Belding banner., 1915-06-16

The college graduate who has been
through long and expensive process
OF education and still can not hold
down decent paying job is too COM
mon phenomenon. Correction OF the
tendencies that produce these misfits
in civilization must come even before
high school-away back in the lower
grades.
OF course il is desirable that as
many young people as can should take
"a much longer training for their fits
in civilization must come even before
high school-away back i'm the school
they should be nearly or quite able to
make their own way IL necessary.
The pupil should be trained To think
Ito use his mind. His powers OF
observation, his memory, and his rea-
soning faculties all should be strength
ened and developed The studies that
stimulate mental activity and acumen
are valuable as discipline, even if not
more directly useful. And the boy or
girl should be trained in efficiency, in
scientific application of his powers to
the labor in hand, whether that labor
be mutual or manual.
Being able TO make living is a
prime essential. Being able TO find
more in life than merely making liy-
ing-this is an end equally worthy.
The world of nature should he an
open book TO the pupil-the study of
the flowers and the trees and the ele-
ments Of biology and the other natural
sciences should hold a prominent place
in the courses of study. For the farm
er these studies have direct value
8.
have been pursued intelligently and
with interest, they are priceless I'm
adding to the riches of life.
Although it must Of necessity be
quite rudimentary, the pupil should
have some training in art, in music in
literature-enoueh to give him a little
taste OF these treasurers. Unless he
have very unusual talent, the idea
should not be that he will become an
artist or professional musician, or a
writer. but rather by cultivation of the
powers OF appreciation, he may come
into keen lifelong enjoyment of the
masterpieces of art and of literature,
and of the rare pleasure of listening
to good music. He may also during
his maturer years, pursue vocal or in
strumental music. or drawing or paint
ing, in an amateur way, with great
satisfaction.
This is a brief outline OF funda-
mentals. How does the average high
school graduate measure up when
these tests are applied? OF course
development in the different lines will
vary greatly in individuals. Still the
normal boy or girl should be able TO
make fairly good showing in all
these essentials And if they can not
and ii is often the case that they
can not--then the educational system
needs modification.
The old order changeth-in school
work as in everything else. What is
regarded as the best teaching now is
not a pouring into the mind of in
struction, so much as a developing of
rudimentary faculties, an awakening
of dormant powers, an implanting of
high and steady purpose. The drill
master in no longer counted the best
teacher, nor does memory hold the
supreme place in scholastic estimate
that once was accorded it. The grind
does not capture all the honors as
formerly. Possibly we have swung
too far in the opposite direction, and
a little more hard study might be good
for our students Still no intelligent
critic would want any great revival of
the old educational ideals.
Unquestionably we have made some
advancement, but have we yet reach
ed the point where the high school
diploma will stand the practical test
of getting results? Our school system
yet needs intelligent criticism, and the
changes that would come as the result
OF such criticism made in a friendly
and sympathetic spirit. - Michigan
Tradesman.