The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1926-11-11
AMERICAN EDUCATION
WEEK.

American Education Week ha:
become a permanent institution. i
deals with problems SO fundamental
that it appeals to all the people ant
becomes more successful each year as
parents and teachers understand that
education touches the whole of life
During this week let every COM
munity study not only its educational
plant, but also its educational ideals
and the community atmosphere in
which children are brought up. Let
parents visit teachers and teachers
visit parents in an effort to solve the
common problems of children. Let
the week be a time of deeper under
standing on the part of the people
of the role education has played, is
playing, and must play in the life of
our great democracy.
American Education Week is the
only time in all the year when the
entire nation is called upon to dedi-
cate itself to the great task of uni
versal education for citizenship and
democratic living. The schools them
selves have a remarkable opportunity
to teach every boy and girl his re-
sponsibility as a citizen to help main
tain an education system which will
perpetuate the best in the life and
ideals of the republic.
In estimating the efficiency of our
schools should the emphasis be placed
on scholarship or acknowledgements
ty or character-or both?
In the life of the individual, even
as in the life of the nation, the acti-
vities of today are conducted in the
light of their influence on the affairs
of tomorrow. So it is with educa-
tion-its prime business is the devel-
opment of the individual to build the
nations future. Cones way of lock-
ing at things does not depend upon
the size Of the town he lives in but on
the size of his mind" With educa-
ton there need be no "Main Street."
Our educational system works in
many directions. 1t enlarges the earn
ing value of the child to its parents
and to the nation. 1t brings an
Americanizing influence to bear on
the lives Of our foreigners. It steps
forth to rehabilitate the delinquent
child, to restore the faltering physi-
cally. 1t develops research students,
trains teachers and makes possible
the professions.
These are essential in our scheme
of things. However, education is es-
pecially concerned with the many.
They hold the balance of power at
the ballot. 1t is important, therefore,
that they have an interest in and an
understanding of public issues. 1t is
to them we look for establishing
wholesome social morale 1t is i'm
portant, then, that they be educated
to relish their work, and with a prop
er balance between work, worship
and play, they may enjoy toll and
utilize the increasing leisure allotted
them without being bored or tempted
to dissipation.
: The welfare of this country centers
around the training of the many. It
depends upon high social morale,
an increasing number of mentally
alert producers. 1t requires citi-
zenry with intelligence to value and
enjoy social contacts, with sufficient
educational foundation to admit of
self-development, equipped to i'm
prove its leisure and imbude with
sufficient craftsmanship to play the
game. This is a contribution educa-
ton makes; contribution with in
telligence, not ignorance, as the
foundation.
Education should make more
palatable the humber tasks of life.