Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1917-03-23

cess or failure.
The talk drifted to matters Of edu-
cation. There was expressed regret
that the country had turned so radi-
cally to the thew education" was
running wild toward vocationaIism,
1t was deplored by many that thorough
ness was being sacrificed to modern
methods and the new thought in things
educational,
BY one eminent man 1t was stated
that education in the high schools was
being 10 diluted by profusion of
subjects taught that there was no
thoroughness and that pupils came out
with most inadequate education,
which, however, was most costly to the
people in tax demands.
Following this observation one col
lege president remarked that at a re-
cent meeting Of secondary school
heads in Western city il was pro-
posed that the teaching Of algebra and
geometry be dropped in the high schools,
And the question was asked, What in
heavens name are they going to
teach?"
Then there was a new voice heard,
giving the answer.
Basket weaving"
Which, of course, was gentle little
slam at the preponderance of atten-
ton that Is being paid to vocational
and other practical" subjects, And
the voice continued.
~ am a member Of the school board
in my town. was not satisfied that
the schools were doing by the pupils
what they should and one day en-
gagged the principal in conversation,
said to him, You teach the English
language in variety of ways. You
call it language, you call it grammar,
up higher you call it English. Now
dare say that not single graduate OF
| your schools commonly speaks correct
English. 4" And the answer Of the schoo
master was,
, "Well, Mr.. -- you hadn'
ought to blame the schools for that -
t Was it any wonder that roar o
laughter greeted this sally?
: The most eminent man present,
, man known in the four corners of tn,
: world, expressed his belief that geo
s metry was a most valuable subject
, not for itself necessarily, but becaus
Y it led to logical method in analyz
n ing questions it introduced thorough
f ness and accuracy in thought.
Might there not be some apphca
ton of these thoughts to educatio
here in st. Adams? Are we dilutin
it too much? Are we as thorough a
= we might be? If other places are sui
. fering from such defect, perhaps W
y, are here; and it becomes an importar
= question with st. Adams at this tim
= because of the seeming lack of funds
. continue what we have been doing
!, the schools.
- There are many different views {
~ educaton some overlapping, som
conflicting. The Messenger clings
g the old-fashioned belief that the pu
- pose of the schools in democracy
- to train citizens; to bring up me
- land soon women) so that they ca
M pass on public questions with know
~ edge, so that, knowing certain gre
=, principles of justice and government
~ they can apply them logically al
n surely.
- Yet there is no specialization
- these things. The subject of tax
ton, for instance, is foreign to mo
graduates of most common scho
, systems; yet this very subject is
vital important to the citizen of al
government IN which the cluzen M
. control of the public purse, comir
&c and going. There is correspondir
ignorance on the subject of polite
:. science.
10 Instead of teaching these fund
c mentas, are we not, in this countr
II paying too much attention to VIII
;" was happily called "basket weaving.
II 1t seems to be day of faddsts al
u faddism in education. The ancie
Vi landmarks, thoroughness and utili
in the broadcast sense, are swe
Is aside. Education is losing its re
!" meaning. The proposition that mi
rs cannot live by food alone is lost sig
III of; materialism runs riot.
" CDOM WUTH0IIJ THE STA