Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-03-29
Modern Schools Stress
Citizenship Education
PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND CITl-
ZENSHlP ADD TO VALUE OF
SCHOOL TRAINING


ton add to the interest of the annual
report of Supt. Leo Schussman of Kau
kauna for 1920. Mr.. Schussman's aC
count Of how the classes in citizenship
have utilized school information to
meet real community problems would
be suggestive to principals who are at
tempting courses in this subject for
the first time.
The superintendent reports that the
newly organized department of physi-
cal education has more than demon
strated it's value to the school children
nder the inspiration of Miss Boettcher
the children have at last received that
vital training of the physical body so
essentially necessary in the complete
preparation of our boys and girls to
meet the demands of modern life
While it is true that the tax-rate mic
robe through the smallness and self
ishness Of his vision sees only the fin
anciaI outlay the true citizen sees the
splendid results in more abundant vi
tally and life and in the magnificent
harvest of an investment in the flesh
and blood as well as brain of future
citizenship. We cannot measure the
worth of Physical Education in the
vernacular of the lumber yard, the
grocery store or the bank. 1t is COM
measurable only in the increased eff
cheney and normal capacities of the
young people who in the future will
be better citizens as well as more
alive to a normal Juvenile develop
ment at the present time.
The systematic and progressive re-
gime of the work in Physical Educa
ton as prepared by the head of the
department put into operation through
the splendid cooperation of the grade
teachers eliminated in Field meet
between the two schools at the end of
the year, a feature of which was the
fine spirit of good will and friendship
which marked the attitude of the child
rem from both schools after the event
being in itself practical demonstra-
ton Of fair-play and craftsmanship,
one of the very fundamental elements
of true education.
Some of the special work of the
classes deserve mention Foremost
stands the classes in Citizenship,
which have taken the lead in inter
preting school information into com
munity life. Under careful leadership
as a direct outgrowth of the work of
the classes a system Of self-govern-
ment for the school has been worked
out and put into practice during the
last half Of the pear. While it is by
no means perfect it has demonstrated
that the problems of high school disci
pine must be solved along the lines of
self activity of the students under
able leadership. The next year should
see considerable advancement along
this line and some of the adjustment
between faculty control and guidance
and student activity more advantage
ously worked out. On the whole the
investigation of this problem and the
working out of its solution in school
government has prepared the young
people taking this work to be better
able to cope with governmental pro-
blems which present-day factors SEEM
ed to have more or less made mud
die Of This actual study of govern
mental condition in known terms, and
the study of municipal conditions of
. government bringing home to each
pupil the duty Of citizenship has sure
ly and fundamentally strengthened
the ideals and increased the capacities
of these boys and girls to work out
the municipal and state and national
problems. The city has definitely been
enriched by the addition of this poten-
TALLY wide-awake citizenship which
will react to the good of all concerned.
The work of the General Science
classes in testing foods for adultera-
lions has been some peculiar develop
ments, all of them wide-awake and to
the minute, some trivial and some
more formidable. While the school
should not become executive in any
way along this line yet the fact that
starch was found in powdered sugar
and formaldehyde in some of the milk
analysed, or rather tested, introduced
the pupils to one of the most momen-
tous pressing problems of present liv
ing, an introduction which is distinct
element in the education of our youth
The girls class in advanced Phys
iology interpreted the things of the
book in to actual life and living. The
work in first aid was wonderfully aid,
ed and stimulated in the installation
of a hospital room The boys of the
Manual Training department cleaned
and painted the walls and wood
work and enameled some of the furni-
ture. When they had completed their
part of the project the girls of the Do
nestle Science department served the
boys a luncheon, thus contributing
their share to the venture