Batesville Daily Guard

COMMISSIONER CLAXTON TALKS
Eminent Educator Has Many Things of Interest to Say in Address to Teachers at Little Rock.

A reorganization of public schools of the United States, in which there will be six years of elementary school and six years of high school instead of eight and four, respectively, as now exists, was the prediction of Dr. Claxton, speaking on the "Twentieth Century School," Friday night before the Arkansas Teachers' Association at Little Rock.

This forecast of educational development was met with applause.

The plan provides for a reorganization of the studies in the lower school by which all not essential are eliminated and the fundamental foundations of education are left.

He would have languages taught in the first year of the new high school, giving the pupil study along this line in the seventh year of his schooling, when, as he said, his mind will grasp more easily the new languages. By this reorganization, the student going to college will be prepared to take up the higher branches of study without any preliminary or elementary study. The foundation for this school is now being laid, he said.

"The ideal of our schools should be service to the public," he said. "When we come to think of it, an ideal is the only practical thing in the world. Without plans a builder's work would be of little value. Our government has developed according to the ideals of the founders of the country. Our schools have grown in a haphazard manner.

"In the future our schools must be democratic institutions. It is the fundamental duty of the school to provide equality of opportunity. Every child in the country, regardless of parentage, wealth or social position, should have an equal opportunity to fit himself for life and for American citizenship.

"The Twentieth century school will look out for the health of the children of the nation. The first principle of education is the establishment of the rules of health, that the students may have the physical vigor to put their knowledge to use.

"Another thing which the schools will do will be to reform the old idea of religious teaching. I do not believe it is a function of the public schools. There are churches, Sunday schools and associations which can do that for the boys and girls of the country. However, a fundamental duty of the school is the teaching of good conduct and morality.

"Of three other things which the schools of this century must do, the first is to develop the mind-that faculty which differentiates the human from the brute. It will develop the imagination and introduce the student to the literature of the world. It will make the pupil the companion of those who have lived who were able to reveal to the world the eternal truth. This condition will exist for every child.

"I know some people don't think this a good plan. I hear people talk about vocational education as though it is the greatest thing on earth. Some think we ought not to educate the masses, that it will make them discontented with their lot, but I hope to see the day that every child will possess some of that divine discontent which will make them do things.

"The second thing which the schools will do is to prepare the boys and girls for citizenship. It is far different now from the days when only one of many might qualify for citizenship, when, without training, the people of the nation would follow precedents set for them. The day of precedent has passed and every one must have a knowledge of the fundamental principles of government.

"The third thing that the schools must do is prepare its pupils for the vocations of life. Schools have always been vocational. When boys and girls studied Latin or Greek they were preparing themselves for a profession or a certain sphere in society. But in the future our vocational studies must be greater in number and the scope be broad enough that every child in the country can prepare himself for his life work."