The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1916-10-31

and provide for further progress.
But indifference, lucky chance
selfish interest, mere professions Of
loyalty and devotion will bring. moi
success, but loss and ruin. Now is the
time for the friends of education to be
awake and alive. No man dares open
ly profess anything but loyalty to the
schools, both district and state; nc
man could hope for the support of any
section of the state on any other plat
form The people of Idaho, in COM
mon with all true Americans. and es-
pecially in this great vital Northwest
are absolutely devoted to schools, ele-
mentary, high schools, normal
schools, universities. The genuineness
of any mans friendship must be put
to the acid test of his acts words
no matter how strong and eloquent
are empty and worthless unless back
ed by deeds that demonstrate intel
ligence and sympathy.
Fortunately there is no lack of such
men and women, in every community
both distinguished and unknown, who
have a record of service and support
OF the schools. Every legislature has
eoodly admiXture of men who have
served as school trustees, who have
been active in building up the local
educational facilities, who have given
freely of their time and thought, in
brief who have proven by their works
that they are truly and sincerely and
actively friends of education
There has been too much suspicion
and captious criticism of our educa-
tional affairs, both state and local.
Education cannot thrive in such an
atmosphere. Let us admit that the
schools are not perfect, is business
perfect? Is politics perfect? Are
thes laws and the courts perfect? Is
even religion perfect? Education is
a human activity even teachers are
human. Schools trustees are not in
fallible. the State Board of Education
and the men and women employed by
il in various educational tasks make
no elaims to omniscience. We do
claim LOYALTY and sincere devotion to
the work, and burning desire to find
the best methods and put them into eff
feet
Hanpily the great mass of the peo-
pie are giving expression to that con-
fidence which sincere service merits
and which is so necessary to still bet
ter service.
Our. schools must be the object of
pride and enthusiasm: no cold and in
different support will make them
great. We shall MOI get ahead much
by magnifying their faults and belit-
Ting their services. 1t will not in
crease their efficiency to hold. up to
criticism and ridicule every item of
expefse or every plan of action that
we Go not understand. Shall Idaho
drop out of the march of education?
Already we are behind our neighborS |
in our educational buildings and
equipment. and what is still more SER
ious, in the number of our students
But no man need be i'll doubt as to
the mind of the people in this mat
ter New school buildings are spring
ing I'd all over the state from the
Canadian border to Nevada, from Ore
gon to Wyoming. Pocatello is just
finishing the remodeling of its high
school. at cost of $4,000. Nampa
is laying the foundation for $4,000
building; Idaho Falls has begun on an
$50 600 high school building on new
and unique plan. One could go on al
most indefinitely with the list of COM
munities that are demonstrating their
zeal and pride for their schools in the
most unmistakeable manner. Shall
the great state of idaho lag behind
the cities and school districts? We
cannot believe that it will!
1t seems that the easiest place to
save is on the school funds. Yet
no community, large or small, ever I
got rich by pinching its school ex
penditures; no community, large or
small, ever became impoverished I
thru generous support of its schools. :
You cannot find such community: {
here is no such community. You can 6
ind plenty of impoverished communi T
les with impoverished schools; and !
YOU can find communities that are in :
he stage of early development. pretty
lard up for money, but nevertheless I
giving generously to the education
If their children, and profiting by it
rom year to year. These are facts:
ct every intelligent man consider
heir significance. Let every citizen :
If the State consider their bearing c
Upon the questions entering into State
government.
IT we are impoverished it is by
,ther causes than our expenditures for
if we are prosperous it IS
lot by scrimping the DEVELOPMENT of
ur most important asset the rising
generation.
We may hope for permanent success
S State only upon the basis of in
diligence, devotion and energy in the
york of education. t
The legislature is soon to meet and
he question of educational appropri-
lions will be up again. | desire to
rake a brief and clear statement as :
0 the requests and. appropriations r.
ranted at the last session. First, the
tate Board of Education accepted in
God faith and good heart the amounts
ranted by the lawmaking authority.
! is true that the amounts asked were -
eeded; SO far as they were for build ]
IL and improvements that are still
eeded and more needed. You can
ot have an increase of from ten to NJ
venty-five or even more per cent in
lrollment without needing more
,ace and equipment.
BIT the Board and the State Depart