Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 5, 1995 TAG: 9504050049
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ARTHUR G. TROUT
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The way of life cherished in the United States is unique in that it is founded on a great spiritual heritage, the ability of people to govern themselves through representative government, and a recognition of the dignity and integrity of the individual.
The home, the church and the school are basic institutions responsible for the development of our children. These three, along with other community resources, must share this responsibility; the extent to which they are continually strengthened determines the quality of our citizenry.
School practices and policies evolve from a knowledge of the nature of boys' and girls' convictions regarding the environment conducive to learning, and a fervent commitment to the fundamental principles underlying our form of government.
Thomas Jefferson said, "I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it away from them, but to inform their discretion" by education.
This certainly establishes a major responsibility for our educational system at all levels, and particularly in those studies that involve an understanding of the basic principles underlying our form of government and our economic way of life. Such a responsibility recognizes that American destiny must be molded in the classroom.
Of all educational institutions, the elementary school reaches the greatest number of girls and boys for the longest time. The elementary school represents the nation's most widespread provision for the education of its people. Education is no stronger than the foundation on which it is built. Quality in education at the upper levels, therefore, is dependent on the soundness of instruction in the elementary school.
The purpose of the elementary school is to provide the foundational instruction that will enable each child, commensurate with his stage of maturity, to:
Read, write and speak with fluency and clarity; spell, add, subtract, multiply and divide with meaning and accuracy.
Develop and cherish a commitment to his own national and spiritual heritage, and gain knowledge of the culture and history of other peoples.
Acquire an understanding of the universe and the influence of geographic factors on life, with particular emphasis on the geography of his own country.
Continue to develop those qualities of character that are revealed in good moral conduct, an appreciation of noble sacrifice, and a reverence for things spiritual.
Learn, and gain satisfaction from, orderly and critical thinking involved in collecting information, grasping ideas and drawing conclusions.
Appreciate the beauty of nature, and the great products of the human imagination found in music, art and literature.
Grow in a sense of responsibility to his group while maintaining his individuality, and develop a spirit of responsibility and self-discipline.
Develop habits conducive to sound health, safe living and physical and mental well-being.
The elementary school is the institution charged with primary responsibility for the development of the skills of learning and of the child's rational powers in keeping with his stage of maturity.
The elementary school is also the primary institution for developing understanding and appreciation through the first systematic instruction for the child in the fields of history, government, science, mathematics and other related subjects.
It is most important that children continue from elementary to high school, and from high school to college or to a trade or technical school. The number of drop-outs during high school continues at an alarming rate.
The late President Abbott Lawrence Lowell of Harvard once said, "A civilization is seldom murdered; it commits suicide." People who do not listen to history are, indeed, condemned to repeat it.
The rise and fall of nations usually follow this pattern:
The people go from bondage to spiritual faith.
From spiritual faith to great courage.
From courage to liberty.
From liberty to abundance.
From abundance to selfishness.
From selfishness to complacency.
From complacency to apathy.
From apathy to dependency.
From dependency to bondage.
It is essential that we provide basic guidelines and established truths for the youth of today. Accepting the fact that the freedom of America is interwoven with its economic solvency, we must help them understand the vital economic contrasts between freedom and slavery; individual initiative and centralized, bureaucratic planning; democracy and dictatorship. We must help them to know and have faith in the basic ideals upon which this democratic republic is built.
We must teach them the fallacy of thinking that socialism is humanitarianism under the guise of benevolent paternalism of government.
We must reverse the trend of thinking that the U.S. dollar is indestructible, that a country can spend itself into prosperity, and that the old virtues of thrift are outmoded.
We must help them to see that true Americanism is not materialism. Rather, that it is the great initiative and incentive of a people to provide a better way of life for posterity that has elevated the United States to world prominence, and that the grass roots of our vitality are deeper than the economic or political system - they lie in the ethical and spiritual foundations that enable the United States today to fight the professedly atheistic enemy.
We must show them what communism is now doing in the Western Hemisphere, Asia and Africa in encouraging false hopes by propaganda, and then promoting the violence that is inevitably born of disillusionment.
We must help them intelligently to take sides for freedom; to know that ideals cannot be compromised without devastating consequence; and that neutrality is most often in today's world a cowardly camouflage for compromising appeasement.
The fate of our freedom, our faith and of Western civilization depends upon a strong and wise America. One of the great tests of our democracy concerns the capacity of thousands of local school districts to raise the quality of instruction in the nation's classrooms. An urgency we sense moves the United States to insist that we have excellence in our schools, for excellence is essential if we are to remain competitive at home and abroad.
How do we raise the quality of our educational system?
1. We should stop pointing all blame at our teachers.
2. Parents must accept their responsibility of raising their children and not expect teachers to do so.
3. Teachers should not have to spend most of their time on discipline.
4. Parents should attend PTA meetings and know their children's teachers.
5. Less emphasis should be put on sports.
6. More emphasis should be put on academic achievement.
7. Trade schools should be given their proper place in education, along with technical schools.
Arthur G. Trout of Roanoke is former chairman of the Roanoke County School Board.
by CNB