The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1919-12-09

" cIcmtuGS Idl udft DSu QOuuCt III WHICH,, DIS QudS-puDuC
organizations. have rendered great service to the country through the schools
Surely the children of America have a new vision of civic duties and re-
sponsibIities because of these wartime agencies.
But o that peace has come, w should get down to first principles
in school organization; and the first principle would emphasize is that
the schools exist primarily to serve educational ends. They do no xst to
further extraneous interests, however worthy, that "a be handled by other
agencies. The second principle is that outside agencies seeking to CO.
operate with the schools must act through the duly constituted school
authorities. To act o an other assumption would be to invite didntegra-
ton of the schools. There al be n o divided authority n the management
of the schools. The school authorities must determine what place, if any.
should be given to the many worthy movements that are seeking a place
in the program.
In time of a the schol authorities have subht a part of the educa-
tonal work to various cooperating agencies. War propaganda If various
sorts and kinds "a permitted in the schools, in fact was given a hearty
appeals and get responses that take much time from the real work of the
schools and interfere with that work. They cannot expect teachers to read
ream of printed and mimeographed material the primary purpose of which
is to enlist unusual interest in movements outside the ordinary range of
school work.
"The schools exist fol the State and fr the children not for purposes
of propaganda. The emergency that justified subleting has ceased. The
leasesu under which these bureaus and organizations operated we're Cancelled
with the signing of tn armaice. The schools should be let alone IS much
a possible, to do the real work of education. What is of lasting educa-
uonal value in these cooperative movements must be made a part of the
school program under the direction of the school authorities.
Suggestions from these agencies will be welcome. In fact, we invite
their suggestions and will, within reasonable limits, find a place for them
in the school work. But in all kindness and good feeling, W e express our
belief n at the time for unusual pressure by cooperating agencies n behalf
of movements ordinarily extraneous to the schoolse. is past"
The Silver State publishes the letter by request and approves both the
sentiment and the gentle manliness of the statement.
A little while ago 1 stood by the grave OF the old Napoleon-a magnif-
cent gift of gilt and gold. fit almost for a dead deity. I thought of the
orphans IN widows he had made-of the tears that had been shed for his
by the cold hand of ambition. And 1 said 1 would rather have been a
French peasant and worn wooden shoes; 1 would rather have lived in a
hut with a vine growing yer the door and the grapes growing purple in
tn Kisses OF TIT utumn sun; l would rather have been that Vol peasant
with my children upon my knees and their arm about me. I would rather
have been that man and gone down o the tongueless silence OF the dream
less dust than to have been that imperial impersonaton Of force an mi
der-lRobert G. Ingerson.