The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-03-09
Change in EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR SAYS 1T
Is NOT NECESSARY TO BE
GOOD WRITER OR ORAL
READER.

DR.. w. Franklin Jones, professor
of education in the State university,
at Vermillion, is such a poor penman
that il is next to impossible for the
average person to decipher his writ
ing. the doctor told in a lecture this
forenoon in the auditorium Of the
state Normal school. Or. Jones also
said, and did not deplore the fact,
that the chirography of a number Of
prominent educators of his acquaint-
ance is equally bad, and that the
writing of some is even worse than
is his.
DR.. Jones description of the illegi-
bility of his and other professors
writing was given before a large au-
dience of Normal school teachers and
students. He discussed what was
termed the Weather Nane Of Edu-
cation" He brought out the chang
ing trend in education.
The doctor told hat modern inyen-
tons have made il unnecessary for
one to become a good writer. He re
lated that there is much less writing
done now than there vas a few years
ago. and voiced the belief that there
will be less call for writing as the
years go on. He said that just about
all the writing a business or profes-
sional man does nowadays is the sign
ing of his name. He gave as one
reason the coming into general use
of the typewriter and the d~ictaphone.
Another cause advanced was the
growing use of the telephone. He
explained hat il is not necessary
now, as it was when he was a boy, to
dispatch a note to persons with whom
it was wished to communicate, living
a mile or a few miles away. Instead
there is a few minutes conversation
over the telephone.
The doctor also explained that oral
reading is becoming obsolete. He
said that children should be taught
to read rapidly, but that time devoted
by students TO learning to read aloud,
is largely time lost. That to be a
good oral reader was once considered
a great accomplishment, was due 10
the great amount Of illiteracy in the
country three or four decades ago,
the doctor told. He related that dur
ing his youth il was nothing uncom-
mon for one OF more members OF a
family to be unable to read. 1t was
the custom then for the illiterate ones
to listen while the learned mes read.
He pointed out that a modern method
of education is to teach the young
folks TO read as rapidly as possibly
and then explain what they had read
Miss Lois Spencer, state field IL
brarian, spoke on the part good liter
allure plays in the education, and
gave pointers on how to cultivate a
taste for the better written stories.
She said that TO many persons good
wholesome tales of adventure might
seem just as bloodthirsty as the most
sensational dime novel. She said
that if persons who wish to distin-
guish and learn TO like the better
class of literature, they should read
for a time books which the better
class of readers recommend. Miss
Spencer said she believed that their
subconscious natures would soor
guide them i'm choosing reading ma
terial.
Miss Spencer deplored the fact
that in most households there is nc
more a family evening hour, around
the big table" devoted to reading
and relaxation. She said that games
in gymnasiums, moving pictures anc
other night attractions take the
young folks out nights. She thought
that by reading good books TO theil
children, parents could induce tht
members of the family to spend more
time at home.