The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-05-02
ENTERTAINMENT VERSUS EDUCATION
SPLENDID ADDRESS DELIVERED BY MRS.
HETTYE NORMAN AT MEETINGS OF THE
FIVE MOTHERS CLUBS, ARDMORE SCHOOLS
Parents Too Eager

+htRilF HeiA 'llA1f llbMdIuAht are so
eager for their children TO have a good
time, they do not teach them self re.
straint and then search for a substi.
tute for the parental authority they
have failed to exercise Children and
those who are responsible for their
education may well heed the admoni--
tion that it is easier to grow straight
from the beginning that it is to correct
deform''ies in life, after we have grown
into them. In other words, 1t is much
easier to shape the growing character
by just discipline than it is to straight.
en- it, after it has become warped. de-
formed.
Most Of us appreciate our splendid
system of schools-the name and fame
has spread to many parts of the Unit
ed States. Several years ago, / met
gentleman who had been teaching in
one of our large southern universi
ties. He said he had heard such splen.
did things about the Ardmore schools
it had been his ambition for some timo
TO teach in Ardmore, at least one year,
for after that he could teach any.
where in the United states that he
chose to go" thought that was
quite tribute to our school system.
am sure we all recognize the value
OF the trained mind and know that the
times demand the educated man or wo.
man.
The children Of Ardmore possess an
advantage over many. They have
splendid opportunities for an educa.
ton that Will fit them for big things in
life. We, who are in such close proxi.
NIFTY to our school, sometimes lose the
vision or appreciation of the same. as
one who stands close to an object
loses the broader view Though year
after year We see large classes of
boys and girls graduate from Ardmore
high school, and enter upon larger
duties
In recent years there has been q
revolution In the fundamental concep-
ton Of work Modern systems of edu.
cation have taught the dignity OF
labor. Industrial training has made
the education Of the hand and tho
equipment Of men for manual toll to
be just as meritorious as the training
Of the mind.
When we sum up the advantages Of
an education, isn't it strange we
should let entertainment interfere in
such a great work?
As | said before. entertainment is
good and desirable in moderation
The Forms OF Entertainment
The most popular forms Of enter
tainment are the motion picture shows.
the dance and the automobile. There
Is good in everything. there is good
in each Of these. Whatever may be
your idea Of the movies, they are
here TO stay and can be made 10 Der
form useful social service or a harm.
full social service. Most everyone en-
joys u good picture show. / know I
do, but sometimes see pictures that
make me blush.
When the demand for clean pictures
Is strong enough, we shall have them.
When the salacious picture no longer
draws u full house and becomes un.
profitable, and the way to make them
Improbable is not to patronize them.
then we shall have clean pictures. By
educating the people to an apprecia-
ton of better things-the right kind of
picture viii perform useful social
service.
Motion Pictures in schools
In educational work. the motion pic.
ture has already demonstrated its high
value in many schools. Professor
Sheppard, of the University Of Okla.
homa, some time ago made an inter.
estlng test Of the motion picture in
educational work Three groups of
students We're selected for the first
test. Each group was Of the same
mental calibre. in so far AZ it was
possible To judge. The motion picture
instructed the first group. a lecturer
taught the second. and an average
public school teacher taught the third.
The results showed that in efficiency
the motion picture and the lecturer
tied. each having Il rating 20 per cIAt
higher than the public school teacher.
The outcome OF this test indicated
the high value Of motion picture In
educational work.
Some schools in Oklahoma and other
states are already utilizing the me uon
picture in teaching geography and his
tory. There is no doubt that a mo-
ton picture Of country showing
scenery ana types of people gives a
student more lasting impression than
written description alone. II is not
likely that the motion picture viii elm.
mate the geography and history books
under the direction of teacher. but
viii be merely supplementary to the
useful method of instruction.
So much for the motion picture In
useful social service. The habit OF at.
tending picture shows during school
evenings Is pcrnicious and should not
b. allowed. l know u girl who has
failed to make her grades for several
years anl she is ia a grade now with
children some four or five years her
junior, though she Is OF average intel.
ligence, and began attendance at school
at the age OF seven years. Her fail
ures arc due entirely to un almost
nightly attendance of picture shows
when she should have been prepar.
Ing next days lossons--or at least en-.
joying Great Natures second course.
Sleep, chief nourishcr Ia llfo's feast "
Moving pictures teach good or evil
as We all know. Too often We see