Newark post., 1919-12-24


talking to vou The little school where your children
are taught the barest facts about reading writing
and arithmetic by a very nice girl is stingy, starved,
Ditiful when it is measured in terms of what you
right give your children if you got to work to think
about it.
You people of the towns, I talking to you.
You say have heard you say it-"Our school Is
pretty fairly up-to-dae. We have good primary
and the grammar is not so bad. We have frst-rate
high school, 1t needs little equipment but then
as things go-we have pretty good school
Your school is stngy and starved and pitfu and
mean when measured in terms of what you might give
your children if you set yOur minds upon It,
Fathers and Mothers of the city schools, | am
talking to you. What do you know about your
schooIsi What are they doing to make your children
fit to take their part in the great future just ahead
of America? You don t know All you did last term
and the term before that, to sign the children
report cards and let it go at that Your school IS
stingy and starved and mean and stupid when mea-
sured in terms of what you might do for your children
if YOU set your minds about it.
The ne,r school must be not by a little
group but by all the people.
The old school is gone The new school is coming.
YOU the people, demanded it while you defended
the Little Red School House of sentimental memory.
In a Democracy the people say "our schools.
never "your" schools. You, Labor man, Pastor,
Business mau, Parent, must make the schools your
own The schools need y0u.
If you the people will do this the new school
lust opening in America will be all you ever hoped
could be-
For every cRHd there must be training
for both hand and brain.
We all agree that the American Public School
should be good enough for the best child in the land
and it won't be any too good then The best school
is the one that trains the minds and hands of its
children and sends them out self-respectng sesus-
tanning citizens.
The notion that the sIow-minded child, the motor
minded child is to be given specialized shop work and
trained for the trades, without regard to the training
of his intellect or his tastes is stupid.
The notion that the alert, Quicbminded child is to
be trained in books and books only and so become
leader in the affairs of the nation is more stupid.
The new school believes that children know only
what they experience at first hand.
Take a school in the country The class is study
ing about robins. After they have gathered the facts
about robin the class proceeds to build bath for
him. They gather stones, select favorable spot, and
with cement and stones and sand and water and good
common sense build bath for their friend.
They will learn many things working out this
project Did You ever mix cement, gather stones?
Ever select the site for bird bath? Do you know
the right depth to make it? Would YOU make it the
same depth all the way through? DO you know how
to find the place the robin would like to have his bath
placed in, if he were neighbor to a school?
The child who plans job and carries it through
to the point where he personally tests it, and finds
that it is good has the training that lasts. When he
writes sentence it will have meaning. When he
makes a part for a machine, it will fit When he adds
a column of figures it is likely to be correct
This combination Of hand and brain work gives
the child a standard of values. 1t is not the prohc
encv in making the bird bath, cutting out the
pattern that counts If it were, it would become
trade idea.
The sewing room is not to train workers for the
garment industry 1t is rather to give the children
an appreciation of good workmanship, of good fabrics,
tastes that will abide through life
The science room is not to teach children to be-
come engine drivers or chemists. 1t is to give them
the feeling of adventure search for the TRUTH love
of accuracy an attitude of mind that will abide with
them through life.
The Three R S will be taught in the new school
Taught thoroughly. Taught without indirectness or
sugar coating Taught in sincerity, with respect to
their right to take place in the days work
Teaching children how to use their leisure is
as important teaching them hOW to york.
We of America work too hard and too long