The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-10-31
SCHOOL PUPILS
AND THEIR WORK
IN OUR SCHOOLS
Letter From Member of Local
School Beard
EDUCATION is TOO DAINTY
Not Enough Pressure Applied to
Get Best Results for
Future Progress

Editor OF The Banner:
measure are we taking of the results
obtained in our attempt to educate
our children by means of our public
school system? Mostly no measure
at all. The children get through the
school somehow and speaking in a
general way parents are making no
effort 70 know what Of real value the
children are getting in the years
spent at school.
FIRST let us consider the true pur.
pose OF the process we call education
The real issue is not the absorbing of
a quantity OF information. II Is the
training of the child's mind to work
IN an accurate, efficient and orderly
manner. Anything like complete ac.
complishment OF this object is most
extremely difficult of attainment. but
once this is reasonably we'll develop-
ed the absorbing of information takes
care Of itself.
A mind can not be trained to work
accurately, efficiently and in an or.
derly manner, except by persistent ex
ercise at tasks that require hard and
uncomfortable mental effort, .under
skilled guidance and pressure in the
case OF young children who can not
be brought by reasoning to appreciate
the necessity for the effort. II NAV
be that in some cases when indiyidu.
ais are handled alone or in very
small groups it is practical to lead
children into the effort instead of
them into it. This idealistic
II 1t is so, most certainly is
not practical with many individuals
and never in handling large groups.
The pressure used to force the men
tai effort in the memory OF some of
our older citizens was birch switch
used without much consid-
Grafton of varying mental powers.
The hardship Of this proposition on
the slower and weaker minded pupils
was undoubtedly an evil that needed
correction. The correction came and
most of the parents of small children
now in the schools passed through
their school days without much con
tact with corporal punishment. They
did have to accomplish the work laid
out for them. Nothing but certain
mental efficiency or extremely artful
deception enabled pupil to avoid do
ing correctly the daily tasks assigned
The pressure used in those days was
insistenee upon the completion of the
work regardless of time consumed
and a quick report to the parents of
the pupils deficiencies. Public senti-
ment at that time was such that in
nearly all cases the report to the par.
onts brought quick interest and
thorough cooperation.
The pendulum OF public sentiment
at this time was in the center of its
swing but it had to travel on and has
now reached the other extreme. The
public have come to think education
should be sugar coated and served in
sizes and shapes to suit the personal
inclination of each child and that
such children as do not like the taste
should be allowed to spit it out in.
stead of swallowing it. Pressure Of
any kind applied in school in so large |
4 percentage of cases results in vio- |
ent protest, criticism and even worse
rom parents that it has come to be
either given up entirely or applied SO
lightly as to have little effect
The results of sending home notices
If deficiency average to be so unpleas- |
INT and so fruitless that instead OF |
,eihg sent at the first signs of need |
or cooperation from home they are
leld back until they must be sent |
Parents who do watch closely the
school work Of their children and in.
'ist that their work be accurately |
md thoroughly accomplished are met !
With complaints from the children |
ike this. I don't see why you have
he teacher make me do all my work |
'ver and over until get it right The
est of them don't have to-
Education so daintily applied as it |
S done today in response to and in
with public opinion does
lot accomplish the hard mental effort
Necessary TO the development of good |
minds capable OF straight, clear think
MS nor does it bring the child to the
,oint of interest in accomplishments !
If the mind and a thirst for know
edge. Today we have good schools
With many wonderfully capable teach
RS whose minds were developed be-
ore this state OF affairs existed to SO
extreme degree but it is a very /
mall supply of such teachers that
will come forth from our present |
schools.
The teachers in the schools recog |
lize the condition They are all anx-
Gus to see it remedied Some of tho !
'ounger teachers are uncertain what |
he remedy is. The older teachers
NOW we'll enought what II is but can
lot begin to apply it until the pendu.
um of public opinion starts to swing
,ack from the idea of education in
ugar and syrup form. Conversation
With individuals indicates that the
is ready to start back.
We have as good school organiza-
ion as we could ask for. Let us give
t the cooperation necessary to Il
eali2ation OF full value from It and
he development OF townful of clear
young people who have been
aught the Joy Of accomplishment