The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-10-08
buildings will divert for time

copic fashion. The average norm
ally healthy child of thirteen is
/ not able to do much more than to
learn arithmetic. spelling, geo
graphy, United States history. and
| grammar grammar, not oral Eng
Ish(. That little extra should be
given to the principles and ideals
Of his government, which gives him
an education, and TO the founda-
ton principles of ethics; for in a
republic every man is his brothers
keeper. We are beginning to real
! iza the danger Of ignoring that
fact.
When the child has been<gradu-
ated from the elementary school.
let him elect to go either to the
high school, which will merely
/ broaden and deepen and strength
en- a foundation for higher learn
ing. or to public trade school
where the aim Will not be dipfo-
ma but a real preparation for life,
a preparation that may take one
year or six, depending upon the
course pursued and the ability Of
the pupil. That preparation viii be
just as thorough as a course in the
best high schools, and more thor
| ough than in most 1t may be just
as. cultural as the combined coarse
! of high school and college.
Would the girl become design
cr of dresses?' She would take
mathematics through geometry.
mechanical drawing, painting, Or
at least the study of colors. pictor-
ia! drawing, chemistry to know
dyes and textiles. English to appear
we'll in her business. French, pos
sibly, to learn the history Of de-
| sign. To become a designer she
would become versed in such sub
jects as would make her well
rounded woman as we'll as an ex-
pert in her line Would she be-
come private secretary? In ad-
dition to the study of the mechan-
poos ST 9eHl pE!uo eql IoJ Suluaou
ical duties of such position she
would study English, other litera-
lures, than her own, history, busi-
ness procedure, the principles Of
business law, know how to appear.
and, if possible, be fluent in one
| foreign language. The more culture
she could absorb while studying
the duties OF a secretary. the more
practical and valuable she would
be. Would the boy become a me-
chanic? He would have mathe-
mates through spherical trigono-
metry. the physics and the 'chemis-
/ try which are taught in college,
nfcta1lurgy. cid English.
Public trade schools that stood
for something real and turned out
eXperts-net cheap help-would
draw from the present high schools
those whose taste does not incline
them to a higher cultural life or
whose means are such; that each
step must be q distinct prepara-
ton for a wage-earner. and the
high schools could Immediately
cease to cater to incompetence or
laziness and could strengthen their
teaching. The purpose Of educas
ton would be equally served, only
in different ways, m both schools.
In the trade school The child will
necessarily see the reason for each
step Of his progress; he is adding
| completed room after completed
room to his mental house as he
needs it.. In the high school he IS
digging a deep foundation for q
structure he cannot see and may
not have planned. What he does he
must DO on faith for time That
is why so many high school pupils
at present lose interest and refuse
to work. They are from Mis-
souri,, They wish to be shown.
! I imagine that both trade school
and high school plus college would
achieve the same result intellectual
~ and cuiturally. Certainly the
trade school would not suffer in
comparison from the Intellectual
standpoint. They would deal with
the same quality Of minds, albeit Of
different types.
The restless period in education
iaI ideals and purposes will pass
just as it will pass in political life.
Eventually the radical element Will
become conservative for time.
How long that time Will be in
school affairs will depend upon
school executives rather than
teachers. Teachers can be trusted
as a rule to be strict and to be
thorough. Executives can be trust
eel to listen to the applause Of the.
gallery and to worship at the shrine
OF some new isna. That sounds bru-
! tai, but our present method OF
popular. government: and constant
change does not create strong back
bones. 1t weakens them. And
what shall it profit a school super
intendent to have strong back
bone and no job, especially when
he has given hostages to fortune
in the shape of wife and children?
SO he yields to the Colshcvist pres
sure and wakes enthusiastic over
each new fad. and, if he be astute,
places the psychology Of his COM
munity before the needs Of his pu-
pills. A long term for both super
intendcnt and board OF education
would create independence and be
the means Of achieving results.