and "Standpatters" are merely
questions of leadership and policy not OF
principle Cut out the quarreling and dis
putes over who is the possessor of tho
copyright and the brand blown in the
bottle, and let all Republicans go together
and let the majority rule. The majority
of the Republican party is progressive
enough to satisfy any reasonable radical
and is conservative enough to hold in
check any foolish faddist There ought
to be great gathering of Republicans IN
Kansas, selected in some proper and rep
resentative way, and they could set forth
the Republican principles upon which tie,
next fight should be made.-Hutchinsou
News.