Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-02

a few years ago, it was one of my
duties as supervising principal of a
system of schools, to grant to pupils OF
proper age and required educational
attainments labor certificates. Pupils
as they came to me for such certificates
were closely questioned as to the rea-
sons they had for quitting school. A
few gave the answer that the home
conditions were such that they. had tc
become earners. Doubtless this was
true in a few instances.
Children Want to Work
However, the greater number of re-
sponses to my questions were that they
saw no value in the subjects taught
we can read and write and do arithme-
tic and now we want to work; we dc
not want to go to high school; we car
earn as much now as can high school
graduates; we do not like to study the
subjects on the course; we want to dc
omething-meaning they desired tc
work with their hands
Problems of Education
These and similar replies set me te
study the problems of universal educa-
ton from various viewpoints.
I took for my text Comenius' defini-
ton of education-Let those things thai
have to be done be learned by doing
them.
Dy hetDlnB llilS uellHlllOu constantly
in mind and continuing to interview the
boys and girls who wished to quit
school, as we'll as the troublesome
pupils. 1 have come to certain conclu.
sions.
Practices as Well ms Theory
The development of n well rounded
character requires that both the imagi'
nation and the reasoning as well as the
testing powers. namely the power tC
4 .I-f., a;
by actually doing the thing imagined
reasoned in a mechanical way.
II is not enough to the practically
minded child that he be taught tn,
theory, the underlying principle of the
subject, but he must be given the op.
portunity to do the thing for himself
and thus test the real merit of the
theory presented. This two-fold in.
struction brings into active use the
muscular sense. 1t makes the connec-
tion between the classroom instruction
and the practical necessity of such in
struction.
A Lad Who's No Exception
I have in mind boy who cares not
for any subject he is being taught un.
less it bears some relation to mechani.
cal pursuits. lie takes great delight in
this class of work, for he is greatly in.
terested in building an airship. He
has ability in this direction and il
right conditions for mechanical in
struction were offered him, and the
need of these other subjects that he
now dislilSes. were shown him through
the mechanical operation, he no doubt
would develop into a well rounded
character. This boy is no exception
As our schools now are, he finds nj
pleasure and very little profit in them
Another Example
have in mind just now another boy
who attends school regularly, he. is
deficient in most of his subjects trou.
blesome if permitted to be, lacks Ger.
tain necessary mental powers, is tor
tured every day by attending school
but during his summer vacation, he
is capable and enthusiastic in a gar.
age. Proper mechanical or hand in.
struction would certainly develop the
latent powers of his mind, (if they be
latent), and make of him a useful citi-
zen. / might multiply these cases, but
we have all met them, we all know
they exist and what troubles they are
The purpose of all our education is tC
produce trained body and cultured
mind. We have been doing the latter
but negIecting the former. Hence the
practical child is being offered a foot
repulsive to him, a something he does
not see the use for which it is intend
ed. Being SO constituted by nature. he
sees no value in studying these sub.
jects that we know are not only use.
full, but necessary for him, therefore
every mental impression he receives
from the enforced contact with them
produces moral effect that does not
always make better character of him
1t does not present itself to him as ar
accepted standard of truth and jus
tice. Bring forced upon him, he often
becomes rebellious and unreceptive tc
the good that the mere acquisition oi
the information would do him, If ii
were merely passively received.
Such instruction being only mental
and mind training. not being what he
by nature desires, has the wrong moral
response.
How the PulIbaciSs Are Made
These Impressions received from this
enforced instruction, inpels the re.
ceiver to certain attitudes toward so.
ciety. If he accepts them willingly ant
sees their relation to society at large