Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1916-06-11

reflect a hopeful attitude of mind
prevalent in this state.
The men and women of Arizona have
big hearted interest in the sixty
thousand school children within her
borders and everywhere they are say
ing, Give these children a chance for
| an education, and build no fence
around this opportunity"
Sometimes, ana too often it is true,
thi9 sentiment is a blind one, cropping
for what it wants, not knowing how
to get it,, but untred undefeated, it is
always, and most supremely potential.
OF the richness and beauty of our
state we may rightfully be proud, but
we have right to be prouder still OF .
the splendid public sentiment schooled .
or unlettered that would transmits .
these material bounties into the en-
richment of the minds and souls of
those who are TO live in this state.
We recommend it to this graduating
class tonight as q predominating force
in western character, deeply and un-
eradicably rooted, constant and de-
pendable, that can be used most eff
fectually in winning success in any Ar
iona School.
Now I am going to ask you to do
some remembering with me. Do you
remember then the first morning
when your mother took you TO school.
How YOU went holding back dreading
to find enthroned there a fearful per-
son called Teacher whom you pic
tured to Yourself as a very large wom-
an with a very severe look and worse
than that, a very big stick that de-
scended impartially upon the just and
the unjust And do you remember
how surprised you were and how glad
when you found this big woman was
q small woman with a voice and
Grille as kind as your own mothers?
That was your first day in school. the
beginning Of many glad days. and in
those days that kind teachers word
was law although perhaps it is true
you Welded to temptation now and
then when her back was turned and
whispered to your neighbor. having
not vet reached a conception of law
that is independent of its enforcer.
Remember with me, now. only one
more day-your last day in some GER
tain school Parting with old friends
and old associat ions you looked back
over the years you had spent among
them. ard there across before YOU the
image Of a teacher, and to this image
in your heart this is what you said
Il owe A debt to you which | can
never pay, except in one way.
Because you have entered into my life
that life shall be stronger and better
and what you have been to me | must
try 70 he to others" Now when we
remember this much tonight, we re-
member something of what a teach
or may mean to a child.
One of the things that we can think
about with propriety and interest on
this commencement night is the school
and the teacher as central figure in
1t. And so we will take some school
and teacher, and to be neighborly we
will make it an Arizona school. and
to have some of the hardest, the old
est. the latest. and most interesting
problems to think about we will have
it 4 rural school; and to bring il
right horne to us we will suppose that
one of these graduates is under con
tract to teach the school.
Let us look for 4 moment at thi.
school and teacher. 1t is away ou
West school in Arizona but it is
much like ether rural schools in othel
states. It's an old school confrontinl
new conditions and every moderl
school is that; it has required eigh
months school term. some states hav,
Il shorte~ term, few have a longer ono
II its teacher - Ior
states do not II has free textbooks
1t is maintained by uniform stat
and county tax. Some states do no
show such monetary impartiality Tn
der our law the district can consolidat
if it wants to, and build bigger an
better schoolhouse, and employ NOR
than one teacher. 1t has the disad
Vantages and the advantages in com
mon with other schools, and some spe
cial ones of its own. enough to make
Western in its character and prol
lens but not enough to make it esser
TALLY different in its main feature
and chances
In every Arizona school, city
= country YOU have represented all Il
mental and moral trpes to be four
IN the curriculum of any ordina1
school. All Arizona schools are tvl
ical in this respect. The troublesom
morose, deceitful, stubborn. hype
sensitive vicious. moody, naughty. Sc
compliment fun loving, defective. al
precocious, al answer to roll call. r
activities Of these children. strange
t may seem, under an eternal pri
cirle OF progress will always fight
the side Of the teacher if the teach
with the right personality and patien
Knows how to administer the prom
psychology IN this principle of pr
gross is to be found the most hopef
outlook for Arizona schools and for
= schools.
To-day the great educational probIe
IS the rural school problem Eve
phase Of rural school improvement
being considered. But whatever be
future the teacher in the rural scho
as in every other school. must contin
TO be the main dependence for succe
Many of those graduating here at II
tlrl2 arc already engaged to teach
orr rural schools. And they are goi
out to find a large opportunity:
ihancc to stand alone think their o,
If.N frtf