The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1922-10-12

schools is the determination of
clear and definite purposes or ends
to achieve.
These must conform to sound
general ends-such as broad cul-
ture, good will, economic efficien-
cy. sound health, etc, but must be
sufficiently concrete, detailed, and
specific to be disable and attain
able.
Vigorous life and good health
arc general and in a sense alb
stract. Life however, is made up
of single acts of eating bread,
meat, potatoes, pickles and pastry;
OF daily cleaning or continually
neglecting the teeth ;of washing
or remaining dirty; of exercising
regularly or being indolent, and
the like.
Good citizenship is likewise a
broad and comprehensive ideal,
but its attainment is through the
process of making every possible
individual an alert, self-sustaining,
well-intentioned citizen, strongly
set against wrong, and unswerv-
ingly promoting his individual and
the general welfare.
But here again good citizenship
for the individual consists of
variety of even more concrete
things-honesty in his dealings,
turning to the right in traffic, &C
tive participation in civic duties,
keeping ones own yard clean and
the like.
SO in regard to the improvement
of our school system, our purpos-
es should be as definite and OBJ
iective as possible.
Looking back therefore to our
suggested study, we may readily
state some concrete detectives of
such a nature that their achieve
ment would automatically and in
evitably produce the general result
we desire.
Thus under Buildings and
Equipment we might set up such
single purposes as these
One or two "Standardizcd' rural
school each year.
Every school room in good
order, clean, busted, with clean
windows.
School grounds neat and free
from rubbish.
American histories up-to-date.
Pure water and sanitary drink
ing arrangements.
Regular use of lime and ashes
in dry toilets.
Under needs and means of i'm
provement of superintendent,
principals and teachers, the pur-
pose should be expressed in some
such concrete form as the follow
ing:
Formation of reading and
study club consisting of Mr..
A., Misses B. C. ID. and E.
with the purpose of studying
psychology, class room man
agement and improvement of
silent reading. This is to be
done by study and application
from September Both to Dec.
3 of Thorndyke's Elements
of Psychology; from Jan. 1
to April 1 of Sears Class
room Organization and Con-
troll from April l to June Is
of Briggs and Coffmans Read
ing in Public Schools.
Success in the accomplishment
of a large purpose is indeed
by the formulation and
of the lesser purpos-
es that constitute the whole. The
athlete, the master-violinist, the
expert scientist, the skilful states
man, the truly great educator, all
realize it. The failure to rise
above mediocrity as individuals or
to lift our work above a passable
grade is due very largely to a
failure to reduce our laudable pur-
poses to workable details.
The third requisite for better
schools will have suggested itself !
"a definite plan for the accom-
of the concrete purposes
asserted.
A study or survey that stops
with the acquisition of knowledge
is useless. The ordinary critic !
stops there. He secs or fanCiee
some defects which may or may
not be real and makes no formu-