The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1916-09-29
EDUCATION.

yeatAy educational campaign.
The boys and girls from the primary
grades to the university, from "A" to
Algebra, are starting or continuing along
the educational roads. Some OF these
are also going out as teachers, some as
teachers Of country schools, some in
graded departments, some In the higher
seats Of learning.
We are all proud Of our. schools, we
are all proud that our schools are COM
mon schools. That they are common,
where the rich and the poor meet on a
common level, where each absorbs from
the others that community of interests
that makes them tolerant of each other,
which is the true foundation of future
good citizenship.
But in our zeal for scholarship we
have to some extent forgotten facts for
theories. We have run by the printed
page rather than by actualities. We
steer by compass when we should look
at the land in the clear sunlight. We
are running to fads and forgetting foun.
dations.
All knowledge is of value. But mere
knowledge in itself is of little value. An
elevator filed with wheat Is of value,
not because it is wheat in an elevator
but because it can be used, can be
ground into -four and made into bread.
The real aim of all education is use
1t isn't what one has learned at school
but what can he or she do when they
leave school. For instance, how many
high school graduates can read, write
and spell? How many can read with
the spirit and the understanding? How
many can write brief. clear, business
letter? How many can write a legible
neat hand? How many can measure a
pile of cord wood, lay out an acre Of
land, add up short column of figures.
etc. or readily perform any number of
the thousand and one questions that
come every day to the business man or
farmer or clerk?
Why should it be necessary for the
high school graduate to go to a "busi-
ness" college to complete his education?
1t we we're to say what we think is the
great trouble with present day methods,
We should remark that the whole pro-
gram from primary to high is made to
prepare the young idea for the univer-
sity or the normal school. All educa.
tional roads seem to run to Grand Forks,
Fargo, Mayville or some other educa.
tional center.
Universities and normals are useful
and valuable. We are pleased to see
them we'll attended and we wish more
pupils were able to go than now do.
But it is fact that very small proper
tion Of common school pupils go to the
higher schools and this a fact that
should be thought of when the doctors
of school laws" write the educational
programs.
Along the lines of new teachers we
have the same difficulties. Under the
educational program they have been
taught all sorts of sociological theories
about teaching IN the normal courses,
and normal course is practically obi.
gatory before they can get certificates.
They 60 out to the country schools with
a big box of tools but when they get at
work, like the carpenter, they find that
the saw, hammer and square build
houses, while the other tools are only
used occasionally.
Normal schools never made one single
teacher.
A farmer was never made with books.
Teachers are born so.
Normals and books are a great help
but they cannot create.
No matter how abundant the tools a
man without hands or arms cannot use
them.
This writer believes in the higher edu.
cation where possible, but in Pembina
we have about 250 children at school
and there are perhaps dozen graduates
now attending universities and normals.
That is solid fact. Think it over you
educators.
The "profession'' of teacher is con.
fined to the few. The most of the teach.
ers are merely teaching as temporary
makeshift. 1t is SO. 1t always has been
so.
That's another fact. Why try to the.
orize these into professionals?
WHERE ARE WE AT?