The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1941-06-12
Turning Over An
Old Leaf
By Phillip A. Gladheim


were faces to forget;
There were fires of grief and fear
that are a few forgotten ashes;
There were sparks Of recognition that
are not forgotten yet"
Schools are closing; vacation time
has come. For most young people va
cation means work to make money in
order to continue schooling. Garrett
County has had its own educational
system for seventy years. Let's look
at the record. From the Post-Civil
War period to the beginning of the
twentieth century the Little Red
School House dominated the land
scape where reading, VIZ ting and
'rithmetic We're taught to til tune of
the hickory stick. Industrial expan-
sion soon began to draw families
away from the soil, concentrating
them into growing cities. More init
mate contact with human beings on a
competitive basis made it imperative
to sharpen the wits. Thus arose
higher education. 1t became the style
and standard for our boys and girls to
complete their education in college or
university, and take up one of the
recognized professions In order to
meet the requirements of colleges it
was necessary to establish high
schools. Oakland established the first
high school in the county about 35
years ago. Since then other high
schools have been established in the
county
High School education has pro-
foundry changed the complexion of
education in the county. The one room
county schools whose primary func-
ton was to equip the children of
agriculturists with rudimentary edu-
cation are now being superseded by
centralized elementary and high
schools. By means of improved roads
children living in widely scattered
sections are hauled by bus to the
school. Personnel and equipment is
concentrated. All this has been
thought necessary for the sake of
efficiency and economy. But school
rooms are congested A steady de-
crease in personal attention to the in
dividual student. There is an increase
OF unrelated subjects in the curricu-
lum. And what is the product? A
! restless and purposeless mental life
suffering the illusion bred in the
school-room that you must go away
from home to make good, become an
expert or specialist, etc Fundament-
ally our schools have been uncon-
sciously teaching that in order to be
success you must forsake the land
go to the city.
! However, this restless phase is
being counteracted successfully. This
is because there is developing a new
sense of folk culture. By means of the
rejuvenation of the folk spirit the
subjects taught both in elementary
and high schools are definitely show
ing useful relatedness to the total
life-eXperience Of the student. Also
| there has grown up a strong feeling
of cooperation between the school and
the community stimulated by the
4 Parent Teachers Associations. The
various government agencies also
have been connecting link between
the school and community. All this
has happened during the past ten
years. 1t is true that from every
school there will be those who are
destined to identify themselves with
urban life, but it is reassuring to note
that the schools are giving as much
careful preparations to those who
plan to remain home and become
identified with the rural life. Of the
two kinds of life the rural type of life
holds much the greater promise both
from the standpoint of economy and
| culture.
Garrett county has been fortunate
in its leadership and teaching per-
sonnet. In these seventy years | know
OF at least four county superintend-
ents. They are in order DR.. Ed Bart
lett, Mr. William limbaugh, Mr.. Ed
| Browning, and Prof. Frank E. Rath-
/ bun. Among the teachers whom | sat
under | recall Prof. Sanner and Prof.
/ Dewitt, both have passed on. Among
those still living but retired are Mrs.
John G. Robinson, daughter of Viii
liam limbaugh, Prof. and Mrs. H. A.
Loraditch, Miss Elizabeth Leary, Miss
Marion Leary, Miss Beulah Lough-
ridge, Miss Zaidee Browning, Mrs.
Alvin Englehart, and Miss Orlie Dun
ham.
The future of education in Garrett
county is exceedingly bright. | pre-
dict not only closer relationship be-
tween the school and the community,
but also an effective identifi, ;On
with the church. Religious edut
is bound to grow-and the schools e
anxious to include Biblical studies. As
sectarianism wanes there will be an
increasing demand for Biblical
knowledge.
1t is problematical whether the true
purposes of education will be en-
HANGED by a centralized system. Most