The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1935-10-24
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
By FRANK P. LITSCHERT

We have heard quite little in song
and story, to say nothing of the witty
newspaper paragraphs, shout the little
red school house. Most of our mod
ernistic pooh-poohers regard it as
something hopelessIy antiquated. Per-
hops it is, but there are still some
people in position to know, who be-
lieve that this little edifce was and
is not devoid of virtues. 1t is, for
example, good to know that its praises
were sung not so long ago in an edu-
catiOnal address by DR.. Nicholas Muir
ray Butler, president of Columbia Uni
versity. Recalling the fact that it
seems to be fashionable in certain
circles to sheer at the little red school
house, DR.. Butler reminded his hearers
''but if that little red school house
was presided over by a teacher of
warm personality with a genius for
impressing himself upon the group of
pupils of various ages and stages of
development which surrounded him, it
was an almost ideal educational in
strumentality."
Hearing the old-fashioned system
termed, under certain conditions, an
almost ideal educational instrument
tally" by man so distinguished in
educational circles as DR.. Butler, will
no doubt come as distinct shock to
the sophisticated modernists, or per
haps it would be better to say: those
who think they are sophisticated. For
times have certainly changed. The
little red school house is fast disap-
pearing. For most communities it
has almost entirely gone. 1t is being
succeeded by fine modern buildings
with the latest equipment into which
are poured children gathered here and
there by buses and other means of
transportation, so that educated
youngsters may become mass
products. No longer does the bright
child secure education ahead of his
class by listening to the children in
the higher class recite just across the
aisle. No longer, in too many instan-
ces, does he come in such close person
al contact with his teacher that he is
influenced by the fine character and
ideals of patient and heroic instruc-
tor. But modern conveniences have
supposedly made up for all of this,
and these must be good because they
are so expensive.
We like to hear the ministers and
other orators refer to our fathers and
mothers, and the generation back of
them, as fine set of people who build
ed great nation. We talk about their
religion, their love of home, their hui
name and patriotic ideals. We like to
speak also of their spirit of indepen-
dence, the sense of thrift and provi-
dence which impelled them to face the
winter with a cellar of firewood and
provisions. No wonder the country
grew so great, the orators say. And
yet it is a notable fact that most of
these sturdy fathers and sainted moth
ers of ours were the product of little
red school house, presided over by
teacher, in school building which may
have lacked steam heat, electrical
lighting fixtures and laboratory appa-
ratus, but who had personal courage
and character in addition to his teach
ing ability. This is not to infer that
teachers today do not possess ability,
courage, and character Millions of
them do. But somehow or other, things
do seem to be different, even if the
modern schoolhouse is bigger and bet
ter lighted. Unfortunately, along
with bigger and better schools have
come extravaganza, sophistication, in
ternationalism, paternalism, socialism
and many other things that were
comparatively unknown in the days OF