The Mankato free press., 1923-10-12
PEDAGOG|C SUBJECTS
PROPERLY D|SSEcTED
Earnest Discussion BY the
S. w. Association
WALDOTALK AGAIN
Michigan Gentleman Says
There's Not Enough Play
In Country

Problems which will confront the
public school system o. minnesota
and other states during the next de-
cade OF years were discussed by
Dwight B. Waldo, president of the
Western State Normal college OF
Kalamazoo, Mich, in speaking be-
foret a fairly large gathering OF
members of the Southwestern Min
nesota Education association at the
Lincoln school auditorium last night.
The AmericaniZation of the ma
tion's foreign born and more atten-
tion TO the health OF the boys and
girls in school will be the two big
problems that will have to be taken
care of in the next decade, declared
the speaker.
He stated that previous to the
great war there were vast numbers
of foreign born in the United States.
The AmericaniZation commission ap-
pointed in 1918 made definite> plans
whereby the foreign born would be-
come Americanized, and restricted
e the number of foreign born allowed
in the United States every year. II
was generally approved that the for
eigners from the northern part OF
Europe were more desirable than
from along the Mediterranean dis
trict, he said.
Since 1918 more attention has
been paid TO the subject of health,
declared Mr.. Waldo. During the late
war one man in four was rejected
as unit for service. They couldn't
use them anywhere and Were dis
carded until they were patched up
for service. according to the speaker,
Deaths FROM Preventable Disease.
Five times as many people die
now from preventable disease as
before the war. The business Of the
public school today is to teach the
sanitation, the right kind Of food,
sleep, exercise and bathing. More
attention must be paid to health
conditions during the next decade II
we are to remedy the health condi
tions. We must get the boy and girl
ready for life" .-.
President Waldo declared that
during the next decade there would
be many changes in, the public
schools, both in the rural and the
city schools. He declared that SOM
people were claiming there was a
great waste Of time spent on some
phases in the schools.
The art of living should be taught
to the school children, he declared
The child has the right to think. al
though some teachers did not seem
to believe this, and attempted To
curtail the child to think. said Mr.
Waldo.
Il don't think there is too much
play in the United States. Some in
dividuals do not play enough. There
are lot of teachers in Michigan
who do not, and I would like to
have some of them play more"
The speaker declared that the sit
uation in the rural schools should be
remedied greatly so that the coun-
try boy and girl should have the
same advantages as the boy and girl
in the city schools.
= They are not getting the train
ing that is given in the city schools
The Improvement in our rural
schools has been slow. 1t has mol
advanced as rapidly as il should
have, although there has been i'm
provement in the last few years
There Is going to be an equalization
Of the rural and city schools 50 that
the rural boy and girl has the same
advantages as the city child"
Changes Thought Necessary.
The speaker dwelt at length upon
Z
Teachers colleges of Minnesota as
well as in other states. He de-
clared that Minnesota was backward
In their teachers colleges in that
they had not established the -four
year system and the granting OF
college degrees.
Every teachers school should be
a college. They should be four yeai
courses instead of two. Until you
get that In Minnesota you are moi
getting your money back for what
you have spent
The reason why you should have
a four year course and grant de-
grees are; In the first place, certain
students want degrees. They viii
not 10 to your school unless tolC
they will be granted a degree.
Second, two years is too short
make an ideal course OF study fol
two years. and I'll tear it to pieces
because 1t is too short a course
There is not enough time appor.
toned to get down deep enough
one must know the teaching process
-Four years training in a teacher
college make splendid leaders fol
schools in small villages We neet
= more men in the teaching profes
sion. Within the last Ave years the
attendance Of men at the Kalamazoo
college has increased three times
Training schools should be made 81
as to attract the men to them.
'In a four year course OF study a
the teachers colleges the depart
ments have an opportunity o.
I branching out. There Is better
training. The atmosphere of the
normal school is shifted.
Mr.. Waldo named large list o.
states in the union that had norma
schools or teachers colleges will
the four year course OF study. HI
declared that the four year system
was economical, and that economy
was efficiency.
"Still farther, il costs the studen
less to go here to your teachers
college than 1t does to attend thu
university. Around here they wan
TO be teachers. At the universit,
convention makes the cost higher.
"You are going TO have the foul
year course in the teacher colleges
Of Minnesota in time. Why not hav'
n now? You should receive the
benefits Of the four year course now
There will be plenty Of money for l
If you can swing public opinion t
There are three things the pub
lie school system has before il
First, to teach the pupil 70 think
second, to teach the pupil to work
third, to teach the student to be