Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1914-11-18
EDUCATION IS
LIFE TRAINING
Mrs. S. G. Newsome Makes
Some Interesting State
ments in Opening Lecture
Of University Extension
Course at Woman's Club

'If education means anything 1t
means a training for life in the broad
est sense. The play and the sunshine
must come in school life as they come
in every sane and normal life-as a
balance to hard work and steady appli-
cation" said Mrs S. C. Newsome in
presenting Ssome reflections on present
day education at the Woman's club,
yesterday afternoon.
This was the first of q series of Uni
versity extension course lectures to be
given here this season and was given
under the auspices of the civics educa
ton department of the club, Mrs. ]. l..
B. Alexander, chairman. The meeting
was open to the public and the an
nounoement that Mrs. NeWsome was to
be the speaker, attracted a large gath
ering. Her charming personality as
well as her brilliant mentality always
makes Mrs Newsome q favorite on
any program. She is president Of the
Tucson Woman's club and a former
president of the Arizona Federation of
Womens clubs. AS Latin and Greek
instructor at the University of Arizona,
she is naturally deeply interested in
educational problems and her subject
was one thatappealed especially toher
andhe r audience.
Mrs. Newsome severely scored the
American public schools for giving heed
to the demand of the public and MAX
ing education a thing to amuse, divert
and entertain the child. She declared
this outside display" was the result Of
pet theories and new systems of edu-
cation brought into the school in con-
sideration to the parents and so-called
educators without regard for the young
people.
Mrs Newsome does not believe there
is royal road to knowledge nor that
the search should be encouraged She
says that the teacher is not there TO
divert and amuse but to stimulate ev-
cry faculty of the students mind. The
1 pleasure of achievement is the real
| pleasure of the school room. Every
step of education cannot be made in
teresting and it is the patience and the
plodding that it requires that devel-
ops the child Sugar coating is worse
than stupid for it deprives our boys and
] girls of fundamental knowledge and
moral training. 1t is the serious and
! Gisagreeable happenings that teach the
wholesome lessons"
In endorsing discipline in the school
room, Mrs. Newsome said, that while
certain critics had declared it to be ar
1 tificial restriction, it was in reality a
very fine thing for the preservation Of
order, quiet and subservience to law
was excellent training in itself. The
checking of self expression, another
criticism against discipline, Mrs. New
some ridiculed THE American child
rather suffers from freedom of express
sion she argued THE child should
not be allowed to interfere with the
rights of others and should learn TO
submit to the will of the majority" She
reviewed the list of subjects added to
/ the curriculum of schools throughout
the country in recent years Com
plexity in work destroys the equilib-
rum. To scatter the intellect over eight
or ten subjects day is distracting and
i n smattering of a few things is not an
| education
According to the speaker the intro
/ duction of maps, charts and moving
pictures in the schools do not produce
an appetite for education that comes
only from mental exercise. The std
dents must not be taught the easiest
way but must learn to think, act, do
and discriminate for himself. Superior
buildings and inferior teachers are not
what an honest, intelligent public
wants 1t should employ good teachers,
teachers with education and character
and allow them to conduct the policy of
the schools
Preceding Mrs. Newsome's address,
Mrs Arthur Gibbons Hulett sang a
group of songs in her usual charming
manner. AT Parting" was her first
number and in response to repeated APP
plause she sang Let Miss Lindey
Pass"