Great Falls High School - Roundup Yearbook (Great Falls, MT)

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K O L ' X 1) L ' 1 Another important cause of tlic rise of the industrial question was the prolilem of the immigrant. Whether he shall prove a unit of strength or a center of infectious degeneration de- pends simply upon the education he is given. It is sound public policy to give him industrial training so that he will he capable of self-support — the basis of good citzenship. The world owes no man a living except he earns it. With such problems as those star- ing us in the face, we have finally awakened to a realization of the great need of industrial education; and. as a result, American schools are be- coming essentially industrial. Our colleges were the first to adapt themselves to this new trend by the introduction of special courses which should train the mind as well as the mind. Then technical schools have fallen into line with the advance of industrialism and the child, almost from the time he enters school, is de- veloped along practical lines. We no longer merely talk about things — we let the pupils do them. School is not only a preparation for life, it is life itself. To be sure, per- fection has not yet I)ecn attained in our methods, l)ut the amount that has been accomplished is marvelous and augurs great things for the future. Furthermore, the boy of today is more fitted to an industrial education than the boy of yesterday. He no longer thinks that to be a gentle- man he has to wear fine clothes and be idle. When a mother waits on her boy, prides herself that he is to lie a gentleman, and urges the self-made father to hire a gardener to mow the small lawn in order that her boy may have time to loaf physically or browse intellectually, she little rea- lizes that she is doing the very thing tliat may prcvtMit liiin from following in tlie f(Misteps of tliat husband of whom she is so justly proud. She fails to grasp that habits of order, industry, obedience, and right think- ing can come only out of practice and that thought is valuable only as it is translated into action. In the school of tomorrow, it will I)e boys more than ])ooks and living more than let- ters. The problem of industrial education requires a cireful survey — supervis- ion with the super vision out of sight, discipline that is not in evidence, and opportunities for actual productive work. These things no military school can supply. The average boarding school, founded on the English idea, is pur- gatory, and, as Dickens asserted, out of line with nature. We succeed in education just as we succeed in any- thing — if we succeed at all — through following nature. The future of each ])oy is determ- ined by the eflfect upon him of the education which he receives. Ten per cent of our entire population are degenerates and inefTioients. and most of these ten jjcr cent are not ignor- ant. They are those who have l)een over educated or wrongly educated. Tliey were supplied with things they had not earn-jd and .consequently, they have no appreciation of the efforts of others, nor have they gratitude for anything done for them. Predi- ge sted educ ' ition and printers ' jink will not prodrce successful and irile men. if tlie boy is to ])ecome the skilled workman which tlie industrial world demands today, he must re- ceive, in his early life, education that will be of i)ractical use to him. He must be made to understand that all knowled.ye is useful, and all work well done is honorable, and. as Car- ■16—

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Published at Great Falls, Montana by the Great Falls High School Sixth Year JUNE, 1913 Number Two The Log, The Boy and Mark Hopkins DUCATION was defined years ago as a log with a Ijo) ' on one end and Mark Hopkins on the Hy o t h e r. Perhaps the ■ p same definition holds i ood today, hut that the relation of the lioy to his teacher and even to the log has changed, no one can deny. The change in his relation to the log is the most important of all. If the boy of yesterday with his fiat chest and over-developed head had been asked which of this trio is the most important he would have answered in parrot like tones, Mark Hopkins. But ask the boy of today in which he sees the greatest chances of development and he would probab- ly cause the great Mark no little un- easiness in his grave by answering in a stentorian voice, The log. Per- haps there is much truth in the form- er and only a germ of truth in the latter answer, yet the difference of these two truthfully portrays the change in our ideas of education then and now. The aim of education heretofore has been to build up girls and boys. especially boys, without any particu- lar motive. Up to a comparatively recent time the experience and judg- ment of educators led them to the conclusion that school education should not be very definitely correl- ated with the practical affairs of life; that it should be general in its char- acter, aiming primarily at mental dis- cipline and the development of in- tellectual and spiritual qualities, that the things taught and the methods of teaching should promote culture. It is not so many years ago that even those who were to enter the profes- sions had no special school training for their work. Education for the purpose of increasing efficiency was regarded as unworthy of the free man — only the now industrial occupations were worthy. One of the first causes of agitation along t he lines of industrial education was the increase in industrial activ- ities. As these interests grew, the de- mand for workers grew, and we find boys of fourteen and younger in the apprentice shops receiving little or no recompense, in the way of skill, for their slow, laborious task of learning a trade.

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o u [) u A 1. lyle said, The modern majesty con- sists in work; and what a man can do is his greatest ornament, and he always consults his dignity by doing- it. DAVID A. DAVIDSON, ' 12. A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. As I was approaching the Bird Tail divide in my auto, on my way to Helena, I noticed that the center of the road was covered with high grass which scraped the bottom of the car. I was a little afraid of hidden rocks, but having been over the road before without any trouble, I didn ' t turn out Suddenly I felt a jolt which almost stopped the car. I stopped and got out to see what the trouble was. There was a big rock hidden in the grass, which had hit my front axle, and as far as I could see, had hit only the axle. I warned the other two cars which were behind me and then we went on, a little more carefully. When we had gone about twenty- five or thirty miles, I noticed that my engine was knocking. I stopped to get out and see what the matter was, and just then the next car be- hind me came up and they said they had noticed oil on the road behind my car. I got down and looked. There was a crack in the crank case about six inches long, which had let all the oil out. What could we do? We were fifteen miles from Wolf Creek, the nearest place where it could be fixed. Then all the cars came up and everybody was offering sug- gestions, and one of the funny people offered me her gum to stop the crack. That was an idea. It seemed that everybody had a package of gum and a few more besides. Then came the biggest gum chewing contest that was ever held. Everybody chewed, and as he would get a piece nice and sticky, I would stuff it, along with string and tape, into the crack. In fifteen minutes the crack was filed, the case filled with oil, the car started, and we were on our way. . ' t Wolf Creek the patch was taken ofT, and a good one put on, and we went on our way again. L. S., ' 14. 1909-1913. The Assembly Hall was filling fast, . s through the empty halls there past A group of boys and girls who sang. And with these words the rooms ail 1913! .And so they started, this little liand. To find the place called knowledge land. Forth they started, with aims so high. Their purpose was to do or die. 1913! After nine long months in Freshman mire. They turned their steps to places higher. They crossed in safety geometry ' s sphere, . nd called back hopefully, loud and ' ' ' ' ' - 1913! In the broad expanse of Juniordom, A few did quit, and flunked were some. But some were left, to wade at last, Through Senior strait, a dangerous pass. g 3. Many months of toil, many days of fears. Many times of joy, many scenes of tears. They walked down the straight and narrow way, . nd at last reached the end. Grad- uation Day, 1913! T. F. L.. ' 13. -17-