Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1917-03-28
WHAT THE PAPERS SAT.
Secondary Education.

Quite recently in a Vermont city
there was q notable dinner given IN
honor Of a man who had received the
highest honors within the power OF
the nation to bestow. In attendance
were several men who had ATTAINED
to widespread prominence Dy excel
lence In their chosen pursuits. no
fewer than three college presidents
were there; professors, not III aDln-
dance, but plenty-only q lew lOF
whom the future holds the decision ol
real success or failure.
The talk drifted to matters OF edu-
cation There was expressed a re-
oret that the country had turned so
radically to the s4new education, was
running wild toward vocatlonallsm
Tt was deplored by many that thor
oughness was being sacrlnced 20
modern methods and the new
thought in things educatonas,
Ry one eminent man it was stated
that education in the high schools
was being so diluted by the profuslon
of subjects taught that there was no
thoroughness and that pupils came
out with most inadequate educa-
ton. which however, was most coSLlV
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 a western city IT was pro
posed that the teaching of algebra
and geometry be dropped IN the hlgn
schools. And the question was asked,
SFWhat IN heavens name are they &C
ing to teach p
Then there was a new voice heard,
giving the answer:
Basket weaving.
Which, Of course, was a gentle 1T
tie slam at the preponderance OF at
tention that Is being paid to vocation
al and other practical subjects.
And the voice continued
Il am a member of the school
board in nv town. I was not salts
fed that the schools were doing by the
pupils what they should and one day
/ engaged the principal IN converse
ton / said to him, You teach the
English language IN avariety OF ways.
You call it language, you call It
grammar, up higher you call It In
gIish. Now I dare say that not
single graduate of your schools COM
monty speaks correct English. And
the answer of this school master was,
ssEWell. Mr. - you hadn't
ought to blame the schools, for that =
Was It any wonder that 2 roar Of
laughter greeted this sally?
The most eminent man present, a
man known in the four. corners Of the
world, expressed his belief that ge-
ometry was q most valuable subject
not for itself necessarily, but because
it led to a logical method IN analyz-
ing questions; It induced thorough
ness and accuracy IN thought.
Might there not be some applica-
ton of these thoughts to education
here in St. Adams? Are we dluting
it too much? Are we as thorough as
suffering from such a defect, perhaps
we are here; and 1t becomes an i'm
portant question with St Adams at
this time because Of the seeming lack
of funds to continue what we have
been doing IN the schools.
There are many different views Of
education; some overlapping, some
conflicting. The Messenger clings to
the old-fashioned belief that the pur-
pose of the schools IN a democracy Is
to train citizens; TO bring up men
land some women) 50 that they can
pass on public questions with knoWl-
edge. so that, knowing certain great
principles Of government and justice,
they can apply them logically and
surely.
Yet there is no specialization on
these things. The subject of taxa
ton. for instance, IS foreign to most
graduates of most common school
systems; yet this very subject is of
vital Importance to the citizen of any
government IN which the citizen has
control Of the public purse, coming and
going. There Is q corresponding ig-
norance on the subject Of political sci
ence
Instead of teaching these funda-
mentals, are we not, N this country,
paying to much attention TO what
was happily called basket weaving ?"
It seems to be a day Of faddists and
faddism IN education The ancient
landmarks, thoroughness and utility
IN the broadest sense, are swept
aside Education is losing its real
meaning. The proposition that man
cannot live by food alone is lost sight
of; materialism runs riot.-St Al
bans Messenger.
Heard Upon the Street
That there IS no lack Of overt acts
on the part Of the food spectators