The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1924-06-11

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We here are just as good as they are over
there is the spirit that pervades the air. Let
one fool buy himself poor in the Improvement
market and every other fool must follow suit.
Communities have gone, mad on school Duild-
ings.
All over the state of Minnesota there are
districts that are grooming under the burden OF
their school house ambition, their school house
folly.
So many people seem to think-and they
have been encouraged so to think by some OF
the higher ups-that about all there is to 6
school is the building. This foolish notion, this
thoughtless pride, has saddled upon community
after community a burden of which children
children will not see the end.
National "faddists' strutting about as ''ed
ucators" and frequently getting themselves plac
ed in positions of influence and power, have
caused the people to believe that buildings ant
other equipment are the sine qua non of educa
ton.
This false doctrine is responsible for much
Of the tax burden that people are bending un
der.
Grand school houses, elaborate equipment
fancy frills and fads and trimmings never, Of
themselves, made anyone educated person
These costly things are fine if you can af
ford them, just as it is more pleasant-we sup
pose-to live in a mansion than dugout
But they have very little to do with an edu-
cation.
Education is matter not of building equip
ment, but of brains.
Education is matter of a teacher who can
teach and student who can learn.
A teacher who knows how to impart
knowledge, student who is anxious
to receive knowledge, few books and
a barnard you are not very far
moved from University.
Of course, we should have the best buildings
and the best equipment that we can afford and
that we can use to advantage in every school
district, but let get away from the idea that
buildings and equipment are all.
We need to learn the lesson that it is pos
sible to do effectively the work of the hour the
task of the time, in the common garb of every
day. There not white collar jobs enough to
go around and the great majority of people must
work. So it is with school expenditure. There
is not money enough to go around to build uni
versity in every little town.
improvements" that burden the liv-
ing and harness the unborn are too high
a price to pay for the privilege of being
cup with the times"
Speed jingoists need JOLT
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We have paid too high price for the pri-
vilege of being progressive"
The fellows who have come to us with the
plea that this and the other thing had to be
in hat orb
gressive community have had entirely too much
with us.
Everywhere the country is suffering because
it has listened to these "progressives," these
men with the new ideas-the ideas that you can
spend lavishly and make someone else pay
"Use your credit and make tomorrow take
den of the song that these progressive people
have sung.
The nation went credit mad. For while
everyone borrowed all he could. The banks were
anxious to loan. Everybody was stampeding the
credit counter.
Municipalities did the same thing that indi-
viduals did-borrowed to the limit.
Everybody was on joy ride.
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The result of all this has been higher taxes.
When community begins to live high it
has just the same effect upon the treasury as
high living among individuals has upon private
pocketbooks.
There is interest to pay, there is upkeep to
pay, there is added overhead everywhere-and
all has to come out of the taxes that the people
must pay.
It may be difficult to get out of the mess we
have made of things, but one thing is certain
and that is that until we cut out these ornament
al Improvements" these things that we can get
along without, right in the home community, we
are not going to lower the tax burden much.
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