The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-07-15
EVERY CHILD A CITIZEN.
Civic Education Important Phase of In
dianapolis School Work.


How one community trains its children
for the responsibilities of citizenship is
described in bulletin just issued by
the U. s. bureau of education on Civic
Education in Elementary Schools as IL
Illustrated in Indianapolis"
"The practice in the indianapolis
schools" says Arthur w. Dunn, author
of the bulletin, SIS to help the pupil to
understand the nature of his own commu-
nifty life, his dependence upon it, and
his responsibility for it; to develop
right attitude toward government as the
means by which all members OF the com
munity may cooperate for the common
interest; and to cultivate habits of right
action as member of the community"
The bulletin emphasizes the fact that
"ciyics is not taught as a separate sub
jeet until the eighth grade, but that civic
education is a phase of all the work of
the school. The aim seems to be to
make of education, not process of in
struction in variety of subjects, but a
process of growth. during which the va
rious relations of life are unfolded"
there is no subject of ethics or moral
education in the indianapolis schools, but
the direct moral training afforded by
the course here outlined is peculiarly
yirile. So, also, while there is no at
tempt to give direct vocation training
in the strict sense of this term, nor even
any organized form of Vocational guild
ance, nevertheless the fact is always
taken into account that the citizen must
be worker and the worker a citizen"
Instruction through the course of study |
is, however. only a part of the training |
for citizenship given in these schools. /
AN understanding of community life /
and of government" declares Mr.. Dunn.
lis fruitless without the cultivation of |
qualities and habits of good citizenship |
Instruction and training must go hand
n hand. The latter is largely a mat.
Ter Of practice Pupil participation in
ichool management is a very real thing
n indianapolis, and in some schools IL
5 carried 10 a high degree of effective
less. 1t manifests itself in the method
Il preparing and conducting rectations;
n the care Of school property; in pro-
Getting the rights Of younger children;
n maintaining the sanitary conditions
Z the building and grounds; in beautify-
& school grounds; in the making Of r..
airs and equipment for "our school;
D fact, in every aspect of the school
fe.
In indianapolis pupil participation in
he government OF the school leads nat.
rally into pupil participation in the
lrger civic life Of the community Of
hich the school itself Is a part Main
,ning order on the playground natural.
Z extends 10 maintaining order on the
reefs in the vicinity Of the school II
common for committees Of older bows
} look after the safety Of younger chill.
rem in crossing streets near the school.
for the cleanliness and beau
7 Of schoolgrounds develops equal solici
de for the cleanliness and beauty 81
joining streets. alleys and vacant lots
'hool gardening quickly stimulates
'ms gardening and whole neighborhoods
I've been transformed through the in
fence Of the schools
Whether the children who are now IN
reoing this training for citizenship win
reality h efHts.nt citizens ~ or -
ars hence cannot b. foretoii according "