The Coconino sun., 1925-06-12

Fsuch a plan. The conditions are all
against it. The boys and girls at
this age need something more than
mere instruction in academic subjects.
They need to be trained in habits of
close application; they need to have
placed before them constantly and in
different ways high ideals and stand
ards. They need to come together of
ten and to begin to take part in pub
lie meetings. These four years are
the most important of all years in
education. An entire absence of things
sacred and serious during this period
may easily fasten upon the student
habits Of indifference and careless
ness for life.
More Men Needed as Teachers
While we do not for one moment
fail to recognize the large merit of
women in the schools and especially
in the lower grades, we believe that
a larger number of strong men in the
grammar grades and in the high
! schools is much to be desired. There
lis no doubt whatever that men have a
larger influence upon the older boys
and that they are mare successful in
keeping them in school. In consider
! ing this question, however, it should
lalways be remembered that when the
teachers are really manly men and
womanly women, no question of SEA
| is involved. The real desire after all
! is to be rid Of both unworthy men and
of unworthy women who are bur
den upon the teaching profession.
Good teachers will do more than any-
thing else to keep larger numbers of
boys and girls in both the grades and
high schools Good teachers will do
more than anything else to build into
the lives Of the boys and girls habits
| that will insure the largest measure
of joy in work and success in life.
Schools Should Be More Practical
We believe that the common schools,
including the grades and high schools
Iare better than they have ever been
before; that there are more and bet
ter teachers than ever before; that in
every way, the system throughout the
United States is superior. But our
contention is that its organization is,
in many places, out of joint with the
times and that hence the schools do
not meet the present needs Of all the
people. They do not reach and hold
all of the boys and girls until they
finish the grades and high school.
They seem the country over to exist
for the needs of the few instead of
for the needs of the many. Further
more, it may sometimes be questioned
whether the schools always do the
best thing for the few they do reach.
On the broad proposition that educa
ton should at least help everyone to-
ward getting the most out of life, and
should prepare him to do the work in
the world in which he can make the
largest returns to the community, it
is at least fair to lay some of the
blame for the large number of voca-
tional misfits to the training received
in the schools. That there are mis-
fits surely admits Of no denial. Doubt
less, there are many mediocre profes-
sional men who spoiled so many skill.
| full craftsmen in the making; and,
doubtless, there are many mediocre
workmen or skilled craftsmen, for
that matter who, with opportunity and
training, might be eminent in the So
called learned professions.
Every large community has it's full
quota of mediocre lawyers, doctors,
preachers, and teachers with neither
aptitude nor liking for the callings
into which they have drifted on ac-
count of their training. Every com
mnnity likewise has men and women
in the ranks of skilled and unskilled
labor who, with the opportunity of
these professional misfits, might have
been successful in these callings. But
sadder, and more pathetic than either
of these classes is the still larger
army of unskilled, unframed men and
women with no life work This is the
vast army in the large cities and
thicdy settled rural communities that
for one reason or another at differen
stages in the course dropped out OF
school They may have been compelled
to earn a living; they may have been
unable to do the work as presented;
they may have out of mere caprice re-
fused to go to school after the com
u EET