The Minnesota fiery cross. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1924-19??, 1924-03-21
AMERICA NEEDS
HERO WORSHIP,
TEACHERS TOLD
w. F. Webster of Minneap-
oils Schools Talks at
Fargo, N. d.
MUST STIR IMAGINATION
Old Days of Teaching by Objects
Has Passed-Sees New Edu-
catiOnal Vision

FARGO, N. D., March 17.-Ameri-
ca needs to come back to the wor-
ship of heroes, "who neglect the al
lurements of wealth and power to
hold honor above all else, and who
believe that their greatest distinc-
ton is in their name, American"
w. F. Webster, superintendent of
the Minneapolis schools, told winter
term graduates of the Moorhead
State Teachers college at their COM
mencement exercises here recently.
Speaking on the subject, "Imagina-
ton in Education" Mr.. Webster rails
ed the question whether "things, Just
things, are killing the imagination
today" and suggested that the So
called practical subjects in schools
may be relatively unimportant.
Mr.. Webster is former resident
of Moorhead, where he was superin-
tendent of schools 80 years ago.
The most wonderful thing we
should be doing is not to teach geo
graphy or any other so-called prac-
tical subject, but to form a beauti-
full life" he said. Each child is
raising temple of his spirit. It
may be ugly or lovely; that will de-
pend upon the imagination of those
who build, his parents, teachers,
self.
Stress Citizenship
THE temple must contain health
as foundation; skill; discriminating
tastes; worthy citizenship; and love
of truth and honor. While all should
be there in due proportion to make a
perfect life, just now our attention
is conferred on one-citizenship.
These are shameful days. Six
years ago we were proud of Ameri-
ca because of what she had done. We
saw our country, the beautiful, our
ideal clad all in white; but today
that robe is splotched and the eyes
drop down with shame. We men and
women, citizens of this republic, have
not cared, and the result of our in
difference is our present disgrace.
AS teachers we must come back
to the worship of heroes. In this
hall of heroes we place first that i'm
perial man, cast in massive mold,
that unblemished gentleman, George
Washington; and beside him Lincoln,
new product of a new soil, the first
American; and in these later days,
Roosevelt, unafraid, firmly for right,
daring to smite evil without favor;
and Wilson, who nobly failed, vet in
his failure showed new world where
the noblest rivalry shall be for the
the people,"
Numbers UnimpOrtant
In discussing the value of parti-
cular subjects in the curriculum, Mr.
Webster called attention to the
changes recent years have wrought
in their relative Importance. "Num-
bers, considered the most practical
subject of all, is today perhaps the
least needed subject in the school
course. With machines used so ex,
tensively in business offices, there is.
little need for skill on the part Of
an employe. What business wants
is man who is intelligent and hon,
est" In teaching numbers, the Chile
should be forced to use his magma,
tion, not to depend upon subjects
Mr.. Webster said. He called atten
tion to the modern possibilities OF
conceiving big numbers. Radio, aero
planes and other modern inventions
have opened up such a new worlC
that a child can now imagine the
distance to the sum-" he said
Geography, too has ceased to be a
subject where names of cities and RI
vers are learned like the multiplica a.
tion table, and now is a subject deal
ing with human beings" he said
''The world has become little thing
around which the child can see, ano
his neighbors are all mankind"
Imagination is very necessary in
reading, he pointed out. "A mar
cannot create literature unless he
has imagination, nor can he read il
without imagination. We must have
imagines, pictures of things in minc
he said, ''is the farthest reach of ex
preston in words" Like the painter
in his picture, and the musician ir
his composition, the poet in a stanzs
carries us away from the common
things to a new life, to a land be-
yond the land of the senses.
| Dare to See Future
"You are going into school room.
to be surrounded by little children
representing every race, speaking {
various language, having different
standards of conduct. Look down the
road and 30 years from now they viii