The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1917-02-23
SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY LIFE.

Probably no other agency OF mans
creating has such far reaching power
for good in the community as good
live, up-to-date schools.
The time is long past in this coun.
try when lust any old school" will
serve the purpose.
In no aye of the world was business
competition ever so keen and relent.
less as at the present, and never be-
fore wos it so imperative that ouT
young brains be trained and develop.
ed to their full capacity.
Nothing is truer today than that a
community is known by the quality
of its schools, for it is a fact that the
school is Il perfect barometer for the
community. AS the community 50
the school: and conversely. as the
school, SO the community.
But aside from the mere education.
al considerat on, progressive school
in community everts its influence
in other directions frequently very
little regarded by the community gen
orally.
In the first place, real, liue, pro-
greSSive school is never found in a
dead community. AS well expect
mushrooms from barren soil as to
expect educational perfection where
none is expected or demanded.
So, then, the really progressive
school presupposes like spirit in the
community.
Men of observation and intelligence
have this fact in mind when seeking
a location for a home.
Probably the two first questions
asked by nine out Of every ten home
seekers are: What of your schools?"
and What Of your churches2"
The really desirable citizen, with
family of sons and daughters to rear,
is always suspicious Of the town with
out good school facilities. he is a
ware of the fact that the mere ab-
sence of these facilities argues lack
of interest on the part of the commu-
nifty at large. and rightly refuses to
to cast his lot with them.
So that, from material point of
view, the higher we build our schools
the stronger ther drawing power in
the material things of life.
We have said that the school is the
barometer for the community. 1t is
pre-eminently So from standpoint Of
morals.
The oldadage. "As the father, so the
son." is fast losing its force in this
day. Instead We are tending to coin
a counteradage, AS the son, so tie
father So that, as we build up our
schools year by Year to a higher and
higher state Of efficiency, they in turn
are building uD the individual men,
bers OF the community, gradually
trimming of crudGnesS and coarse
ness. elevating the character and gen
orally remode!ing and revitalizing the
entire body polite.
Then what of the schools of this
community? Are they our first con-
sideration? They should be.
What other interest in life have
yeu, reader, that can for moment
compare with the welfare Of your
children?
And what other influence in the
clild's life is there to compare with
that Of his school?
Get this fact firmly fixed in your
brain and heart: As your school, so
will your child be. The child will be
faithful product Of che school that
mou-ds his character.
Are we afraid TO invest a few hund-
red dollars, or few thousand in mod
ern school facilities?
No community ever yet made the
investment, that it was not returned
manp fold. Viewed from purely
financial standpoint, it is the safest
investment we can possibly make.
There is absolutely no excuse for a
poor school in any community OF self
supporting men and women.
The community that refuses to give
of its best to its schools, will find it.
self as the years go by gradually losing
i'm the race of life.
And the people who deem no sacri-
flee too great to he made for their
chiltiren's welfare will year by year
climb higher.
what pf fhit ,,,,,,, =, itpg