The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-05-30
|THEVALUEOFARTINE EDUCATION

Of reaching the eighth grade. and
the eighth grade leads to the high
school. and high school to the uni
versity
All OF which Is good In theory
aud splendid when 1t may be full
filled.
Theory and Practice.
However. tho statistics are stag
gering in their refutation that the
theory does not work out in actual
life, ana that scvcn-tenths. or more
do not enter high school
The governor said he would much
perfer that his boy should be able
to figure the interest on his note,
and other minor problems, than have
merely a speaking acqudint tance with
algebra
Those OF us who have had con
siderable experience with paying in
terest on notes know that the banker
does not even figure the interest.
but that he reaches in his. desk for
the book OF interest tables for his
answer. and that the adding ma
chimes have removed the necessity
OF being able to add long columns
Of figures correctly
Mrs. Ella Flagg Young, once su-
perlntendent of schools In Chicago
shocked the educational world when
she announced that the studya of
algebra in the eighth grade would
be dispensed with. and that civil
government would be studied in its
place. The children were instructed
in the laws OF the United States. OF
Illinois and of Chicago--their rights
and their obligations.
Did the politicians OF Chicago like
Dit? They did not! They did not
take kindly to n too well educated
electorate among boys and girls. and
eventually Ella Flagg Young was de-
posed as superintendent Of schools
Looking at the problem for the
benefit Of the student who by choice,
or necessity, leaves the sChoolroom
at the eighth grade, what is the OBJ
legation of the state TO that child?
Comparative Value.
And this brings mo to the last sug
gestion in your editorial Mr., Latta
and your question as TO tho desir-
ability Of teaching music and art TO
every child whether they possess
special talent or not. and, quoting
you;
ITO the casual parent this seems
wanton and foolish waste OF time
hat could much better he devoted
to the elementary subjects OF learn
ing that are indispc to toler-
able human existence"
Let us grant that the clmentary
subjects are necessary, and hv that
you no doubt mean the celebrated
three RS.
The child is in school about six
hours per day, and let us give him
five hours per day 10 the elementary
gIlh1arfg I ~ hn
see!
May me now turn to the two peri
DDS OF one half hour each Of music
and art that ought to be offered
from the first Erade to each child.
what is the object OF educating
this child > Answer that he may he
self-sustaininG and contribute his
share TO the general welfare gf his
day and generation.
II is becoming more common 10
divide the day into three parts for
the industrial world. eight hours for
work, eight for sleep. and eight for
eating and recreation.
WIN YOU call mo extreme II I say
that upon the use Of tho last period
The happiness, the sanity and the
morality Of the world depend?
II is certainly n tact that a great
A'dA lilNl' lfItuh0 upon our use OF
leisure now than formerly when
working hours were longer. and that
the disposal OF this leisure brings up
q higher complex sociological prob
lem
How shall We cause him 10 spend
his spare time as 10 be happier IN
his own life, better equipped phvs-
iCally, intellectually and morally and
~ moro use 10 his family his neigh
horhood and his country And Co
ordinate with this problem how shall
we poryeDt him from using his lcis-
ure time IN an unworthy harmful
way--ruining his own happiness and
that of his family, and becoming a
harmful influence in his neighbor-
hood?
value Of F'arly Training.
All NJ these questions may he CIV
en- tho same answer, viz hv teach
ing him I'm childhood 70 do things
which arc not only pleasurahle and
useful AT tho time, hut which he will
function in hcneNctal way az re-
creation activities after hes becomes