The Washington socialist. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1914-1915, 1915-03-25
"A HARMLESS AGITATOR'
Objects to Rubber Hose AS a Sub
stitute for Brains
IN GOLD BAR PUBLIC
SCHOOLS

1t Is an established principle of So
cialist philosophy and pedagogy that
brute force, violence in any form, car
not be made to serve humanity as q
substitute for brains, or skill.
In the little burg Gold Bar, as also
In thousands Of other places where
most of the populace have not yet
come under the civilizing influences
of Socialist education and administra
ton, the british attempt is still being
made to use brute force as a substi.
tute for pedagogic skill.
The average capitalist-minded
school teacher Is VIGOROUSLY stupid,
ignorant, and reactionary, wherever
you go. In many respects the typical
school teacher is the most hopeless
element in society, SO far as any real
social progress is concerned, insofar
as it depends upon their attitude and
intelligence.
So we are not surprised to learn
that the very mediocre (not to say
medieval) teachers of Gold Bar are
trying to make up for their own lack
of pedagogic ability by beating the
children of the workers over the head
with "a inch rubber hose, as an aid
to good spelling, the faculty of at
tention, etc.
Now comrade Rufus Wren is not a
pedagogue, but he is, like all other
well-grounded Socialists, opposed to
the rubber-hose method of imparting
knowledge, improving the memory
Strengthening the faculty of attention,
or even as an aid to good behavior
He has children in the Gold Bar
school that need education, but he
will take chances on their receiving
enough brutal treatment from the
capitalist system when they leave
school to go out and begin the bitter
battle for bread, and does not approve
of the hose system of discipline. So,-
says the town sheet, the Gold Bar
Record:
Our good citizen Rufus Wren last
Sunday carried rubber hose around
our streets proclaiming that that was
what they educated the children with
in our local schools. That may be
true. If it becomes necessary to adj
minister corporal punishment to
child piece of rubber hose is highly
recommended. Children have not
changed much since Rufus was a child
and it is likely that when he attend
ed school, if he ever did, he got well
beat up with a hickory rod, and see
what good citizen, political leader
and author Rufus is"
All of which means that Rufus
Wren is a plain, poorly-paid working
man, and not mill-owner, or he
would not be referred to in such con-
temptious terms. His objection would
be taken seriously, AS it is, the coun-
try editor need not remind us that
with all that Rufus kicking does not
carry much weight or have much in
fluence. There are some men in the
world, who, if they were dogs would
bite the hand that feeds them"
Just so. A wage-slave, or under
dog, should be grateful for whatever
scraps are thrown from the masters
table, and should be duly grateful
that each crust or bone is not accom-
panied by a kick in the ribs, or a
whack over the head with a garden
hose
Comrades everywhere, organize and
capture the public schools for the
working-class, then, as school direc-
tors, you will be in a position to pro-
tect your children from the brutality
of stupid apitalist-minded school
teachers.