The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1916-11-09
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by a large proportion of our
own educated American pOpu-
Ianoh Is another big danger, taken especially in
relation to the presence here of the outsiders
Many of the Industrial towns and cities in New
England and in other parts of the country have
populations almost half foreign There is fire.
queht rlOtng with attendant loss of lives and de-
Struction of property. The spirit of mob IawIess-
ness OIL this sort seems to be spreading in MANY
communities
IN the other hand, find dishonest govern
ineht-Dain graft, lax administration of law. rem
reSPhtauVe officials who do not represent the mass
or taXpayers-in practically every ctv and s+o+o
IN America. Many agencies have sought tho
cause OF this state of affairs and are hunting
remedy. '7
Inc chlef cause Of the foreign unrest and law
'essheSs appears to be ignorance Only q yorv
small percentage of the rough labor which bos
come to us from Europe can speak or understand
ne language or the country. Practically none
haS any idea whatever of our laws our standard
ct living our governmental methods
And the great cause of dishonesty in o,o,,o
inent IN our towns, cities and states apneors r. bo
me Indifference of the great mass of ntcITIgan+
prosperous American citizens to what goes on
right under their noses They don't take tbo +ro,,
Die 10 vote They don't take the trouble 70 nor
hcpate IN primaries and conventions and 500 +o
Il that good men are nominated for office Tb
iravc it all to the politicians who are IN rho -
crning busneSs-sO Caed--not because of +boi
Illness TO administer laws spend public morov
deal out justice, etc, for the good of tbo oo
Inunty but strictly and purely for what thev co,
%et out OF it. Just graft for themselves and thar
friends ''''
=, Civic Training in Schools
In recent article in the philadeln6io pubIio
Ledger, Prof. Wilson L. GILL; who was mt in
charge of the school system of Cuba during tbo
American occupation of that island after the Spon
Ish-Anerican war; offers single remedy for both
these dangers to the peace and happiness and
well-being of the United States
Educate" he says. Build citizens bv giving
Them civic training in the schools Beginning with
the tots in the primary grades teach the bows and
girls how their school, their town. their countv
their state, their nation is conducted. Teach them
ia vote and decide the little problems of their
daily lives in the schOOrOOm by methods en-
plOyed in government.
Make each schOolrOOm for instance n little
town. Let the pupils under the teachers sIper-
vision elect mayor from among their number
and have all the others compose a board of cOun-
cilmen Put up to them problems of school, town.
county, state, national management, TO be de-
cided on the principles of Justice and the safety
and well-being of the majority.
"A proper appeal must be made to the pupils"
Professor Gill says "and they must be enlisted
heartily.
This is easily done, for we have good material
20 work with. Nearly all boys and girls are essen
TALLY good This is true, even If, by reason of an
unfortunate environment, n child has developed
some very bad habits even those Of dishonesty
If the appeal is properly made to them they can
be counted on definitely to stand for that which is
honest, fair and square, clean generous and
right
Teachers Part of the Plan.
Personal and printed assistance must be given
TO them for carrying their government in the
spirit of American institutions and in accord with
correct civic FORMS to maintain order and develop
cooperation and efficiency for every good purpose
They must be shown how to solve the problems of
their daily intercourse, and their teachers help
them to become Independent in solving the prob
lens In arithmetic, their teachers must help
them to become Independent in solving their daily
problems of social and civic relations. The teach
er's part in the of this laboratory method of
moral and civic training is the same as in mathe-
matics The teachers authority and responsibility
in both cases are to encourage and help the pupils
to keep up enthusiasm, to become independent
and judicial in thought and to arrive at clear-cut
decisions. At that point the old educational proc
ess as in mathematics, ends, but in this new
laboratory work dealing with the actual practical
problems Of daily moral and civic life there is
another most important step, which is Immediately
to put these decisions into execution and to CO.
operate for the good Of ALL
What is needed for introducing democracy in
schools?
"Ffrst-The right method-there is One the
laboratory method, and there cannot be another.
"Second-Practical planS-there can be but one
right general plan, but of this there may be in
Vulnerable variations.
'Third-A person skilled in introducing the
method and supervising the use of 1t.
"FOurth-AuthOrity for such introduction and
supervising