The Omaha guide., 1956-09-14

ago, there was a city-wide drop
out of l out of 2 as compared to
4 out of 5 Negroes.
There are many reasons forI
these drop-outs-of course. some
are beyond our control, but
many times it is because of lack
Of interest, lack of encourage
ment, and in the case of the
Negro student, particularly, the
feeling that it is useless because
there will be lack of opportunity
even after the student has pre-
pared himself.
How should we go about cur
ing these ills? Lack of interest:
Let us see that our students have
more than reading and writing
and arithmetic. I realize that
this is the antiquated system of
education and our schools in O.
maha place emphasis on many
things that aid the student to
grow morally, physically, and
spiritually There is the feeling
that we must train the child for
the world in which he lives. Cam
we go back to the so-called
foolish ideas" referred to above
and be brutally realistic? Cam
we teach them TO live demo
cratically-not merely to learn
the principles of a democratic
way of life but also to practice
democracy? Would il not be-
wonderful if some type of inter-
groud education were incorpor-
ated into the school system? Ac-
cording to report-75eo of the
schools in the nation are with
out such a program. II is true
that we have Brotherhood
Week" and during that week
there is much emphasis placed
upon the contributions made by
the varied citizenry OF this coun-
try. Let us make our students
realize that their fellow students
and associates are capable of
such greatness and that even by
being good citizens, though they
are of different races and creeds,
they are making an invaluable
contribution to the greatness of
this country-this democracy
and the guaranteeing of a peace.
full world.
The next problem | have listed
is lack of encouragement. That
is the task Of parents and teach
ers. We must point out to them
that the obtaining of an educa.
ton is not a duty placed upon
them--a -yolk around their
shoulders-but a privilege-and
that it will enable them to live
worthwhile and happy lives
that it will help them to work to-
gether in harmony all through
life. AS Goodwin said-man is a
social being and "in society the
interest of individuals are inter
twisted with each other, and
cannot be separated. Men should
he taught TO assist each other"
In other words, factor in in
dividual happiness is mutual aid.
and these two aspects OF mans
existence are interdependent.
Education is the process of their
adjustment.
Lastly-there is lack Of oppor.
tunity. That again Is a problam
for us as adults. We must at.
tempt to make, in our world of
peace. a place for youth--so that
they will feel that they "be-
long; that we don't know all
the answers and that we are will.
ing to make a place for them so
that they can help to make the
world a better place in which to
live. We must give them the op-
portunity to practice what has
been preached to them.
Education is a lifelong pro.
cess. and so it wields a constant
influence on the kind of world
in which we live every day. II
is the music that accompanies
life. Don't let it be similar to
the teacher, who after the recital
was over, asked a weary little
boy in the audience how he liked
the recital, and he said: Fine.
ma'm-all but the music"