The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1921-09-09
DIR. LESSING READS PAPER
BEFORE PARENT-TEACHER
ASSN. AT PESH ASTIN

] IL,
though it may contain few more
facts, doubt very much if can make
1t as interesting as if | were telling it
offhand and repeat the message
from information ! can most readily
command.
In the first place, being interested
in the uplift, the moral, mental, and
educational qualities of the coming
men and women, we are obliged to
confine ourselves to the underlying
principles, controlling the factors of
the youth, the man and woman before
they are born, as well as afterwards,
and to past the school age. Further
more, it not being our policy to offer
criticism, even just criticism, unless
at the same time we have a solution
which we think would better the stu
alton. Therefore, it may be we'll for
US to ask ourselves the questions and
answer them.
1t is a well known fact and has
been much commented upon by public
officers and recent benefactors, that
as large a number as one-quarter Of
four million were practically litter
ate, in the face of our free schools, is
inconsistent. And these we are not
even able to continue, on account of
the expense, which added to other ex-
penses seem to be overwhelming our
population. Therefore there is indi-
cation of something being radically
wrong in the fundamentals of our ed
ucation, which we will number ques-
ton No. 1, to be answered later.
Question No. 2.-There are, even of
the educated class, but a small num-
Der who are efficient in the perform
ance of their duties, either in pri-
vate or public life. There is a reas-
on, and we will answer this later
Question No. 3.-Having associated
with what is supposed to be the best
class of Europe and America, in speci-
al and general education, we have OBJ
served the standard to be more def
nitely settled in Europe than Ameri-
ca. Let us answer why.
Question No. 4.-What is the cause
of such confusion of mind, Hide
velopment of body, multitidinous dis
eases, criminal instincts, and thous-
ands of vices too numerous to men
ton, not even worthy of mentioning?
Question No. 5.-Why do $4,000
mothers and 25O,000 babies die every
year in the United States, and why do
these practically entirely occur in the
rural districts, where it is supposed
mothers are the strongest and have
the greatest resistance to disease and
death?
Question No 6.-Taking into con-
sideration the finishing and standar-
dizing civilization and its production,
these few points I have mentioned
lead to thousands of life's aspects. all
of which add still more burden to the
person already experienced in the
grief and disappointment of living
with them and meeting them daily, in
a most reprehensible way rejecting
upon our civilization, having a ten
dency to destroy our faith in human
ity and possible possibility of their
being much more than primitive man.
For history repeats itself and if you
will reflect, that while we are doing
something different than was done
thousands of years ago, the motives
Tor dong are the same, and the meth
od of accomplishing is similar, and
more intensified Civilization has not
taken away the grief nor the pain, nor
relieved the suffering. 1t has simply
made more suffering to relieve. Along
with the cure they produce the dis
ease. We have thousands of good
people, but alas we haven't many
noble ones.
Before answering the questions let
me make one statement. I wish most
emphatically to emphasize that be
the individual good or bad, saint or
sinner, let us use the same charity
toward the victim that we do to the
innocent, because they are only re-
producing their kind, the seed is only
ripening from the growth of the seed
that was soWn IN previous genera
tons, centuries and thousands of
years ago. just as vegetation has re-
manned the same, SO have instincts,
criminal and sanity, remained the
same in the hearts of the born and un-
born, only to develop and grow and
again produce what was there before.
Every time | behold a new born babe,
locking so like all other babes coming
into this world through the same pro
cess, and knowing that this has been
the case through all ages, | wonder
how it happens that there is such
diversity of instincts of the mind and
body as | behold.
In answer to question No. /, the
cause for so much illiteracy in our
general population, of which we were
apparently ignorant, before drafting
our men into the army, we may OBJ
serve that these were practically all
drafted men, because the literate men
had already volunteered their servic-
es thus indicating that they were our
best citizens. Furthermore, the ma
jority of these uneducated came from
rural districts, the poorer districts in
the city and not from the city gener-
ally, as it did from the country, gen
orally proven by statistics to be
quoted.
In the first place, the country school
teachers receive q per cent less paw
than they do in the city, on the aver
age. Therefore we have a right to
expect less ability, it means less un-
derstanding of the child's learning
qualities and its requirements. The
United States is expending $4,000 on
the average, for each city child for
education, and for each country child
i eXpends $4,000 Almost one-half
the school children of the United
States, about 100000. attend only
one or two terms in rural schools.
These children receive their educa-
tior in 10000 box car buildings.
many of them dilapidated and neg
o. lGptpd Tfhiu is. Il.