The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-03-08

chord in the audience.
Thursday evening. Congressman
Stevens Of Nebraska, gave an address
in which he described visit to the
front, similar to the one which was
the subject Of Senator Kenyon's adj
dress in Keokuk.
High School Teachers.
The organization of the teachers of
high schools, which was one of the al
lied organizations which met in At
lantic City, gave very strong pro-
gram one of the principal features of
which was the result Of research on
the question Of course Of study for the
junior high school which comprehends
the seventh, eighth and ninth grades.
They recommended that mathematics,
English, some form OF industrial work,
and combination of history and
civics should be carried through the
entire period They recommended a
fifth subject for the entire period to
be a combination of science, music,
and physical culture and such other
special work as might be desired in
local course Of study. For the indus
trial work it was recommended that
they be given one half year Of mechan-
ical drawing, one half year forge work,
one half year Of machine work, one
half year Of wood work, one half year
of electrical work and one half year
Of printing. This work is given, not
with the expectation that skilled
craftsmen or forge workers Or machin-
lists or skilled workmen in any Of the
other lines be turned out, but in order
that the pupils may have an opportun-
ity Of finding the place in which they
will be best fitted to make good in the
activities of life. The history and
civics includes one day a week for
period Of three years given to the
study of civic questions. The other
four days week for the entire three
years to be given to the various phases
Of historical work with the exception
of the first half of the seventh year
which was recommended to be given
up to the study of geography.
There were many other sessions
that were well worth attending. The
dominating chord in practically all OF
these sessions was the effect of the
world war upon the school problems
The question that seemed to be upper
most in the minds of most people who
went to the convention was how to
handle the extra problems that are be-
ing pressed upon us by the war Sit
uation, and how to meet them in the
most truly patriotic way. And think
that most Of us realized after having
attended the various sessions Of the
convention that the campaigns that
were being inaugurated by our ma
tional government were all Of them
worthy of our best efforts. We re-
turned to our schools with the same
determination Of going "over the top"
in these various enterprises. How
ever, it was equally apparent from the
tone Of The addresses, the message
we had from President Wilson, and
the many addresses that we had from
the commissioners of education that
the purpose in the carrying out of all
of these undertakings that We do 1t
in way which is not sacrificing the
real interests Of the children in the
schools. For the underlying feeling
was very strongly expressed that the
patriotic thing for the schools to do
was to see to 1t that the children in
our schools today who will have the
problems of reconstruction to face
when the war is over, should be given
the very best possible preparation for
the facing of those problems when
they come. 1t was also apparent from
the conferences that We had, that some
of the officers who were being placed
in charge of some of these movements
in the various sections of the country
were SO much interested in making a
glowing report of the results in their
section that they were possibly, in
some cases, blinded to the real inter.
est of the individual pupil. So it de.
wolves upon those in charge of the To-
cal situation to discriminate in the Sc
lection Of the movements that should
be carried on in any local situation.
think there are none Of the national
government movements which are not
worthy and which should not be car
ried out to the best Of our abilities
but it IS necessary to keep in mind
the caution so frequently voiced in the
convention that we must see to it that
! the individual good should not be over
looked. Then there are a great many
truly patriotic movements that arc
! not truly national government move
ments that should or should not be
carried on according to whether It Is
possible to carry them on in addition
! to those Of truly national government
al organization. Then mixed in with
| all these other movements there are
movements which have the appear
ance of being national and patriotic
on the surface, but which are probably
pushed more from some personal point
| of vantage than from the real national
demand for the same.
Challenge to Educators.
| All Of these matters need careful
consideration in order to be wisely
handled. After hearing the report Of
the lady who has the economic side Of
the Hoover movement In charge,
think we were impressed with the ides
| that the way for each one Of ua to dc