The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1948-08-20

SCHOOLS. 1nlS Is the reason why IN
technical skills, in the study of ma
chinery rather than of philosophy il
barren and childish ways of occupy
ing their leisure time instead of dis
covering the real joys of being alive
The only value that they see in schoo
and in education is when they get {
better job by it -and make more
money.
If the law for compulsory education
were removed in this country ou1
schools would be emptied. We would
see trade schools spring up teaching
nothing but skills. Movies and radio
would take the place of books en-
tirely. Literacy would disappear, ex-
cept for a very few men and women
who are incorrigibly interested in
learning, in spite of school
Too few children find in any school
a real introduction to education-that
is, an Introduction such as to lead
them to want TO read any more Or
learn any more. They see no re-
wards in the school system. 1t is
something that has to be gone through
with-compulsory. Ny sympathies go
to the teachers of the American chill
dren, but they are with the children,
too. The average classroom seems to
me too often to be a place of infinite
boredom for both teachers and pupils.
Boredom of School
Won connot faoc1, ,1ooplo x-ho
bored. If they learn by force in the
hope of escaping you, then they forget
what they have learned
am speaking of the average, not
the exceptional classroom. am
speaking of the average public school
in country or town or city. Boredom
is its atmosphere. And since youth, |
the period of learning new interests, |
passes, boredom continues to be the |
inner atmosphere of too many of our
people.
One reason why the children today
are SO bored in school is that they are
faced with such mountains of facts
that they can only survive by escape.
They learn the very least required,
and they are right in doing so, for
10 human mind can possibly hold all
The facts that the average child is sup
posed to know by the time he gets
% high school graduation.
And why should he know these
acts? Facts can be found in books
It any time they are wanted What
he child should be taught is, first,
low to discover what it is he wants
o know, and then where to find that
In nutshell this is the
Whole means of education-to teach
child how to widen his interests,
nd, second, where and how to find :,
be information he needs as his inter
SITS grow.
Purpose of Education +
What is the purpose of education? S
is not just to teach skiIIs. 1t is r
OF just to provide know-how. SkiIIs
nd techniques divorced from social
lterest and responsibility produce :
Did young scientists who are quite
filing to be murderers. Nothing is
lore glorious than science when it is
to the benefit of the human
ice; nothing is more horrible and !,
ore dangerous than science for sci
1ce's sake
The horrible truth which faces r.
mericans today is that we have edu- il
tied two generations of men-mainIy b,
en- - in skills and techniques and o,
loW-how-and we have not educated d,
cir minds or their hearts. Childish, sr
developed spiritually iliterate, al
csc men, who were little boys in our
hoolroons, are grown up to have the de
-ength of men, without the wisdom TT
d the mercy and the goodness which of
IN must have it they are to be happy is
themselves and blessed by others.
Today the peoples of the earth fear lie
d hate America because of these W.
n. Young American men lording hi
over conquered nations, ignorant ms
the very peoples whose destinies W.
~ control. Ignorance, and cruelty, de
lnkenness, sexuality in the crudest tn
Use - this is the common opinion tn