The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1915-03-12
The Aim of Education

should be twO-fOld and
ethical on cultural.
The demand of today is, primar-
lily for utility. Our country is so
diverse and complex. in it's various
activities that the person who can
adjust himself to the requirements
of our social organization and give
efficient and effective service is in
deed the man of the hour.
There has been much adverse
criticism of late Of our public school
system. The leading magazines and
periodicals have discussed the sub
iect from every point of view and
the concensus of opinion among
some very practical people seems
to be that the efficiency for service
and adjustment of the average high
school pupil on entering the bust
ness world is not commensurate
with the expenditure of time and
money on his education.
Many educators realizing the
measure Of truth and justice in these
criticisms have tried to find RENE
dy, and as a result have established
training, industrial and trade schools
in many of our large cities with
very satisfactory results.
Booker T. Washington has done a
great work for his race along this
line, recognizing that it is only
from an economical basis that adj
justment with the white race can
be effected. Germany is pioneer
in vocational schools and owes to
them her industrial and economic
supremacy.
1 While there is no doubt that the
question of utility is an important
factor in our educational process
there is another side fully as i'm.
portant, if not so tangible-the
ethical.
Foreigners have accused us A.
mericans of going to extremes and
there seems to be some justice in
the accusation. In feeling the need
of practical reforms in our scheme
of education, to meet present day
conditions, there is danger of over
emphasis, which would tend to de-
preciate and under estimate the
ethical phase of the subject.
While it is very true that a GER.
tain amount of culture is absorbed
thru all phases of education anc
service, the major part of cultural
training that the average boy o,
girl receives in school comes from
books. Reading the Lives of gooc
men and women whose personal
tiles have to a greater or less de-
gree dominated the age in which
they lived and all succeeding ages
becoming acquainted with the best
authors of literature and assimilat
ing their choicest thoughts anC
ideas are acquisitions of inestim
able value.
The child who leaves school al
the sixth, seventh or eighth grade
to go to work, loses this precious
possession and there is touch OF
pathos in such condition that
should appeal to every true teacher
The best stimulus that teacher
of the upper grades can give to hel
pupils is a love and desire for
good reading. If nothing else is
accomplished but that her service
has not been in vain. No other
subject in the school curriculum
has such food for the soul as does
good literature; gems of thought
stored in the mind give occasion for
study and contemplation in later
life and serve as stimuli for more
patient endurance and nobler effort.
The productions of the best minds
both pagan and Christian that have
been preserved, the masterpieces
of the fine arts and the wonderful
storehouse of knowledge that sci
ence has revealed to us, are the
heritage of every child and to elm
mate these treasuers from his life
is to cheat him of part of his
birthright.
There is need in this generation
as in all others for soul culture.
The missionary spirit, the essence of
true education, is abroad in the
land. The far cry of suffering hui
mainly has reached the ears of
many who thru enlarged vision re.
alize that it is by ministering to
these longing souls that they reach
the higher life or the Christ mind.
IT'S true that God has often called
the lowly and illiterate to do his