The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1930-06-06

curriculum makers,
superintendent, high school prin.
cipals and boards of trustees have
striven to remake the traditional
curriculum, but there are several
factors that must be considered,
besides public opinion, which is
very strong and always clamorins
for the kind of education that
gives formal discipline, desirable
because it is difficult, obsolete
knowledge that was learned in
their day. Teachers have been
prepared in normal schools and
colleges designed purposely to in
struct in the formal academic sub
jects. Where would we get the
artists, musicians, the teachers of
agricultural subjects, industrial
work. craftsmanship, not from a
theoretical point of view but from
first hand practical laboratories?
A second point to be considered
is the present day equipment is
not fashioned for the modern
school. We would need more lab
O%ratories, shops , factories, art
rooms, music rooms and equip
ment, commercial rooms more full
ly equipped, gardens for horti-
culture, agriculture, more equip
ment for the teaching of science
and kindred subjects. This would
entail a great deal more expense.
The question now comes: "Can
America, the richest, most power
full, most progressive nation of
the world afford to fit each one
of its youth to make a living and
to find his career?" Or should ]
say: "Can America afford not to
do this?" The total wealth Of the
United States is $50. 900, 600, 600;
the annual net income is S65, 900.
100000. The annual amount spent
yearly for education is $1,300,-
900, 000. We spend annually $32,-
600, 100000 for medicine, doctors
services and loss of income
through sickness. Much of this
cost could be eliminated by prop
health education. America could
well have for it's slogan, Keep
Well. This one illustration alone
shows the value of one kind of
education to our nation. More ex-
tensive education would have cut
this cost.
Education An Investment
Education is an investment.
When a man makes an invest
ment he determines three things:
First, Is the investment sound?
Second, Does it give adequate re-
turns? and third, Is it convertible?
Education is a sound investment
because it helps the modern man
to live in a modern world. 1t helps
him to find his life career which
is one of the most difficult things
for one to do. Education brings
adequate returns because it is
the greatest producer of wealth in
our society, in fact, industrial civ
ilization such as ours would be
without technically
trained workers.
There is a direct correlation be-
.ween education and the kind,
production and use of food, cloth
ng, shelter, entertainment and re-
creation of a nation. If education
8 not the producer of wealth,
Why is it that you can buy the
lmount Of wool in a mans suit
or two dollars, yet he may pay
dollars for the suit? There
IS three dollars worth of actual
aw material in a dress that a
ady may pay the handsome sum
If seventy-five dollars to own.
About how much raw material is
here in a Pierce Arrow, a Line
I'm, or a Packard car? Education
.elped materially in producing the
price of that converted
Material. And last, Is your invest
nent convertible? 1t is, only if
hose who have benefited by the
money spent by the nation in
heir education have learned ethi-
al values by which they feel
hat they should render service
OF only to themselves but to all
mankind.
Big Business
Education is the biggest bust
ess of the nation. It employs
ne million teachers, enrol1s
twenty-five million students, is di-
sctly cooperating with parents
no bring the total of those in
mately interested in this great
Enterprise up to $1,000, 0OO. Edu-
alton is not only the challenge
a few teachers and educators I
ut a challenge to every citizen
{ his nation. The intention of
lie American people is clear. 1t
shown in the generous appro-
ration of money made for the
.hools. A nation will march for
ard only as it does on the edu-
tied feet of all the children Of
| the people. The challenge to
~ and to me and to the schools
at we represent is that we
Ave a vision that sees affair, a
sion that includes an educa-
onal system SO complete, SO com
and so accessible to