The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-11-19
Liquor, Girls and indifferent
Parents Make the SchOOlbOy
of Today a Pressing Problem

private preparatory school has no
place in a democracy. But If a de-
mocracy realizes that, though men
may be born free and equal" men
are not born With equal brains and
that the finest brain power must be
educated under the finest possible cir
cumstances and with the finest posi-
Bile teaching, then we have a place In
a democracy. But" our friends will
cry, how do you know that you have
the finest brains?" Well, perhaps we
do not always get them. But there is
not the shadow of a doubt that the
men who have made their success in
our country are, for the most part, the
men who have had the brains to make
that success, and that the men who
can afford to send their boys to pre-
paratory schools are usually the men
who have raised themselves by their
brain power alone; and If the laws Of
heredity mean anything we are get
ting the best brains of this country.
But In this respect, l should like to
add another fact. There are very few
preparatory schools in this country
that will refuse to give a scholarship,
or in some way make 1t possible for a
boy OF good brains to enter, no matter
what his parentage.
Second, If a democracy is in such a
position that it Is impossible to edu-
cate the whole mass of the youth to
the highest possible efficiency through
Government schools, is it not a matter
OF eXpediency that certain schools
should exist, supported by private
citizens, where n boy of the democracy
may obtain the finest teaching and the
finest character training posslbleP
do not want to start any controversy.
but where in our public schools there
are classes OF forty and more. and
where the teachers are SO overworked
( that they cannot give their best to
their teaching, 1t seems to me most
cXpedient. IL for no other reason, that
there should be schools where teach
ing OF very high grade of efficiency
may he obtained. and where the classes
may be of a number consistent with
good learning.
Thirdly, / should also like to inves-
tigate. il l had the time, how much
real character building there is in the
modern high school, In which school
believe the teachers have the students
under their control only five hours of
the day. and where the parents are SO
busy that they can pay very little at
tention to their children during the
other hours of the day. With such
. conditions existing in our democracy
is it not expedient that there should be
schools where the whole purpose is I'd
build character? Gentlemen. l could
go on for hours and talk about this,
but my time is limited.
Fourthly. ! should like TO question
the right of democracy to find fault
with a man having an automobile be-
cause he can afford IL; and yet our
opponents contend that a man who
can afford II has no right to send his
boy 20 place where he gets the best
teaching and the best environment
possible. Surely. the highest educa-
ton of his boy Is of more value than
the pleasure 10 be obtained from an
! automobile. and the democracy hal
never limited man In the spending OF
his money as he likes. provided tbs
way is honorable. What right has Q
democracy 20 dictate 10 a man that he
has no right 20 spend his money in
educating his boy under the best pos.
| sible conditions?