Johnstown High School - Spectator Yearbook (Johnstown, PA)

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30 THE SPECTATOR life—for in reality it is his business. “There should be unity between home and school. There is unity when the idea of a ‘task’ is removed.” School-life exercises so great an influence upon the success of our efforts that it would reward us a hundredfold to inaugu- rate beneficial reforms. The schools of Gary, Ind., have under- taken to furnish amusement and diversion for the pupils, in order to keep them from localities which exercise an immoral influence. Perhaps it is too much to place the responsibilities of morals upon teachers, but there are numerous reforms which, in the natural course of events, one is led to expect. Exemption from examinations on the ground of scholarship, the honor system in examinations, and student government have all been proved conducive to better order and better education than has the strict, worn regime of force. Does the editor place his ideal too high when he says that the ideal school is the school which produces the best results with the most beneficial and the most pleasant associations? THE REQUISITES OF A PRESIDENT. Again the time for electing a man to serve four years as Presi- dent of the United States is at hand. Again the nation is in the throes of political upheaval. Newspapers and magazines in every part of the country have declared themselves, some championing one man, some another. Every one is more or less keenly inter- ested and aroused to a higher or lower pitch of enthusiasm. Each voter should make a study of the qualities of each candidate's fitness to serve his country. Naturally the question is asked, what are the requisites of a President? First the candidate must be intelligent and capable. A man who possesses these qualities to only a low degree is not fit to exercise great control over the destiny of the most powerful nation on the globe. And living, as we do in a very progressive age, in which monarchies are being overturned and republics es- tablished, in which wonderful inventions and discoveries are be- ing made almost daily, and wherein great progress is being made in aeronautics, the science of war, it is fitting that our President be progressive. The aspirant must also be diplomatic in order that he may deal with new republics, with situations such as con- fronted the President in the Chinese affair, and with all cases where delicate handling of agreements is necessary. He must be brave, honest, and swayed by no political gangs. The President of the United States dare not be afraid to express his opinions and to act as he thinks best. Never should he be influenced by the great financiers or bosses. He must think and act for himself.

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THE SPECTATOR 29 During the mid-term examinations, the honor system was used in one subject, as it had been, to some extent, in former years. That this system would be beneficial if introduced in all the sub- jects no one doubts. Nor is it too much to hope for, for every teacher with the interest of the pupils at heart is ready to make the introduction. It rests with the students to prove that they appreciate the benefits of the honor system, and that they have developed sufficient self-reliance to warrant its success. THE IDEAL SCHOOL. Educators delight in visions of an ideal school. Yet their dreams seldom become more than visions. Why is this? Either teachers are not honestly interested in the welfare of students or the ideals are too lofty. One English educator writes, “For, al- though we hear a very great deal in these days about ‘self-ex- pression' in school, yet those ‘in authority over us’ still appear to require the self-expression served up in the same old dishes of method, accompanied by notes, schemes, marks, reports, and examinations which seasoned the mental food of those who went before us.” There exists an over-abundance of caution against new reforms, new methods. This caution no doubt arises from doubt as to what really are beneficial reforms. What is school? What it is and what it should be are two different conditions. “School should be the place in which the mind grows by being supplied with mental food and opportuni- ties of exercise. But the pupil himself must eat the food, and he alone can make the effort which constitutes exercise. In short, we desire that he shall himself realize the forces that exist within him.” The above reference voices Harriet Finlay-Johnson’s opinion of what a school should be. Schools are, as a rule, the opposite. Pupils too often do not “eat the food” themselves, nor do they realize the forces that exist within them. All the pal- pable forces are from without. The pupil studies, recites, bends to all the forms of the school, without exercising an iota of his in- ward force. A student enters his assembly room, for example. He wishes to converse with a neighbor on a question concerning his work. He is not permitted to. One article written on an ideal school contains the following: “Every one is talking, yet there is no undue confusion, no appearance of contraband naught- iness.” Freedom of speech is one of the foremost requisites of a successful school, just as it is of a successful government. Again, every regulation and every rule which makes education unpleasant is detrimental. The work must appear beneficial, not forced. It must assume a connection with the pupil’s everyday

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THE SPECTATOR 31 He must consider the interest of the whole people above all else. He must be ready to defend every move he makes, to cope with' persons desiring unfair privileges, and finally he must be pre- pared to make any sacrifice of fame and glory necessary to raise the standard, to enlighten the views, and to benefit the people of his nation. 555 W SOCIETY T. K. E. SOCIETY NOTES. The T. K. E. Literary Society met in Study Hall, January 12, 1912, and held the regular election of officers. The election for President resulted in a tie between Forrest Shaffer and Walter Sharkey. Joe Replogle was elected Vice President; Alice Gochcr, Secretary; Stewart Grumbling, Critic, and Clark Butler, Ser- geant-at-Arms. After the election an interesting spelling match between ten Seniors and ten Juniors was carried out. When the meeting adjourned the Juniors had the greater number of mem- bers standing and so the honors were awarded to them. A meeting for the re-election of President and the election of members of the society for the T. K. E. open meeting was held in the Auditorium January 19, 1912. Forrest Shaffer was elected President and the following members were chosen to. participate in the open meeting: Julius Porias, Ivan Pierce. Paul Cauffiel, Rosalie Matthews, Grace Earnest, Margaret Am- brose, and Isabella Bird. The regular meeting of the T. K. E. Literary Society was held in Study Hall, January 26, 1912. Six Seniors and six Juniors were elected to The Spectator staff. The rest of the period was devoted to an interesting lesson in parliamentary law. A bill pro- viding for the closing of moving picture shows and cheap vaude- ville theaters was introduced to the house by Amelia Ludwig. Ella Swank and Ruth Eldrige spoke in favor of the bill and Claude Ling against it, practicing all the formalities used in Congress. The meeting adjourned before the bill was passed. At the next meeting of the T. K. E. Society, which was held in the Auditorium, February 2, 1912, the bill providing for the closing of all moving picture shows and cheap vaudeville theaters