St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1915-12-29

on q farm he can DO Things nimSeu
and not have to hire others In other
words, he is self-dependent, and a man
or woman who is self-dependent is the
most independent man or woman in
the world.
"Of late this kind of education has
run to fads of all kinds, and is liable
to be made useless. 1t should be kept
as near the actual doing of actual
things of home and of home surround
ings, and on lines of actual work in
future.
eff you insist that your permanent
board of education be hard-heade6
practical men (and are left in office
long enough to know what is to be
done) and your superintendent of ed
ucation is of the same kind, and KEEP
your school system out of politics, you
will in time get something good.
I'VE have laid too much stress on
this matter of higher education. Al
the education possible is necessary and
a good thing to have, but a higher ed
ucation means years of study and close
application, the devotion of a life. TIC
the large majority who must get down
to practical working life, higher edu-
cation is impossible and of no adVan-
tage. for they cannot make use OF 1t
What the average man needs is gen.
eraI and broad education. IT they
have a good understanding and good
thorough knowledge of the elementary
fundamental studies, they can acquire
all that is needed by reading and such
study as they may have time and de-
sire to give, and they will get all the
enjoyment that it is possible for them
to get out of intellectual activity.
'sThis recommendation was opposed
on the idea that it was depriving the
boy of his chance in life. From no
standpoint is this so, it was giving him
his chance.
1.-The youth who is getting practical
experience, the actual work of life, at
the same time he is going to school, is
getting a great advantage. 1t does not
delay his education from books, and II
does enable him to take hold of the
practical side of life the moment ne
leaves school. 1t enables him to learn
while going through college that for
which he would have to serve as an
apprentice after he graduated.
Preparedness.
''This is too big a question to con-
slider here in it's entirety. Preparedness
means being ready for anything at any
time. That means armament, army and
navy kept at full quota all the time.
1.-The discussion, however, has a dir
ect connection, in my mind, to the ed
ucation of youth. We all know that a
little discipline, a little training is
good for the youth.
Discipline inculcates self-control,
subordination to their own inclinations
and weaknesses or evil desires, some
thing that every man must get in some
way some time. 1t is not subserv1ency
to submit to discipline. Far from 1T
Physical training makes a better ply
steal man, being systematic it develops
all the muscles it teaches the boy to
stand erect, walk and carry himself
properly. It makes a finer man OF
him, as discipline makes a better man
of him. These things should be
taught to the youth in school; only
few hours a week and you will have
better lot of men for peace and in time
of trouble,-trained men to draw
from. Training of men takes time
and to send unframed men into the
field of battle is pure slaughter"