Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 177, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 July 1912 — SYSTEM DECLARED WRONG AND INSTRUCTION POOR. [ARTICLE]

SYSTEM DECLARED WRONG AND INSTRUCTION POOR.

Do the High Schools Prepare Pupils For Colleges and Universities, Rather Than for Life? High school education throughout the United States was branded as “generally bookish, scholastic, abstract and inadequate to meet the practical problems of life,” in the report submitted recently to the national council of education of the National Education association, in session in Chicago.

“The whole trouble with our high school education,” declared David Felmley, president of the State Normal school at Normal, 111., in reading the report, “is that it is regarded too much as merely a preparation for the university. Instead of dealing with the problems of today the students are taught to deal with the language, politics and customs of fifteen centuries ago. Nearly all the high school teachers are graduates of colleges, who have no adequate knowledge of affairs outside of colleges. Their teaching is, therefore, bookish, scholastic and abstract

“We need a change of aim in high school teaching, a look in thf direction of the farm, shop and home. While we do not recommend an education entirely vocational, we urge a departure from the college idea. “We also think more attention should be given to the training of teachers from among high school pupils,” concluded Mr. Felmley.

The conclusion of the committee that more prgressive methods should prevail in high schools was based on inquiries among 120 normal institutions, all of which reported that high school pupils who wished to teach had not been adequately prepared for their work.

We will have this week 's car load of fancy Alberta peaches in bushel baskets from the same place and the same orchard in Texas that we had two years ago and that gave such universal satisfaction. JOHN EGER

Mrs. Chas. H. Porter and Mrs. J. W. Williams left today for Osceola, Neb., where they will visit friends. Mrs. Williams will remain there and at Omaha, Neb., while Mrs. Porter takes a trip through Denver, Pueblo and Colorado Springs, Colo. They will return in three or four weeks.

I have purchased a $3,000 stock of men’s, ladies’ and children’s new shoes which will be sold at a sacrifice. This stock must be sold by September Ist. Come early before the assortment is broken and, buy..goods at almost your own price. Store on Van Rensselaer street, west side of court house. ■ VANCE COLLINS. Billy Beck, son of Mrs. Beck, of the west part of twn, arrived Tuesday from Terre Haute and is now working for the Rensselaer Lumber Co. He has been away from Rensselaer twelve years and has lived at Terre Haute for the past nine years. His wife is now visiting revives at Plymouth, Ind., but wilj/come here as soon as Mr. Beck can find a suitable house.

Chas. H. Porter is planning to feed cattle extensively this winter on his farm two and one-half miles north of town and now has a corps of carpenters at work out there. He is building a substantial cattle barn with the dimensions of 24x40 feet. He is also erecting a 100-ton silo and is planning other minor improvements. The work on the silo and the barn will be comirteted by thtf fore part of next week. Jess Snyder and his men are doing the work. /

Norman Borchardt, who has been attending the Chicago Art Institute for the past three or four years, is now spending the summer at Lockport, a short distance out of Chicago, with Prof.,Nrton, one of the instructors z at the institute. He expects to locate either in New York or Chicago next winter. His brother, Bernard, who attended the Indiana University law school, is associated with his father, Samuel Borchardt, at Tampa, Fla.

The Gayety will introduce a new vaudeville act this evening, when the Delxaros will make their appearance in their European combination novelty Roman ring and trapeze act. This is a guaranteed attraction and should draw full houses during their three night's engagement. Tpe Gayety played to a full house last evening again, and gave a show for ten cents that was well worth a quarter. 'The Gayety is the popular amusement house and is drawing the crowds. Don't fall to see the big vaudeville act this evening and the three up-to-date pictures.