The Mankato free press., 1923-10-05

SVou. IL mas become the stock phrase
OF individuals who lack the ambi-
tlon to make the necessary effort to
apply themselves and to give the
oest there is in them to some useful
and gaintll occupation. This phrase
VIII so continue to be used unit,
public sentiment brings about a
cnange In our present economic sys-
tenn with regard to our views toward
productive vocations. We must in
crease our determination to educate
our boys and girls and our men and
women yocationally, to make them
Independent and also 'serviceable.
Our opportunities are being i'm
paired by a system of education
which has a strong tendency to pre-
sent the country with an over sup
ply OF non producing individuals
and takes the masses out Of the
producing class until there arc
hardly producers enough to keep
the population alive. ..-.
The time has come when we
must re- exalt productive work in
stead of educating everybody to es =
cape 1t, and 1t Is the business Of
the community and educators in
general to wake up to the situation.
increase Ranks OF Producers
We have reached a point in our
Industrial life where We cannot hope
to establish prosperity and bring
about the proper adjustment be-
tween labor and capital unless we
recognize the fact that there must
be something definite done to in
crease the ranks Of producers in
preference to making non -produc-
ers or simply consumers.
The general public is seriously
concerned in the settlement of this
problem. Education along this line is
the only hope for a successful solu-
tion. Not the So called higher edu-
cation but information based on
good common sense. This education
must bring about a reduction in the
defensive state of mind which is
now so prevalent for it is this state
Of mind that Is making maximum
production impossible as(it is a de-
structive element which does not
make for quality nor service.
mo doubt all of you have obserV-
ed that there Is a deplorable ten
dency in our present system Of edu-
cation which leads away from Yo-
cational training. Educators sfnore
than any other group perhaps are
to be looked to to remedy the con-
dition which now exists as it is the
educstor who second only to the
mother in the home, controls and
moulds the child mind and takes It
on through the age when 1t Is most
susceptible to. suggestion and the
doctrines Of It's instructor.
Our system Of education can no
doubt be rightly criticised In this
respect, as the, courses Of study
.th lead to higher education, as
laid out by the system contain most
has a tendency toward graduating
non producers. -
Work The Genuine Culture
"The value OF acquaintanceship
and social position Is too much
stressed in some of our higher jim
Fstitutions of learning because they
are assumed to be better assets than
the capacity for drudgery and self
discipline. We therefore see thou
sands of Z men turned out of these
institutions who have never learned
how to work and who would scorn
to yield to the obligation to do any
kind OF manual labor other than that
to be found in some sport or pas
time Certainly there is no objec-
tion to sport or wholesome exercise
but to idolize these at the expense
of character will not get us anywhere
as nation. The question may be
raised as to whether, after all, the
not the ability to support oneself,
to make oneself useful. There Is
nothing more enobling than useful
,drudgery. True scholarship, never to
be derided or despised, requires In
many instances special gifts, and Is
never In itself to- be attained with
out discipline or drudgery.
There is, in my opinion. too
much idle time during the adolescent
age of most school children--too
much time wasted and too much
time devoted to entertainment and
play. -. .,
to crafty their children's whims. to
shield them from effort or from
anything unpleasant and to keep them
development In the child Of the self
time, a psychic weakening which
makes it difficult for them to en-
dure anything displeasing. 1t is all
very well to speak of childhood as
the period of freedom, from cares
and responsibilities. If 1t Is not also
made a period of fitting to meet
cares and responsibilities, it will be
a misspent period no matter how the
parents strive to make 1t one Of hap
piness. Parents need always to keep
lin mind that some day their children
Will have to stand on their own feet
to solve Ines problems for them
selves, and to meet Ife's demands.
These things will require more or
less sacrifice. II trained to self sup
ordination much trouble will be
avoided.
Many schools are started each
year for training young people in the
non productive pursuits and some
OF the largest institutions are spec
ialiZing along this line. Already the
field OF non productive callings is,
greatly oyercrowded and there are
comparatively few in each specific
line who are making a responsible
living. The irresponsibilty OF the
great number who can be classed as
failures is perhaps the bane of our
social and economic life OF today
for it is sure to be accompanied by
that unreasonable state OF mind
which is so prevalent everywhere
and which makes for inefficiency
and the high cost OF production.
Il contend. ladies and gentlemen,
that work must be re- exalted: plain
old fashioned work. Every normal
man, whether rich or poor, is a bur-
den on the community il he does
not engage in some kind of worth
while effort doing something that