Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1915-01-29
THE SCHOOL AND THE HOME.

Considerable crltlclSIll, polH AaVoA
able and unfavorable, has been
aroused by the announcement that
the school authorities We're going to
give over to the boys Of the high
school two rooms for evening activ-
tiles. The superintendent of your
schools is pleased that SO many good
peCp le are opposed to this move
n1ent. 1t would surely be a reflec-
ton upon his judgment and initiative
and that of the school board as well
if this step had been postponed I'M
til everyone was. ready and eager to
accept it, An idea is worth while, has
kick to it only so long as it is de-
batable. When people lose interest
iii an idea then development along
that line Immediately ceases.
Much of the unfavorable criti-
cism, however, has been due to mis-
understandings. One man has said:
II don't believe in this thing at all.
You are taking our boys from home.
They will learn games we are OPP
| posed to. No, will never consent"
If this were true, you could rest as
suced that the school rooms would
never be thrown open as announced.
The faculty Of the high school and
the board of education believe abso-
lutely that the best place In the
world for a boy is home. me SUI
perintendent of your schools believes
that the home is more vital than the
| school. He has no faith in that
dream when all shall sit at the
same table, eat the same kind OF
| food, live in the same mansion or
| palace and listen to the same KIND
| Of Caruso music grou~d out by
gigantic graphophon No, ms
model city is place which includes
| among other things, homes, some
all, some medium size, some large
but in every case where boys and
girls are kept under reasonable re-
straint-at home. And 1t might be
aeGed if there is 9:1O evening train
some reasonable regulation in force
re garding attendance. 1t is hoped
that YOU who have been skeptical
about this matter will appreciate the
fact that the school authorities be-
lieve that the home is the most Vi
tai factor in our life.
The school auth critics do not de-
ny that these rooms are an entice-
ment, and yet they wish the bait
looked better: they trust that the
school authorities Of the future Will
have something more attractive to
offer. q real Y. NJ. C. A., with gym
nasium and play rooms and reading
tables. Now they can only hope
that some OF the boys will take the
hook like bass gone hungry for q
week. Why 2. To get them away
from their rooms down town where
they play pool and cards and where
they smoke. To get them away from
those places which you know are I'M
tdesirable. We can be thankful that
we have fewer Of those places than
the average community Of this size
Ike. does it take many Of these
places to teach youth unwholesomf
attitudes Lastly to take ethem on
the street. The street 10 pool
teacher, that idea is not debated any
more. Consequently we have lost
interest in it. Is it not high time
that we were providing substitute
trust that you get the point; the
school and the home are not oppo.
sed to each other in this affair. The
school authorities are not creating
this demand. They do not take cred
it for it You, the people have created
it, they have had merely the good
sense to satisfy you. Is this state
ment true These figures may ans
wei that question There are seven
ty-five boys enrolled in the high
school. Fifty Of them are in one
two or all of the classifications OF
places which we called undesirable
Your superintendent Of schools wal
told this should not concern him
Unfortunately too many Of us who
call ourselves Christians think this
way. Individuals may assume this
attitude. perhaps. but if ever 9
teacher in your schools states in
que stioning way, Am I my bro
Tiers keeper" then just as surely
that teacher should be superseded.
This article should not be con-
strued as a reflection on the high
school students. Let there be M
doubt that they are far above the
average. A better group would be
hard to find. But it is believed tina
the right evening environment vii
help them to maintain that higf
sta ndard. 1t is just q question Of
giving them a square deal.
A little criticism has been made
because the circular letters tha
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