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Entered ai second dan matter at
Medford. Oregon under Act of
March 3, 1B97
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Flight o' Time
Medford and Jackson County
History from tne files of The
Mail Tribune 10, 20, 30, 40
and SO years ago.
10 YEARS AGO
Nov. 15, 1953 (Sunday)
Oregon's Gov. Paul Patterson
spoke to 113 Chamber of Com
merce members last night and
cautioned against "running
away" with a state program.
Law enforcement officers to
day were investigating the bur
glary of two drive-in theaters
yesterday in which a reported
$238 was taken.
20 YEARS AGO
Nov. 15, 1943 (Monday)
Selh Bullis elected president
of newly formed Jackson Coun
tv Civi Music Association; Ar
thur M. Canfield named treas.
urer.
From Arthur Perry's "Ye
Smudge Pot" column: "A Camp
Adair bugler last ween uroiea
an hour too soon ana is sun
at large."
10 YEARS AGO
Nov. 15, 1933 (Wednesday)
Jackson County Sheriff reports
almost 50 per cent of taxes are
delinquent.
Charles Skeetors elected presi
dent of State Truck Owners and
Farmers Protective Association
at meeting in Talent.
40 YEARS AGO
Nov. 15, 1023 (Thursday)
City Attorney J. H. Carkin
starts action to remove city
owned lots from market because
prices are too low,
C. E. Gates Auto company,
Medford, advertises new Ford
four-door sedan for $685 through
weekly purchase plan.
50 YEARS AGO
Nov. 15, 1913 (Saturday)
Medford women host tea for
wives of New York Giants and
Chicago baseball players here
for game; visitors Include Mrs.
John McCiraw, Mrs. cnarlcs uo
misky, Mrs. Lary Doyle, Mrs,
Jim Thorpe and Mrs. Jeff Tes
rcau.
Local clothing stores offer
men's wool punts for $1.75 and
top quality shoes for $2.50 a
pair.
What's Your I.Q.?
Nine or ten correct It superior;
seven or eight li excellent; five or
Ik Is good.
1. Who discovered the Missis
sippi River?
2. On th-j European Continent
do drivers travel on the right
or left siu? of the road?
3. During tne Revolution, were
the Tories loyal to the colonists
or England?
4. If you had a gherkin, could
y weir it, cat it, or ride in it?
5. Cape Cod extends East and
North from the southeast corner
of which state?
6. Does a tailwind increase or
decrease the ground speed of
an airplane?
7. Name (lie first three books
of the Bible.
8. How many "bits" are there
In a quarter dollar?
0. Which one of these elements
Is Die heaviest uranium, os
mium, nlatihum?
10. Which of the following is
the most nearly opposite of
TANGIBLE: radial, immaterial,
minute, diffuse, unproved?
Answers: 1. Hernando drSntn.
2. Right. 3. England. 4. Eat il.
5, Massachusetts, fi. Increase,
7. Genesis, Exodus and Leviti
cus. S. Two. 9. Osmium. 10.
Immaterial,
4 A
NOVEMBER 15, 1963
Forests Prime Evil
The advent of the relatively inexpensive and
versatile motor scoo'ter and power bike has
brought new headaches to forest agencies.
These remarkable little vehicles can go al
most anywhere on trails, across-country, along
narrow foot bridges. Equipped with one of these,
a sleeping bag, and some rood and gear, one can
gain ready access to almost any part of the forest.
They have some advantage over horses, too.
They're a bit more comfortable, they don't create
any sanitary problems around campgrounds, and
you don't have to feed them when they're not
working. They get upwards or iuo miles to a
gallon of gasoline.
DUT they're noisy.
And therein lies the chief objection to
them an objection which is voiced bitterly by
the back-packers and horsemen who like their
out-of-doors ouiet and peaceful, uncontaminated
by the fumes and the
shattering racket of the motors.
Some nature "purists" also will admit to
prejudice against the vehicles simiply because
they make it too easy to get into the forest re
cesses. The hikers think that you can't really
enjoy nature unless you work up a sweat getting
there.
FINALLY, they object to the antics that some
scooter ridel's perform acts of rudeness
and thoughtlessness in the maneuvering of the
little contraptions; such things as tearing arouna
campgrounds at all hours of the day or night,
scaring horses, and forcing others off the trails.
They also, some claim, do damage to trails and
meadows. "
So there is no peace
nature lovers and those
On the other hand,
tehd, rightly, that only a minority of their num
ber is responsible for the acts of bad citizenship
that give all a bad name ; that the damage they
do is minimal, and certainly no worse than that
caused by horses' hooves; that they have as much
"right in publicly-owned
that it's no one's business
there..
WE SEE validity in both sides of the argument.
We a rp also rnnvincp.d that about two-
thirds of the basis for the argument would be
eliminated if the scooters and cycles could be
silenced by an efficient muffler.
They AKE noisy (and why police depart
ments don't enforce the
against the scooters has
DU oistui'D tne peace ana quiet, 01 nature s out-
of-doors. They DO scare horses and bother peo
ple. They ARE safety hazards in some localities,
But if they could be
age automobile, or as the
many ot the objections
THERE are areas of the forest where scooters
should be forbidden to enter. The same applies
to horses. (The recently rebuilt Rogue River
Trail has been made off-limits for both.)
On the other hand,
point when they say they
why should they be kept
In our view, hikers,
people are simply going to have to learn to live
with one another. And living together would be
made far easier for everyone if the noise problem
were to be solved.
This would make the
now the forest's prime evil tolerable. E. A.
Education's
How much in dollars and cents -
an individual benefit from an education?
How much in dollar and cents -
society benefit from an
While we happen to
nomic benefits of an education are secondary
to other values, it cannot
are important to both
A story in yesterday
out that in Medford, a
could expect to earn If'l6,3b0 more during his life
time than a non-graduate or drop-out.
fpHE TOTAL amount of a lifetime's earnings is
L estimated at $262,000 for a high school
graduate in the Medford area, a figure somewhat
better than the average for the nation, and far
better than a decade or two ago.
1 he total, of course,
for those who take post-high
lege, university or other schooling.
These tangible differences make a differ
ence not only to the individual, but to everyone,
in terms of economic health, ability to pay taxes,
and all the other things which a successful person
contributes to society.
AS THE general educational level increases,
the differences are apt to increase between
the persons with an education and those without,
because of the increasing demands for skills in
an increasingly complex society.
On the other hand. U. S. Commissioner of
Education Francis Keppel pointed out the other
eage 01 tne sword, the lact that it will continue
to become harder for a non-graduate to find a
job, and to hold on to it. And he said:
"The cost of one year's unemployment for one Individual Is
greater than the total cost ot his education through the twelfth
grade."
Today's youngster cannot afford NOT to get
an education ; today s society cannot afford NOT
to have mm do so.
horse - scaring and sleep-
between the nature-as-
who ride the scooters.
scooter enthusiasts con-
torests as anyone, and
how they choose to get
anti-noise ordinances
long puzzled us). They
made as quite as the aver
new outboard motors,
would be removed.
scooter - riders do have a
also like the forests and
out?
horsemen and scooter
scooters and Hondas
$ and
does
does
educated individual?
believe that the eco
be ignored that they
individual and society.
s Mail Tribune pointed
high school graduate
is increased considerably
school work, in col
E. A.
"Traitor!"
Communications
Letters to the Editor must bear the name and address of the writer,
although under certain circumstances. the use of a pen name or Initial
for publication Is permissible. The Mail Tribune reserves the right to
edit all letters with a view to clarification and condensation. Letter
submitted for publication must not exceed 400 words. The letters
printed In this column do not necessarily represent the views of t
paper. In fact the contrary It often the case.
A Word of Appreciation
To the Editor: Jackson Coun
cil of the Blind so greatly appre
cif'js the coverage given to all
of our activities by the M.T.
We thank the merchants of
Medfoid for their very gena-o i
contributions to our recent "new
and fsed" sale. It was this
merchandise which helped to
make our sale a success. Then
we thank the general public for
the patronage given us, and for
all the other contributions given
us. We appreciate every bit A
this assistance.
The purpose of our organiza
tion both on the local and state
levels is to help the blind and
visually impaired to achieve for
themselves a more satisfying
and a fuller life. And let us
assure you that the proceeds
of our sale will be used towards
that end.
Again we thank you.
L. E. Jeffries,
President, Jackson
Council of the Blind
22 West Jackson St.
Medford.
Homecoming Success
To the Editor: On behalf of
Southern Oregon College, the
Homecoming Committee wishes
to express sincere appreciation
f your excellent coverage dur
ing Homecoming Week. We can
proudly say that this was the
most successful Homecoming in
the history of our college. We
are pleased to have set this
precedent but certainly with
out your coverage, Homecoming
'63 would indeed have been lack
ing. The success proves that the
Medford Mail Tribune is an out
standing medium of communi
cation.
Estimates by college officials
indicate that large crowds at
tended all events, making each
event a success in Itself. To
the general public, we extend
our gra'itude for their interest in
this annual collegiate activity.
We hope that they will continue
to express their enthusiasm for
SOC at the 1964 Homecoming.
Southern Oregon College
Homecoming Committee
Ashland, Ore.
Taxes
To the Editor: The working
class citizen has been benumbed
so long by exposure to "what is
good for him" in newspapers
and magazines with political
leanings and by the false prom
ises, fence - straddling and
double - talk of political office
holders and office seekers, he
just doesn't know which way
to lurn lor help.
Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer, I
plead with you, go to the polls
come election time. One lone
citizen upstate with foresight,
guts and determination showed
you what could be done if you
all stuck together. Stay togeth
er for your own protection. Let's
start by cleaning house. Let's
put some new blood some
p ople with the interests of
those who pay their salaries
in the county courthouses and
m the statchouse in Salem.
Have you read in your local
paper whore our esteemed
speaker, Mr. Clarence Barton,
opposes a plan to use 35 per
cent ot a 3 per cent sales tax
(yet to be presented) to offset
any property tax relief? "Leave
property taxes alone," he says.
What do you mean "alone," Mr.
Barton? Don't you realize you
people in the statchouse h a v e
dried up the lovely cow that
so patiently and resignedly Rave
you sustenance for so many
years? Our current property
taxes aro comparable to Cali
fornia's and much much higher
than Washington's if you
doubt this, check with random
properly owners In Josephine
county whose taxes hove been
raised a ridiculous 20 per cent
this year.
We are all quite aware that
our neighboring states have a
sales tax. If the voters go to
the polls to vote on a sales tax
MEDFORO MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD,
come next May, they'd better
take time to read the fine print
on the ballot. We all know
unless there is a definite place
on the ballot that clearly and
sans mumb-jumbo, states the
sales tax will be used to offset
the fantastic millage we are
forced to pay for education
through our property assess
mentswe'll wind up with con
tinued property tax raises, the
same or higher income taxes,
AND a sales tax.
Mr. Barton says he believes
"the people do not want new
taxes." Boy, now there you have
the understatement of tie year.
Oh yes, the proposal to cut the
legislators' salaries in half is
certainly appropos. A cut all
around tne state salaries witn
considerable emphasis on office
holders would alleviate a little
of the burden so heavy on the
shoulders of the taxpayers.
John J. Murray
225 Mountain View Place
Grants Pass, Ore.
No National Holidays
To the Editor: With all due re
spect to Mr. Herman Lee Wood's
(of Grants Pass, Oregon) views
concerning the special session of
Oregon legislature called for
Nov. 11, 1963 (letter to the ed
itor 11-7-63), I hope he'll forgive
me for pointing out that Nov. 11
is not a national holiday and
never was. As a matter of fact
there are no national holidays in
these United States of America.
Michael Dale
759 S. Mountain Ave.
Ashland, Ore.
O
Editor's note: Mr. Dale is cor
rect. The World Almanac says:
"The President and Congress
designate (holidays) only for the
District ot Columbia and Fed
eral employes throughout the
nation. Each State has jurisdic
tion over the holidays it will
observe. They are designated
either by legislative enactment
or executive proclam a 1 1 o n
There are no national holidays
in the United States."
Big Job
To the Editor: I have a sign
in my garden, "Take Time To
Think." It is the most important
thing to do today in the great
unrest over the whole world.
Let us all meditate in the si
lence of God's presence. Heb
12:14, "Follow peace, with all
men, and holiness, without
which no man shall see the
Lord." Everywhere you see the
truth. "What a man sowcth that
shall he also reap." We see the
result of nearly all European
countries who had colonies in
Africa and Asia, including the
communist revolution.
I read a wonderful article in
the World Healing Crusade by
Brother Conrad. "The Temple
of Solomon." When the mind be
comes the temple of God, then
all God's children are at home
in it. When we are no longer
identified with our person but
identified with all God's chil
dren, we are reaching a unique
spiritual identity which is dis
tinct from identity through the
personality. The mind becomes
God's temple by casting out
the money lenders. If we ask
God to help us to mold our
minds tor His use and for the
sake of everyone else, then we
are in partnership with Christ,
and the money lenders will be
driven out for good, for we will
be no longer dependent on thorn.
The money lenders in the tem
ple of the mind are those
thoughts which we are shown by
God to be less than divine. They
are the uncharitable, unillu
mined and proud thoughts,
thoughts of judgment and self
abuse, thoughts of self indul
gence, of appetites fulfilled and
of material gain; they are the
impatient and untidy thoughts
of the restless, the dark thoughts
which are allied to some human
weakness, to cry out loudly
against conscience and the still
small voice of God; and they
OREGON
All But Off
Another Term as President of France
By
PHIL NEWSOM
LTsaJ
UPI Foreign News
Analyst
It is now all but official.
French President Charles de
Gaulle, who will turn 73 this
Nov. 22, will seek another term
as president to carry him at
least through 1970.
the word comes from
Let Us Ne'er Forget
L. B. Whatshisname
By Arthur Hoppe
Ah, another nostalgic piece in
that heartwarming series.
'Where Are They Now?" You
know, it's the kind where we
search out a once-famous man
who is now living in simple ob
scurity. And we always search
out our beloved Vice President,
L. a. Whatshisname. Which
isn't always easy.
As old-timers will recall, ever
since he shyly retired to the
anonymity of the Vice Presi
dency, "old L. B. W.," as he's
fondly known, has been gamely
struggling to make a comeback.
Mostly overseas.
And he had one big triumph.
At the height of a crisis, he
went to Berlin on a Goodwill
Tour, passed out ballpoint pens,
ana made a lighting speech.
Which almost caused World War
III. Since then, reports have
been rife that Mr. Kennedy was
reluctant to send him on any
more Goodwill Tours to touchy
areas.
A base canard. For he h a s
only just now completed another
triumphant Goodwill Tour, ob
viously designed to heal grave
rifts in the Western Alliance.
And this time Mr. Kennedy sent
him, as a clear demonstration
of his trust and confidence, to
the Grand Duchy of Luxem
bourg. w
It was, of course, a delicate
diplomatic mission. Details,
naturally, could not be revealed.
All that is known publicly is that
our beloved Vice President was
greeted by a crowd of happy
Luxembourgers, to whom he
gave red and blue ballpoint
pens. And he was then whisked
to the palace of Luxembourg's
ruler, Grand Duchess Charlotte,
to present her with "an official
message from President Ken
nedy." Who doesn't trust the
mails.
The scene, fraught with ten
sion, can only be hazarded at:
Howdy, there, Duchess.
Have a ballpoint pen."
'Please, Mr. Vice President.
Enough formalities. We are a
small nation, but a proud peo
ple, willing to fight if we must.
What message do you bring?
Will it be peace? Or will it,
God forbid, be war?"
are alt tnose mounts wnicn
have no beauty.
Solomon asked God for wis
dom and understanding and
built his temple for God and
those who entered it were
blessed with God's love and wis
dom. This is a part of the arti
cle. I have gotten a great bless
ing from it, so I wish it for
everyone. We must remember
thouhts are living things. Sola
think it over,. what a big job
we have on our hands.
Henry Burmcistcr
P.O. Box 303
Jacksonville, Ore.
Closure Opposed
To the Editor: The following
letter has been sent to the Stale
Game Commission:
This letter is written in refer
ence to the proposed salmon
fishing closure affecting that
area above Elk Creek on the
Rogue River.
Mr. Ed Schwartz, S.W. district
fishery agent, informed me that
this measure was designed to
protect the salmon from harass
ment and to help decrease snag
ging activities.
The harassment part of this
measure has no foundation at all
because of the fact that during
the salmon season, March 23-
June 30, the fish remain in the
deep holes and will not start
nosing around in the shallows
looking for suitable spawning
beds until mid-August, therefore
eliminating any chance of har
assment wh tsoever.
Snagging, however, has be
come a problem on the upper
Rogue as well as on the lower
river. This can all but be ehm
inated by the passage of a bill
prohibiting the use of treble
hooks in the taking ot salmon
Also a stepped up program of
law enforcement would help
matters considerably. These two
measures, if acted upon, would
lead to a much more favorable
relationship between the game
commission and general public
than the closure of this stretch
of river would produce.
If the closure measure is
passed, the results would be:
1. Overcrowding of available
icial: De Gaulle Will Seek
sources close to De Gaulle and
is significant for two reasons.
De Gaulle sees no one ca
pable of succeeding him in the
years which he regards as cru
cial for France and Europe.
The North Atlantic Treaty,
signed in 1949, expires in 1969
and must be renegotiated.
De Gaulle believes the NATO
treaty must be refurbished to
meet the changing times, in
cluding the fact that by that
time France will be a full
fledged nuclear force able to
strike both by air and from
Polaris-type submarines.
"Now there, Duchess, don't
get all het up. I got it right
here. Somewhere. Let's see,
identification card, next of kin.
White House parking permit
(me and Jack, we re like that),
credit card for the Quorum Club
(I thought I burned that) . , .
Here it is. Wait'll I get my
specs on. Any photographers
around? Good. Now then: 'The
U. S. of A. (that's us) has no
territorial ambitions in Luxem
bourg.' That's you, I reckon."
"Heaven be praised. On, Mr.
Vice President, you are a mas
ter of statecraft."
"That's mighty kind of you to
say, Duchess. In return allow
me to pledge us Americans'
lives, fortunes and sacred hon
ors to defending this here won
derful country of . . . ah . . ."
"Luxembourg?"
"Right you are, Duchess.
Have a ballpoint pen."
Well, skeptics may sneer.
Cynics may snideiy contend
Washington's faith in old L. B.
W.'s marksmanship as a trou
bleshooter is limited. But that's
nonsense. Look at the teensv
targets they give him.
Moreover, it cannot be denied
that peace reigns today between
America and the Grand Duchy
of Luxembourg. And I feel a
grateful Nation should forever
enshrine in its memory the
hallowed name of Vice Presi
d e n t L. B. Whatshisname.
Wherever he is now.
In the Day's News
By FRANK
From Washington:
Walter W. Heller, President
Kennedy's chief economic ad
visor, told senators yesterday
that "we are unlikely to find a
better time to cut taxes (without
cutting spending) than right
now."
He went on to say:
"Right now, expansion is oc
curring at a good pace, busi
ness confidence is firm, and
the stimulus of the tax cut
(without cutting spending) will
reinforce a strong existing mo
mentum." TUT-
" He testified
"The chances that the present
economic expansion can contin-
House Pays Tribute
To Late Legislator
SALEM (UPI) -Colleagues of
the late State Ren. W.O. "Run"
Kelsay, D-Roseburg, paid their
respects to him in the Hoh
Thursday as a legislator and a
inend.
The house stood a moment in
silent tribute as it passed un
animously a resolution expres
sing deep sorrow over Kelsay's
death in an auto accident in
October.
Many of the represenatives of
both parties in the House stood
to recall his ability, humility,
and sense of humor.
"Each of us will be a little
better for having known and as
sociated with him," said House
Speaker Clarence Barton.
Kelsay's widow, Elizabeth,
has succeeded him in the House.
boat landings and suitable fish
ing waters.
2. An increase in illegal meth
ods of catching salmon because
of the scarcity of suitable fish
ing water and the heavy traffic
and pressure forced upon avail
able waters left open to the pub
lic. 3. A serious loss of income to
those who have resorts, motels,
cafes, sporting goods stores, etc.
4. General ill feelings of the
public towards game commis
sion policies.
I would like to say that I am
very much opposed to such a
radical measure as this, as are
by far the majority of citizens
living in the upper Rogue vi
cinity. I also would like a report on
who introduced this bill and
what specific advantages could
be possibly gained by this act.
Bcnard L. Nork
Ben's Guide Service
Shady Cove, Ore. ,
i
Backed by a French nuclear
force, De Gaulle believes, Eu
rope then will be able to
declare itself independent of
the United States.
This also would include Eu
ropean independence of any
two - way agreements reached
between Washington and Mos
cow. De Gaulle supporters believe
that at least two recent events
are proving the correctness of
De Gaulle's attitude both to
ward NATO and the question of
Western negotiations with the
Soviets.
One was the unexpectedly
heavy criticism of the U.S.-pro-posed
multi-nation nuclear fleet
which was encountered among
European representatives dur
ing a discussion of NATO poli
cies. Predictions now are that
the U.S. plan will be shelved
indefinitely or at least until af
ter British elections.
The Soviet blockade of U.S.
convoys on the Berlin autobahn
also is being cited in support
of De Gaulle s boycott ot dis
armament talks with the So
viets until all Soviet threats
are removed.
These, along with De
Gaulle's concept of a future
Europe, represent unfinished
business which De Gaulle is re
luctant to leave in the hands
of others
At home, a decisive demo-
stration of the strength of the
Strictly
Personal
By Sidney J. Harris
(c) Tield Enterprises. Inc.
IDEAS
When Heine asked his coach
man, "What are ideas?," the
coachman pondered a moment
and answered: "Ideas? . . .
Ideas are the things they put
into your head."
Even today, most people
might answer as the coachman
did, for our formal system of
education seems to consist of
things put into our heads
names and dates and battles
and multiplication tables and
the three principal sources of
raw material in the Malayan
Peninsula.
Of course, these are not ideas.
Ideas are what come out of the
JENKINS
ue through 1964 without an ear
ly tax cut (without cutting
spending) are poor so poor
that the opportunity to take out
anti-recession insurance (in the
form of cutting taxes without
cutting spending) should not be
overlooked.
He added:
"In addition to possibly fore
stalling a recession, a tax re
duction (without reducing spend
ing) will help to solve basic
problems of unemployment and
unused productive capacity."
TUHS thought o
If tax cuttin
occurs:
cutting (without cut
ting government spending) is so
WONDERFUL, why couldn't we
latch onto it out here in Oregon
as a solution of the problems
that have arisen since the voters
turned down the legislature's
budget for the next bienmum?
Why can t we just go on
spending like drunken sailors
for the next couple of years
and thus wind up fat and rich
and happy?
" Why not go Uncle one bel
ter and cut out taxes altogeth
er? And, at the same time, DOU
BLE our spending.
WELL-
TT
Unfortunately
There's a catch to it.
The catch is this: Uncle can
PRINT MONEY, and the State
of Oregon can't.
That's about the long and
short of it.
"I'll never understand 'cm they upend more Hme
arguing about where to pray than they do praying!"
De Gaulle leadership came re
cently in the National Assem
bly which approved both his
record budget and large appro
priations witn wnicn to build
his nuclear force.
But these were demonstra
tions of De Gaulle's personal
strength and not necessarily of
tne uauiiisi party or ot unity
of purpose.
Within De uaulle s Union for
the New Republic (UNR); for
mer Premier Michel Debre, is
making a quiet bid for political
come-back and is said by do
litical insiders still to hope that
he may someday succeed De
Gaulle as president. There is
no indication that these hopes
are being encouraged by Da
Gaulle.
In the patchwork of French
political opinion, efforts to pre
sent a united front of opposition
to De Gaulle have been sue
cessful only between the So
cialists and Communists who
voted in a bloc against his
budget and nuclear plans.
For the opposition to. Da
Gaulle, the wedding of the So
cialists and Communists might
easily prove more a hindrance
than a help. For such a union
recalls unhappy memories of
coalition governments of tha
1930's and the sad state of
French preparedness at the
start of World War II.
As of today it's best to bet
Ion De Gaulle.
head. Nobody can put them
there, although a good educa
tion can stimulate them, organ
ize them, and give them a solid
basis in reason.
Education, if it means any
thing, is a drawing out; it is
not a pushing in. The human
mind is not a sausage casing
into which we can stuff knowl
edge; and, usually, the harder'
we try to stuff, (he more rev
sistance we encounter. This Isi
why so much formal educa
tion is a waste of time and
energy. J
A human being is a rcposl-'
tory of ideas; the whole trick
is to get these ideas out in the'
open, to test them against re
ality, to expose them to otherr
ideas, and thus to sharpen and';
toughen them. ',
The greatest flaw in formal
education, in my opinion, is
that it has little respect for.
ideas and too much for infor
mation. Children can get eas
ily bored with information,!
when it seems to have no rel-,
evancc; but they are excited'
and interested in ideas.
,
I vividly remember how the
subject of zoology was ruined
for me in school by teachers
who were concerned only with
classification and memorization
of insects and such. No attempt
was made to relate the subject
to the other links in the great
chain of life. Any real curiosity
was considered almost an im
pertinence. As a result, the
bright students quickly lost inj
terest, and only the dutiful par
rots scored high marks.
Nor was this merelv a defect
in the teachers. It was, rathei
their general attitude toward
learning in my day; there is
some evidence that it has im
proved a little, but still not
enough. The "dropout problem';
is largely economic and social
but a part of it is also pedagogi
ical, in that dead teaching turn!
students away from the class
room and toward more animated
aspects of the human scene. '
Every child's mind is teem
ing with ideas. Too often these
ideas are systematically throt
tied or strangled in the school
system, which looks only for
the "right answers" that are in
the back of the book. What is
in back of the head is rarely
encouraged to move to th
front.
rxo 7 K