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THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, APRIL 12, 1900.
W h at Shall We Do
W ith Our Young Folks?
ation, and, above all, healthful con- employment. These last m aybe
struetion and conditions. To school able to receive the benefits of night
elections everybody should turn out school.
and make the contest for the best
One of the first things vou will
An Address Delivered Before the Silverton Thought E xchange on and ablest men in the community think of for the good of the young
for schoo Idirectors—men who will is a Public Library. That is a good
Sunday E vening, March 11, 1900.
1- i ‘heir schc ! th n i g h t , t '> •<
♦ 21’
di
the best in the State of its grade.
be realized in this forward move-
BY A. A. LEONARD, M. D.
SUPERINTENDENT DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY IN TIIE LIBERAL UNIVERSITY.
With a high grade public school ment if only our good mothers will
M r . P resident , L adies and G en - i ing to get ahead of our neighbor in in this town, its population would take hold of it with zeal,
An Astronomical Observatory,
TLEMEN:
snaring a wary dollar.
In this not only greatly increase in the
We enter this world without our struggle our little ones are let run winter time, but permanently in- The saw-mill men of this vicinity
own consent, and without any re- wild and to weeds, and their minds crease. The additional revenues can well afford to donate lumber
sponsibility for our physical or go undeveloped, or developed in from such growth would pay the for such an enterprise, if assured
mental characteristics; regardless wrong directions, until they know added salary for first class teachers. that it is for public and not private
A word or two about teachers good. Carpenters could be found to
of our own wishes, and often little that they should, and every-
may not be amiss. We need more do the work of construction, and a
against the wishes of our progeni- thing they should not.
tors. But we are here, and must
Now, what is to be done? Shall of the original clas»; more who do good telescope with other apparatus
face the stern fact that we are as we we stand and watch them drifting, NOT DO IT AS OTHERS DO IT, but pOS- can be easily purchased if the com
are, and to make ourselves as we drifting, drifting, hither and thith- sess originality and the courage to munity so wills. The cost of suit
would be, must engage our noblest er and yon, some of them into the put it to use. Teachers should be able instruments need not exceed
effort. In this matter of trying to stagnant sloughs, some into the students of human nature, of tem $500. \\ e have natural astrono
solve the problem of making our- rapids and the fatal whirlpool of peraments, of phrenology, if you mers growing up among us, and
selves and our young folks what we dissipation or crime? Shall we please. They must learn the les the science is more charming than
would be, or what we should be, we stand and look, and gaze, and stare, son well, that there are many ways fiction; the infinite distances of
must have the co-operation of both with our hands idly by our sides, to accomplish a given result, and suns and systems, the endlessness
old and young; there must be reci until we catch the gleam of the that the minds of the young have of space which it reveals, the rush
procity between parent and child, wild, upturned face of despair, the many ways of approaching and of spheres, the tremendous velocity
between teacher and pupil, between faint shriek for help, the wildly grasping thoughts as well as objects. of our own earth, moving in three
the community and its wards. grasping hands, as they pass over And while it is the duty of all to directions at once, all without a
Friendly and cordial relations must the brink, gone from our help for know as much as can be known, jolt or jostle, the facts take on all
be established, and the authority ever? Let us begin to answer th a t, the teacher must learn to dwell in the charm of fancies, and the reali-
of force must give place to the question now, by a steady, deter the same atmosphere as does the | ties become as delightful to our
authority of affection.
mined effort to make the conditions pupil. While he acts as leader, he senses as the deepest dreams of
can accomplish much more by send imagination.
In order to advance, we must suitable for the grander growth.
first discover our fault, and perhaps , Let ur
un cuiisiuei
consider first what may ing his boys and girls out on excur Botany. At our very doors we
feel a sense of humiliation at its ex- b© accomplished in the home. sions in advance to see what they have a most splendid opportunity
istence; then must establish a de Here, we cannot begin too early. can discover for themselves. The for the study of botany. On every
sire to correct or outgrow it; then Many a child is spoiled before it is stimulus of discovery electrifies hill-top, in every vale, beside the
must come the ways and means, a week old. Let us instruct the every nerve, strings every muscle, silver streams and the cooling
the “How”, of its correction, and, parents on these points. Let us expands the lungs, sends the fresh springs may be found mosses and
lastly, the execution, the putting in teach them that the first duty to blood bounding to every fibre, until ferns and fungi, and everything to
motion these ways and means.
the child is harmony between fa every sense is alert, the imagina charm the lover of an immense
I believe that every one in this ther and mother; and where there tion glowing, and the eyes and flora.
audience has discovered and fully is discord between the parents, they whole countenance radiant.
Geology. Here, too, is a field de
recognizes the fact that the young owe it to their little ones to recon
Now let us take up what should lightful and instructive, which ap
folks of this community have faults, cile their differences. Children are be the most interesting part of this palls us with the wonderful forces
and that their correstion is desira sharp observers and great imitators, discussion: What shall we, the com that have been spent upon our
ble. That is not speaking badly and to them an ounce of example munity, the people of Silverton, do globe for ages incomprehensible.
for this place, for it is no worse IS WORTH A POUND OF PRECEPT.
with and for our young folk?
Our state, and even this locality,
than a thousand other towns; but
There must he firmness, but char- " hat can we do to employ, amuse, furnishes o great
.... _______
resources _______
. for the
let us not lapse into that moral ity also; and the most potential direct them along right lines up to student of some branches of natural
lethargy, where people justify their influence is love. There are always a “ good and useful citizenship; and history,
such
a3 entomology,omith-
..........
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own weaknesses and shortcomings duties and often drudgeries which to keep them away from idleness, ology, zoology, etc.
by recognizing the same or worse must be done; but youth is buoy dissipation and crime
Collection of cabinets of natural
conditions in others. Let us rather ant and hopeful, and thev easily
First, let us revolutionize the curiosities, selections of tne native
say, there is nothing too good for learn to bear the drudgeries for the older heads and enthuse them woods of the state, and other simi
Silverton and its people. Let us rewards they promise.
with the idea of needful reform. lar enterprises, would please and
stand at the head o f the class, and
Amusements must be provided, Let us talk and write this question satisfy some o f the active minds of
let us be of the highest class.
and herein should each home be up until trie people with one accord our young folks and would be a
From the cradle to the grave life made attractive. These may be take hold of the work, forgetting all perpetual source of usefulness and
is one round of activities, and it is varied to meet the requirements about creeds and sects, and raise ornament to the town.
the direction of these activities that from the simplest pastime to the the ideals of the community until
Think for a moment what these
makes us good or bad. Often the highest mental and physical activ we all become saturated with the
beginning of ruin is the misdirec ities, and the acquirements of art determination of placing Silverton accomplishments would mean for
tion of activities in child life. Is and skill. Here we may develop in the first rank of intellectual and Silverton. With such intelligence
a child meddlesome? Does he an tastes and cultivate the nobler at moral excellence, and make It a in our midst, would we not contin
noy by tearing leaves from your tributes of mind. Here we may business point to be envied. Let ually rise in the estimation of our
visitors, and would we not draw to
best book? Divert his mind. Start learn to deport ourselves modestly us stop talking against one another U8 the most desirable people of the
his activities along some other line to the defeated ones, and to bear and all go to work for the common outside world? The name of Sil-
that engages and pleases, and your our own defeats gracefully, and to wea^‘
verton would stand for everything
books and your patience are saved, acquire other accomplishments that
First, as noted above, let us have good, pure, noble and intellectual,
The whole problem, then of what go to make the true lady or gentle- first quality in our public school, and our people would be courted to
we shall do with our young folks man.
and make the school year at least fill stations in all the higher walks
is solved by directing these mental
The Public School. Here, to be-
nine months.
There are those of life. Think, too, what the re-
and physical activities into right gin with, we should have the best among us who need schooling, but verse of this means for us. If we
channels. A good deal of the trou- possible school house—and Silver- are unable to go for want of funds, are idle and thoughtless and dissi-
ble grows out of the fact that we do ton has a good one—with best equip-
not take the time. We are too busy ments and apparatus for amuse \\ e must see if wavs cannot be pro- pated, what classes will we attract
with our housework, or with schem- ments, illustration and experiment vided, and for those whom we are to us—what will the harvest be
unable to get into school, provide 1 then?