The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-12-23

sn0NiN DC pnuEtn 70 GNtt}iAA u AfiNhg
in order 10 get that kind Of an cduca-
tom
There remains for me 10 speak Of bat
q few more functions Of the modern
high school. The school should serve as
the social center of the community.
Teachers should be chosen not alone
for the teaching and disciplinary abil.
ity but also for their ability as
social leaders. There should be
a closer relation between teachers and
parents, and this is being brought
about in many communities by parent
teachers associations. The school
should recognize meritorious work
done at home us we'll as in the class
room and credit should be offered for
such work toward graduation. The
school should be the vocational center
of the community, and among other
things might conduct for its members
an employment bureau. 1t should also
lead the community in avocational in
terests, such as the preparation and
presentation of dramatic perform
ances, agricultural exhibits, field
days, community picnics, etc. Most
of us are not too old to join with the
children and be led by them.
Finally, the school and church should
90 hand in hand in uplifting the moral
life of the community. They must be
closely related. This is the Roman
Catholic idea and is the idea Of many
Protestant denominations. 1t was the
old conception and we must not get
too far away from it. For it is only
by the cooperation Of these two pow
erful agencies for good that mankind
is to advance and the kingdom of
righteousness spread throughout the
world.
| believe that there should be relig-
ious instruction in the school, that 1t
should be a part of the regular school
work. At present the poorest text
book that one can buy from the stand !
point of poor paper, fine print, and
imperfections, is the Book
of Books, the Holy Bible. The present !
is woefully ignorant of the
events in the life of Jesus and dare
say that if some one of our high
school boys were asked to tell all ne
knew about Cholgosh and also all ne
knew about st. Paul he could give
more definite account of the important
events in the career of Cholgosh.
The Sunday school and the day
school should work together, the day
school giving aid to the Sabbath
school by furnishing its teachers and
courses of study and accepting as re-
1uirements for diploma work done
n the Sabbath school room. The
,hurch and school together owe it to
zach other and to the cause for which
hey are both working to tide the boy
md girl through the critical period OF
adolescence, when the simple faith OF
childhood is slipping and the new and
arger and surer faith of manhood and
has not yet come to take
IS place. These are dark days and
dangerous in the lives Of our children
# high school age and they need all
he light and encouragement which a
religious instruction by /
hurch and school can give them.
1t used to be said that the teacher
tod in loco PARENTS, fine sounding 1
ATTN phrase which means, being
translated into plain American, in the /
position of the parent. No. We do
Tot stand in loco PARENTS. Shame on :
he teacher who can give to the chill
lren under his care no better instruc-
ion and influence than some of those
hildren are getting from their par
nts. The modern teacher should ,
tand not in the position Of the par I
mt but in the position of the teacher I
f child and parent alike.
| have pointed out to you the pres {
mt trends in our educational policy.