The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-05-02


ment against Education. AS Education
Is by far the more important subject,
l shall speak of education first. You
may think | am putting the cart before
the horse, but | shall risk your criti'
cism.
what is education? There are many
definitions. Education means a devel-
opment Of the powers or capacities of
the mind, through special processes Of
training, though in general sense,
education means Il development and
cultivation Of the whole nature wheth-
er physical, mental or moral.
Education is an equipment, either
direct or Indirect, for living the life and
doing the work the world sets before
us. Education has, or should have u
u money value, as those trained should
be worth more in dollars and cents be-
cause of their training. On every hand
there is the demand for highly train
ed and skilful men and women to do
The work Of the world.
Not so many years ago it was n
prevalent idea that much education was
unnecessary-that idea is obsolete now
A writer in the New Age has said
Education is one of the greatest SOL
vents Of the social unrest of today
Lift q man out Of the darkness Of ig
norance and the pit of poverty; give
him the lamp of knowledge to guide his
footsteps; enlighten him as to his duties
10 himself and to his neighbors and you
regenerate that man"
Social Unrest
"A good deal of the social unrest Of
today Is due to ignorance. Therefore. it
becomes the bounden duty of the state
to educate it's citizen, morally, mental
ly and physically
Most parents today realize the ne
cessity for and the value OF an cdu'
cation, yet half the failures Of the aver
age boy or girl are due to the lndul-
gence Of parents, who permit enter
tainment to take precedence Of educa-
tlon.
Now, what il entertainment? En-
tertainment is that which engages the
attention agreeably. Entertainment is
synonymous with amusement, diversion,
recreation. Entertainment is good, is
desirable, as all work and no play
makes Jack duh boy, the same Is
equally true of Jill. Children who are
allowed reasonable pleasures by their
parents are not 50 likely to kick over
the traces when they are away from
the parental roof A proper balance Of
recreation and employment is abso-
Lutte essential to development, physical
ly, mentally and morally; but enter
tainment carried to excess arrests de-
velopment along these lines.
Since this subject was assigned me,
have talked with many parents
fathers as well as mothers-and the
!. concensus Of opinion is that there is
\ 100 much time Of the school children
given up to entertainment. Several
who have sent their children away TO
school. before completing high school,
gave as their reason for doing so the
fact that their children's social acti-
svities interferred with their work in
IAryhool, and that they We're not making
satisfactory grades.
Diversion Good
Social diversion is good, is fine, but
in moderation. Moderation is a great
vlrtue-greater than it is usually Civ
en- credit for. 1t is one of the things
that makes for happiness and harmony
everywhere-at home, at school, in
business, in society-and even in poll
tics.
Most colleges and many universities,
restrict the students entertainment TO
certain fixed hours or days. II these
larger schools. these big institutions
see the necessity and value Of such re-
strictons. why don't we do likewise?
True. youth often chafes under the
restrictions of a school. but the dlscip'
line OF school Is, after ALL only pre-
cursor Of, and a preparation for the
discipline that the world, the school Of
life. viii soon exact. Are we, the par
cuts and guardians. discplning our
children in the hours. the home claims
them? Sometimes yes-sometimes, no.
certain gentleman complained Bit
t.rN of his childrcns' failures and the
necessity for sending them away TO
school. and then placed the blame, or
attempted 10 do So upon our Board oil
Education. I was amazed at his attack
and unfa!rness. and told him so. lie
replied There should be- rigid rules
prohibiting dances. parties and other
social functions during school even
ings" agreed with him. but told
him the rules should be made and en-
forced by their parents or guardians.
He said 1t couldn't be done by the par
ents as all would not cooperate. in
sisted il could and should be- done by
the parents: that Il was our duty, our
responsibility to discipline our chhd'
rem when not In school
Now. mothers. ask you, whose
business is Il to discipline our chill
dron. when not In SCHOOL, l venture
10 suggest that ninety.nine out Of every
hundred would insist the board was
exceeding its authority II It made and
enforced such rules now
Youth is a human dynamo, a living
dynamo. vibrating teeming with en-
ergy. aud some one must restrict their
activities. Edison says For good
achievement and good health chill.
dren and lot OF grown up people
should Doe taught to restrain them
selves from doing things that are
hurtfu rather than helpful" lie also
SAYS. Right education would train
children to right tendencies--people 20
In the direction IN which they are in.
clined.'
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