The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1914-05-14

state prisons are persons of academic
training of college grade; is it not
about time that boys and girls be al
lowed an opportunity to learn to use
their manual and mental powers II
some honorable and gainful vocation
while they are going to school?
The words of Luther Burbank sure
Nv apply to some of our school courses
in North Dakota. "Any form OF edu
cation which leaves one less able tt
meet everyday emergencies and oc
currences is unbalanced and vicious
and will lead any people to destruc
ton At the present time we are
concerned with teaching subjects. II
giving examinations, in averaging
grades, and in passing Judgment upor
our victims, in accordance with MARKS
given for their success in eludlng oul
questions. This has got to be changed
and we will soon realize that 1t has go'
to be changed.
Again, Education that Educates
must consider the individual and moi
! the group or class specifically as we
, do now. By our 100 years attempt tt
cast all people who attended school II
the same Educational mold we have
committed many crimes and lnJustlces
We have wasted years and decades OF
precious time. We are still engaged II
carrying on to large degree the same m
nefarious process. Consider "ha1 Cne
world would have lost if Thos. A: Ed:
ison had been forced to spend TO IL
years in extracting Greek ana La'll
roots and Algebraic absurds. Con,
slider what the world would have LOST
If somebody had tried to make any
thing but horticulturist out OF Luth,
err burbank! Think what the worle
would have lost if David Starr -Jordaf
had not come under the influence ant
felt the inspiration Of the great tech
err, Louis Agissiz!
It is said that the Italians canno,
learn Arithmetic. They are brlgh'
students in the early grades but soon
er or later the arithmetic makes re-
heaters of them. They are always
brilliant in language and other work
But our absurd system requires. al
students in the grades to 40 an thln 81
so they drop out about the Atm or oti
grade. Hence, valuable cltizens are
lost. Similarly, our system mltlgales
against certain individuals ana classes
in various respects. A.
Some educational writer's claim that
some persons are born short IN s! some
lines and born long in others. lhere
seems tn he some reason for the belief
IF this be true, we are wrong to tne
noint of crimnality almost in requlr'
mo the same work and the same re-
snIts from all students. Education tc
really be worth while must recognize
human differences and make allow
ances therefor and adjustments there
to.
Besides the things Already mentloneo
Edncation to Educate must develop
and fix certain habits of thought anc
action. One of these is the habit OF
"REMINISCENCES. This habit is best
inculcated by the teacher himself be-
ing fairminded at all times and open
to conviction. Nearly every question
has two sides. Our convictions are
usually dependent upon our point OF
view. To illustrate: There was once
an old maid teacher, one of the ancient
and uncommon variety, which needs
to wear mittens to keep the chaps on
She was teaching in a one-room rural
school. There happened to be in that
particular community very prlm and
proper little girl whose parents had
raised her to think that she was very
superior to any other child that ever
existed, and she was very pretty
and attractive child. She came to
school one day very neatly and pettl,,
w dressed and very much aware OF
her own importance. Now it happen
ed that in that same school there was
a healthy, bare-footed, robust boy.
with some good red American blood
in his veins. The little girl looked
good to him and during the recess per-
iod he proceeded very unceremonlous!y
to kiss her. She ran to her teacher IN
a panic and excitedly explained that
Johnny had kissed her. The teacher
Immediately rang the bell and when
the children were all in their seats
she summoned the offending Johnny
before her desk, and with very grim
visage and very stern voice said,
Johnny, don't you know that it isn't
nice to kiss little girls'?" Johnny
looked at her for a moment and re-
piled, "Huh! that shows what you
don't know about kissing" We ought
to recognize this difference in the
view point and teach our pupils to rec
ognize it. It is said that Diogenes
was one day sitting by the roadside
in his tub RECALLING himself with cab
bage leaves, when his friend, Aristip-
pus, who was one of the Kings court
iers, came by. ooh, my friend, Arts
tippus," said Diogenes, "if thou hadst
learned to live on cabbage thou would
st not have to fatter Kings "Oh