Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-06-05

schools to see what had been done in
the way of turning these needed tech
nically trained men only to find that
the demand for them exceeded the
supply even in times of peace. Look
ing closer it was found that incorpOrat-
ed in our educational system we're
many undesirable and out-of-date fea-
lures. For example. an investigating
committee of the Minnesota Educa-
cational Association recommends that
the following topics be eliminated
from elementary study:
From arithmetic some twenty points,
as
Greatest Common Divisor
la Least Common Multiple
Compound Interest
Stocks and Bonds
Cube Root
and so on down through that so
familiar list.
From American History
The characteristics of the various
tariff acts
All monetary legislation
The Presidential campaigns, ex-
cept those of Jefferson's, Jackson's
and Linccln's.
and many others just like these.
And in regard to grammar, this CON-
mittee recommends that grammar as
such should not be studied below the
seventh grade, and preferably not un-
til the eighth grade.
If so many antiquated, absolutely
useless things are still taught in our
| lower schools, it can readily be de-
duced that our higher institutions CT
learning are still far from perfect in
this respect.
1t seems peculiar, but it is a fact,
that human beings everywhere object
to progress. Consciously or uncons-
ciously we hate to inaugurate any,
| thing new, fearing, sometimes not
| without reason that the proposed
improvement be ncthing but "fad."
When worthy new idea or theory
is advanced anywhere it is at first
totally ignored by the public. People
usually either don't notice it at all,
or If they do, attach no Importance
tc it, The next stage through which
this idea must pass is that Of ridicule.
AS it is brought more completely into
the public eye, this idea for various
reasons occasions laughter and scorn,
and the originator is denounced as
either a practical joker or lunatic
If the theory is not killed by this
time more drastic measures are taken
1T is mercilessly prosecuted, denOunc-
ed, crucified because it threatens to
overturn other hitherto accepted theo-
ries. It is indeed a worthy idea that
survives an ordeal such as this, but if
it does it's reception is assured, and it's
acceptance and application are now
quite as phenomenal as it's former per-
secution. An illustration of this fact
that worthy new idea is at first
ignored, then ridiculed, then crucified,
and then accepted is found in the in.
cident of Langley and his airplane.
Some years ago Langley, then col
lege professor, conceived the idea
that he could fly in a machine which
he proposed to make. He was at first
ignored, but as his idea became more
generally known he was laughed at
ridiculed, and his project became
known as "Langley's Folly" Why
men had been trying for centuries to
; fly and the net result had BEEN
failure. With much difficulty Langley
persuaded Congress to appropriate
five thousand dollars to help him con
duct his Investigations, and a, machine
was constructed, tried out, and indeed
, failed The public denounced the
whole thing as fake, and Langley
it is said, died Of grief over his failure
Only few years ago some experts
, after looking over Langley's old ma
, chine, declared that it was built upo1
fundamentally correct principles, anC
that the only reason it wouldn't fly
was because the motive power, {
> steam engine, was not and never has
been adapted to use in an airplane
l. Accordingly, a modern internal com
. bustion engine was installed, and {
: short but successful fight was made
= thus indicating Langley and provin)
4 how unjust the world is in it's treat
j ment of new ideas. This same thinl
:. holds true in an educational as vel
+ as in mechanical world, but If w
! are going to apply the doctrine tina
= "anything our fathers did is goo
+ enough for US" tc' our schools, Their
i are bound to be disastrous results.
T However clearly the defects of on
+ present educational system show VI
!; now, it must be admitted that tn
+ schools are doing great deal in hell
T ing to twin the war;" For example
< right here in Willmar, students of tn
+ public schools to the number of II
own Liberty Bonds with value 9
X $11,10O. Approximately 400 pupil
own War Savings Stamps or Thrift
; Stamps with a value of $3,349.61. b.
sides this q great deal of other wa
work has been done. The pupils hav
+ enlisted heartily in all the variou
X Red Cross activities, the girls
E knitting, sewing, and surgical dressin
+ work, and the boys in assistin
4 wherever possible in the campaig
i for the collection Of books, clothe
useful junk and the like. Every pup
X of the Willmar Public Schools Is
y member of the Junior Red Cros
+ Fifty-seven@ speeches on behalf ,
fIpatriotic activities have been mad
Iby students, and, generally speskin
Ieyery indiy1d ual ID any Way connecte
.3 With the schools has responded nobl
= 1ile srorlk g thisS Kind u bsir