Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1922-10-26
new PROBLEMS
In EDUCATION
c. W. Gehrand of Madison Dis
cusses Phases of the Present
System of Learning

Mark Twains wife had an unusual
experience. Mark was an inveterate
swearer and his wife desired to put
an end to it. After some consulta-
tion and advice from friends of the
family it was decided that when he
swOre she was to repeat the words
after him. He came home from a
lecture at Springfield, Massachusetts,,
G. w Gehrand, Madison, formerly
superintendent of the Baraboo
schools, stated at the opening of the
Fortnightly Literary club on Satur-
day night at the home of Mr.. and
Mrs. H. E. Cole, and when the break
fast was placed before the humorist
it was not to his liking, causing him
to let forth an oath that fairly made
the dishes rattle and the air become
blue. Without a trem0r his wife gave
vent to the same swear words but
with very little spirit or vehemence.
Looking at her Twain said: "Ah,
wifey, you have the words but not
the tune"
In our system of education at the
present time, Mr.. Gehrand declared.
we have the words but not the tune.
He illustrated by stating that when
a certain boy went to school the
teacher wrote the word girl on the
board and told the youth the word
only represented the idea "girl"
Next a picture of girl was made on
the board and the youth was again
told that the illustration was not a
girl, just to represent one. Next a
very pretty lassie was brought into
the room and the boy was then told
that she was the real girl, the others
only representations of the idea. The
boy replied, 81 knew that. already"
Why Study Certain Things
He again illustrated that his daugh-
ter of about twelve years was now
studying the gasoline engine and he
declared she knew nothing about an
engine. She may operate one some
time but not now. Why spend her
time studying it? A lot of things are
and ia other branches which are Of
little or no value. Why devote val
liable time to things that will be use
less in after life?
1t was held by the speaker that
one-half of the world must care, to
a greater or less extent, for the other
half; that the capacities of many peo-
pie for accomplishing things were not
equal to others. At the same time he
held the boys and girls should be
given such training that when they
went into the world they would be
able TO advance in their vocations.
He spoke of a man about seventy
years old in a factory who had con-
sumed years in dropping pieces Of
iron into a machine that nuts might
roll out. Why had not the man been
advanced? The trouble is, Mr.. Geh-
rand held, the boys and girls are not
educated fer the things they are to
do. He is engaged IN vocational work
in agricultural lines. He holds that
boy should not be taught advanced
farming unless he had grown up on
the farm, that a youth should not
be expected TO run machinery unless
he had an aptitude for it. There are
too many things to do in the world
and the branches OF learning have be-
come so diversified that much in our
methods Of teaching should be chang
ed.
Three Charter Members Present
The meeting on Friday night was
the opening of the thirty-fourth year.
Three charter members were present,
Mrs. ]. E. English. Mrs. z. Aug. Runge
and Miss Emma Gattiker. A number
of visitors were present.
Mrs. Gehrand accompanied her nus
band to Baraboo and while here both
met many friends of former years.
/. PRAIRIE DU SAC COUPLE