The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1916-11-17

vSSAAs& lack of interest in civic affairs
by large proportion Of
own educated American popu
latlon is another Dig 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.
quent rioting with attendant loss Of lives and de-
ssruction of property The spirit of mob lawless-
nsss Of this sort seems to be spreading in many
communities
On the other hand, find dishonest govern
msnt-pain graft lax administration of law rep
resentative officials who do not represent the mass
OF taxpayers-in practically every city and state
In America. Many agencies have sought the
cause of this state of affairs and are hunting
remedy.
The chief of the foreign unrest and law
lessness appears to be ignorance. Only very
small percentage of the rough labor which has
coEie to US from Europe speak understand
the language of the country. Practically none
has any idea whatever Of our laws, standard
of living governmental methods.
And the great cause of dishonesty in govern
ment in our towns, cities and states appears to be
the Indifference of the great of intelligent
prosperous American citizens to what goes on
right under their noses They don't take the trou-
BILE to vote. They don't take the trouble to par
ticipate in primaries and conventions and see to
1t that good men nominated for office. They
leave it all to the politicians, who the gov
erning busness-so called-not because of their
fitness to administer laws, spend public money
munity but strictly and purely for what they can
get out Of 1t. Just graft for themselves and their
friends
Civic Training in Schools.
In recent article in the Philadelphia Public
Ledger Prof. Wilson l.. GILL; who was put in
charge of the school system Of Cuba during the
American occupation of that island after the Span
ish-American war, offers a single remedy for both
these dangers to the peace and happiness and
well-being OF the United States.
aEducata" 10 nv oivfn
them civic training In the schools. Beginning with
the tots in the primary grades teach the boys and
girls how their school, their town. their county.
their state their nation is conducted. Teach them
to and decide the little problems Of their
daily lives in the schooroom by methods en-
ployed in government.
make each schoolroom. for instance. a little
town. Let the pupils under the teachers SUPER
vision elect mayor from among their number
and have all the others compose board Of
cmen Put up to them problems Of school, town.
county, state, national management, to be de-
cded the principles Of justice and the safety
and well-beng Of the majority
"a proper appeal must be made to the pupils"
Professor Gill says. land they must be enlisted
heartily
This is easily done, for we have good material
to work with. Nearly all boys and girls are essen
tally good. This Is true, II, by reason Of an
unfortunate environment, child has developed
some very bad habits, those Of dishonesty.
II the appeal Is properly made to them, they can
be counted 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 to encourage and help the pupils
to keep up enthusiasm, to become Independent
and judicial IT. thought and to arrive at clear-cut
decisions. Al Chat 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 nut 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 it.
overwhelmingly for such Introduction and
vupervising