The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-02-28
Vigorous Defense Of the
Present Day School Methods
by N. Dakota Educator
LISBON Man, in communication to Minneapolis Journal
Discusses the Three Rs and Scores Those Who Con-
denim Without Thorough knowledge of
Present Conditions .

TO society, no matter what his stand
ing IN the economic world may be, who
thus puts such false values on matters
OF supreme significance?
Some Of the school critics should get
a few facts. They might take the evil
uence gathered by the New York ex-
pertinent station, showing that the av-
lerage LABOR income of all the farmers
VINO had received a common school ed
ucatlon was 1915 per year; of those
who had received a high school edu-
cation 1t was 1922: and Of those who
nad Revived college training, it was
$o4f per year. These figures show at
least that the farmer is as much bene-
hted by an education, such as is given
IN the high school and college, as Is
anybody else. They indicate that
wages, even in practical farming have
a definite ratio to public school and
college training. In fact, you will find
that, no matter what stratum Of soci-
ETY. you investigate, the public school
has been there with mighty results, In
the five decades from 1S70-1910, illit-
eracy has decreased from 20 per cent
to ~ per cent; this despite the re-
markable influx Of a foreign born pop
ulation from countries in which more
than half the people are illiterate.
Viewed from what might be called the
other extreme. If we list Americans
~ 80 N'ioAi lIoNS III all lines OIL
useful effort" we find that the chances
OF the common school graduate over
tile 1ll1terate are as 4 to !: of the high
school graduate as SO to /; and Of the
college graduate as 1927 to l. What
or the recent testimony Of your fell
low citizen, Q. P. Briggs, who Cooked
to the high school and university grad
yates to fill the highest positions he
had to offer in his business?" What
of the recent al1ryov nF 1,o,,- ou,u ,,,,t,
nc schools. which brought out the fact
that many former pupils confessed that
IN the bread winning struggle they
early discovered how much easier it
would have been to get along had they
completed even the elementary ITS
as represented by the high school?
There is one fallacy underlying much
or the criticism Of the schools, as Of
everything else. 1t is the tendency to
credit a mai who has been successful
In one line Of work with undue per-
spicuity In others. The professional
ad writer plays upon this credulity
when he advertises that president or
senator so-and-so uses a particular
brand Of goods regardless of the fact
that the great mans opinion of a good
shaving soap or cigar may be no more
value than Weary Willie's. This fall
lacy has been evidenced recently in the
undue attention given to James j. Hills
TRADE against the schools. With all
due respect to Mr.. Hills wonderful
ability as a inancier and organizer,
his tendency to put everything on a
material basis is strong. One might
fairly question the wisdom of the ad-
vice SO often given to high school grad
yates by well-meaning commence
ment spe~ll-binders, ito find one aim.
and pursue it to the exclusion of 9TH
ers:" One who follows such advice
may become what the world calls a
successful man, but he can scarcely
hope to view other relations Of life
with unobscured vision. Burns in
Weighs against just this tendency:
O, We douce folk, that live by rule,
Grave tideless blooded, calm and
Compared WI you-O fool! fool!
fool!
How much unlike;
Your hearts are just a standing
pool,
Your lives a dyke!
For the average school critic life has
nothing Of moment whose value can
not be measured in terms of dollars.
The fact that the American people
have met, as no other people have ever
met since time began, the various is
sues they have had to face, is to him
no evidence that the American people
have been we'll educated. 1t means
nothing to him that the American peo-
pie, assuming that they have suffered
economically, have not suffered be-
cause Of material underproduction, but
because Of unjust distribution. He in
ferehtionally puts in the class of para
sites upon society all who do not di-
rectly produce and charges the para
Site tendency directly to the public
choots (You and /, and many of your
business men," not being producers,
are examples of the awful failure of
the, public schools.) IT is nothing to
him. that President, Eliot. by no means
the supporter of the public
schools, places the work of the schools
in behalf Of democracy before that Of
legislatures, judiciaries and even the
christian church. No, he has a shib-
boletll, and will have naught else.
Better visit your public school Mr..
Minneapolis Business Man.. You will
find evidence there, of progress that
you are evidently unaware of. YOU
will find the practical emphasized in
school more than ever before. Your
child in his first year of school will
read ten times the amount Of litera-
ture that you read when you began,
and do 1t better. You will find that
geography is taught largely from it's
commercial viewpoint; the sciences are
emphasized and given a practical bear
ing; much Of the dreary and profltIess
arithmetic Of the old days when you
went to school has been eliminated,
annuities, difficult and useless work in
lowest common multiples and greatest
common divisor, progressions, etc. The
domestic arts and sciences for girls are
making rapid Roadway, as well as some
of the trades for boys; there is a great
er differentiation Of courses in the
grammar schools as well as in the high
schools; medical inspection and sci
erltific physical supervision are move
ments to remedy physical defects and
abnormalities; through parents meet
ings, mothers clubs and personal let
tiers the school is doing what it can tc
become acquainted with the needs OF
each child; a finer spirit of co-opera-
ton between teacher and pupils exists
than ever before. In short, the system
of today is SO UNNECESSARILY superior
to the system of any bygone days thai
1deed.
The schools do not resent criticism
They need and court 1t. The thing VIZ
most fear is the blind optimism tina,
believes the schools or any human
agency are as they should be. But w,
resent the charge. as fearfully unjust
that t public schools are at the bot,
tom of the nations ~difflculties.,' w,
do not believe that the efficiency OF TIL,
schools should be measured solely b,
their facility in turning out producers
We protest against the tendency *
substitute glowing "reminiscences OF TIL,
9past Tor facts.
How ID Your Boiler?
1t has been stated thai mans stom
ach is his boiler, his body Is his en-.