Montana labor news., 1938-11-17
CHARLES DAVIS GIVES
ADDRESS TO SILVER
BOW TRADES COUNCIL

Union representatives were treat
ed to an eloquent five-minute talk
by Charles Davis, president of the
Silver Bow Trades and Labor Coun-
Gil, at the meeting of that organiza-
ton, Tuesday, November is. He
prefaced his remarks by explaining
the purposes of the education league
which has just concluded and said
also that Butte teachers had spoken
before most of the civic and patriotic
organizations.
The address of Mr.. Davis is as
follows:
We have just celebrated National
Education Week. To bring more
clearly to mind the seriousness of
the education problem among our
youth in such a troubled and danger
III time the subject chosen for dis
cussion is Education for Tomor-
rows America and for Wednesday
the topic Mastering Skills and
knowledge"
AS we know today's child who will
be tomorrow's citizen has a very
difficult and definite purpose in life.
For the past few years we have been
prone to doubt this, as grownups
busy with their own economic prob
lens have let youth slide by or do
the best he could. 1t is the schools
and the educational systems who
fully realize that if the spark of
democracy is to be kept alive we
must have a capable and trained
youth to pass it on to. For they
are tomorrow's citizens.
AS to what tomorrow will be we
do not know, but youth can be
trained in skills and knowledge
which will help him definitely to
prepare for the future. The schools
of our country are doing a half
billion dollar a year business trying
to prepare future citizens for use
fulness and efficiency in life. Forty
years ago we talked about subject
matter, psychological procedure and
the faculties of the mind. Today
child welfare rather than subject
matter occupies the center of the
stage while our educational practice
is directed by a truer psychology.
We believe that our children are
people. They learn a good bit about
self-government how to get along
and cooperate with other children.
We also aim to give them some
training for leisure. This is vitality
important for with the coming of
machines and shorter working days
and weeks they must learn to use
this extra time profitably and adj
vantageously. Here enters the work
shop. In this the child is taught to
work with his hands. 1t may extend
from simple woodwork to mural
painting. 1t may be hand weaving
on a loom or sheet-metal work but
whatever it is, it is occupying the
minds and hands and preparing boys
and girls for the operation and man
agement of homes and businesses
which will one day be theirs. 1t is
our belief that there is no more vital
factor for learning than that of the
job. Mans highest aim is to make
good on the job. The quality of
citizenship radiates from it, and the
principal source of happiness springs
from its mastery. No money can
buy nor compensate for that feeling
of security, confidence and pride
that comes from mastery.
About 80 per cent of all the people
in this country g~ainfully employed
in industry work with their hands.
Since this large percentage of people
work with their hands the schools
have a definite responsibility in
training people to go out into the
world better equipped to do work.
George Washington in his Fare
we'll Address urged his promotion
of institutions for the general diffu-
sion of knowledge as an object OF
primary concern. 1t has long been
a principle of American life that
adequate educational facilities are
essential to the effective operation
of democratic government in the 18th
century, how much more essential
is it in the goth.
Schools and other means of edu-
cation have been recognized from
the beginning of our history as
necessary for the maintenance of the
nation and the prosperity of its
people. The founding fathers stated
in no uncertain terms their belief
that democratic government was de-
pendent upon the enlightenment of
all the people. AS Madison put it,
"a popular government without
popular information or the means
of acquiring it is but a prologue to
a farce or a tragedy, or perhaps both.
knowledge win forever govern
ignorance and a people who mean
to be their own governors must arm
themselves with the power which