Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 272, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 November 1919 — SCHOOL IDEALS [ARTICLE]

SCHOOL IDEALS

—From The Rensselaerien. The "Public Schools were founded for the purpose of imparting knowledge and preparing children to get the most out of life. To obtain this a child must get the proper viewpoint at the earliest possible .time. While the “Three Rs” are important, with them mtist go other things of equal value. One may have been an honor pupil throughout the entire school course anti come out uneducated in the more fundamental principles of life. The teacher labors day after day attempting to crteate in the child’s mind such ideals as honesty, thrift, trustworthiness, obedience, comradeship, neatness, love for the beautiful, and appreciation and respect for the rights of others. A proper understanding of these attributes is bound to give one the right attitude toward the particular task at hand. The above named ideals may all be taught and learned in the class room in connection with the regular work, but the various other school activities furnish ample opportunity for developing these characteristics in the child.

Opportunities for developing a sense pf honesty are present throughout the school ilfe. One should be honest with the school, with its varied, interests, as well as his own work and with .himself. Habits of thrift come along with honesty. A proper use of one’s time as well as the right distribution of that time in the preparation of the school work does much in the developing of this virtue. Trustworthiness and obedience must be cultivated. The late war furnishes any number of examples of people who were trustworthy and obedient and so doing, were of much value to their country. To say that one can be trusted is one of the greatest compliments which can be paid to a person. I Again comradeship must not be overlooked. The final joys of school work are the friends and friendships made. The public schools make no i distinction__between*- the rich- and poor. All have an equal chance. 1 A boy or girl who can find something in common with each and every class mate and by so doing bring out the best and agreeable side of that one, earns the title ,of a “good mixer” or comrade and I will not lack for friends. Neatness in the preparation of ; work as well as personal appearance can be easily learned. It is as easy to be heat as to be untidy i and certainly shows more character I and refinement. i A love for the beautiful can be aroused in various ways—music, art, ; poetry and literature, being especii ally rich fields for the developing ; of this sense. i Last but not least comes appreciation and respect for others. Those who have made possible, opportunities which school children may enjoy, are deserving of this ' respect. Proper care of books, ; buildings and respect for the rights lof others as neighbors, are some i of the ways it can be shown. When the majority of the children within the school districts go out from the class room, having . completed the prescribed courses of ■ study, carrying a clear understand- | ing of their debt to the world and especially to those who have made

possible their education and with a determination to do the best at all times and under all conditions, then the school ideals will have been reached. Irene Hoover, who had been in the Presbyterian ..hospital in Chicago for six weeks, resumed her studies the fifth week of school, esy or rudeness—one or the other. A little thought on the part of each will make us gentle-men and gentlewomen.