The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-08-11
WHAT PARENTS
THINK OF The
PUBLIC SCHOOL
Should Cooperate With Home In
Character Building

|
the hands OF the printers, is based on
the opinions of 81 representative resi-
dents OF the upper peninsula, and IL
Illustrates fairly the attitude of the pub
lie towards the public schools. The
research committee is composed of
James III. Kaye. chairman, Marquette;
T.. Il. Scribner, Ishpeming; Jesse Hub
bard, Menominee; j. A. Doelle, Hough-
ton; j. " Brennan. Ironwood and
Gilbert l.. Brown, secretary. Marquette.
Recommendation of Committee.
Based upon its Investigations the
committee makes the following recon-
mendations:
There is a need OF greater interest
in training for character, and Of care
ful study OF the best methods OF char
acter building.
Both the home and the school
should do more to incucate refined
manners. and respect for serious and
good things.
"The child's health should be studied
in "a calm and sane way.
THE teaching of sex hygiene in the
school is not favored with the present
means at our disposal.
There is need of careful dental and
medical inspection OF school children.
physical exercise should be primar-
lily for health.
The duties Of school boards and SUI
perintendents should be differentiated.
Members of school boards should be
intelligent, honest, broad minded citi-
Zens. and the best OF business man.
ayers.
FINALLY, the committee recommends
that the committee on research OF the
Upper Peninsula Educational associa-
ton be continued another year, and
that a special and detailed study of
industrial education be made"
Committees Foreword.
In the foreword, the report says in
part: I'VE consider the school an in
stitution responsible to the society it
aims to serve. and, just as the manu-
facturer must frequently inquire into
the success OF the products he puts on
the market, so must the school check
up i'm order to discover the success of
it's products from the standpoint of
society. In other words, the duty OF
the school is to produce the type of
citizen demanded by the times, and it
must frequently inquire into its own
success or failure in accomplishing this
task. Such an inquiry should always
aid in bringing home. business and
school nearer together, and in thus Sc
curing their cooperation in the educa-
ton OF the child.
The committees report is divided in
to four general sections-moral educa-
ton, physical education, industrial
education and general. Each section
OF the reports consists OF two parts;
first, the questions sent to laymen and
a summary Of the answers received;
second, the comment and discussion by
the committee of research.
Moral Training.
The first question submitted by the
committee was: I'm your opinion are
the public schools doing all they should
in training for conduct and character
THE answers to the first question"
the committee comments, show that
people differ widely in their estimate
of the schools efficiency in training for
conduct and character, and they do not
sustain the sweeping charges some
times made against the school with
reference to the teaching of morals
| The difference of judgment may be at
| tributed to two facts: first, that people
differ in their standards OF morality;
| second, that the quality of moral train
| ing provided by the school varies with
| the community, and even with the
community itself. In several cases, for
example, one report from given
school system condemns the schools as
teaching no morals at all. while an
| other from the same system asserts
| that they are highly successful in this
| respect
| THE remedies suggested for i'm
proving moral education show that a
number OF the laymen have keen in
sight into the school situation. They
see the desirability of having more
men teachers for boys. of ample gym
nasium facilities, and OF making the
school a social center. They point out
that there must be developed through
different means of studies and that a
closer relation between home ard
school is needed"
Sex Hygiene Difficulty.
In part, the committee continues:
"The answers to the fifth question
Do you believe that sex hygiene should
he taught i'm the schools Indicate
that patrons of the school are not
ready, as yet, to have sex hygien,
taught i'm the public schools, and theil
points of objections raise real Difficult.
ties Doubtless but few teachers ar,
qualified to teach the subject well, ant
to teach II poorly would be mucl
worse than not to teach il at all, mas.
much as there is always danger %
!arousing the imagination and thu!
making matters worse. The problem
liz not merely To teach the pupils tn,
facts of sex, but To do so in way II
accordance with their knowledge. anC
this is no easy task even for the mos
skillful teacher. Furthermore, those
who object are doubtlessly correct II
asserting that the home should teacl
matters of sex. On the other hand
those who favor the teaching of SCI