The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-06-18
BY-PRODUCT OF MODERN
SCHOOL,

Few people realize how important
a factor are our public schools In
the prosperity and growth of a
community,-pur commercial
viewpoint We measure the pro-
ducts of our schools in terms OF
cultural and educational value, their
spiritual influence, their part in
developing better citizenship, their
work in equipping our youth to meet
the problems of. life. These pr1-
mary products are of first Importance
and it is a wholesome condition
that they are so stressed Howeve,
we often overlook the fact that a
community without an effective
school system may be not only lack
ing in these essential elements but
likely to be equally as far behind in
material prosperity.
When the time comes for family
to change its residence, location
accessible to an efficient school is OF
first concern. This is true in 1ntra
as we'll as inter-city movements.
Realty values are affected by proxl-
nifty to the class room. good
school will surround itself with a
solid population of industrious
families; families whose wants must
be supplied, who build up church
memberships, patronize shops and
stores, give their patronage to the
professions, and thus fill the arteries
of trade with the blood of business.
The Better Schools League calls
attention to this phase of school IN
fiuence, an influence that aids In
building up the business welfare OF
a district as we'll as leading in the
mental and ethical development OF
it's youth. A substantial, slightly
and well-equipped school plant,
manned by a teaching force OF
personality and power, with ade-
quate facilities for study and play,
is a source of prestige, worthy
asset to city, district or country
town. Such a school atmosphere
makes for stability and solidity in
the property surroundings. 1ncreas-
Auence on the character OF the
neighborhood and on the volume
of trade.
We have the testimony OF a. for
mer cabinet member who has said
that ambitious citizens will go
where education may be had for
their children. The same point is
emphasized in the story of another
prominent American who tells OF his
fathers leaving the backwoods OF
the Ozark Mountains because there
were available but three months OF
school. my father packed our be-
longings in covered wagon" he re-
lates, land went to new state
and we moved out OF a three
months school into nine months
one, with free high school.
This leads us to wonder how de-
sirable are new residents to COM
munity who are not sufficiently in
terested in, their children to inquire
regarding school advantages before
establishing new home. 1t has
been said, I'VE can judge OF a
civilization as well as an individual
by the way childhood is treated"
This is a view of a by-product OF
our schools, form of public service
to the community that should i'm
press residents who have no OCCASION
to utilize the schools as well as non
resident property owenrs, both OF
whom some times feel that they
have taxation without proportionate
benefits.
The Importance of the products
and by-products of our schools may
be summarized in the words OF
Herbert Hoover, IF we were to
suppress our educational system fol
a single generation the equipment
would decay, the most of our people
would die of starvation, and in
tellectually and spiritually we shoulC
slip back four thousand years IL
human progress. We could recover
the loss of any other big business IL
few years-but not this one"