Introducing the American SpiritSteiner, Edward Alfred
General
Introducing the American Spirit
Steiner, Edward Alfred
National characteristics, American; United States -- Social life and customs -- 1865-1918
I had never seen the Herr Director as enthusiastic over anything as he
was over this cowboy school superintendent, with his program of reaching
every man, woman and child in the county through his educational and
recreational program, his annual budget of some seventy-five thousand
dollars, and a faculty of men and women college bred, and citizens of
the town. They are not merely educated tramps, but are there to stay,
and they take pride in the town in which they make their home.
The Herr Director was no less amused than I was when we were told by one
of the teachers that the superintendent, at one of the school board
meetings had pulled off his coat and threatened to thrash one of the
members who refused his vote on an important measure. As we looked at
this six foot three, erstwhile cowboy, his broad shoulders and strong
arms which seemed reluctantly confined in a coat, and as we saw his
square, determined jaw,--we knew that the unruly member voted _aye_.
Both the Herr Director and I were asked to speak to the boys and girls.
As soon as they entered the room the air became electric with their high
school yell; they "rah rahed" us individually and collectively, and
"what's the matter withed" everybody, and indulged in all those academic
and classical performances which every high school now seems to consider
an essential part of preparation for college.
The Herr Director told them that among all the things he had seen thus
far in America he liked their high school the best; which remark of
course elicited thunderous applause. This was most gratifying to him,
and all day he was in high spirits. He thought the most hopeful
characteristic of the American is this faith in education, the
practical, far-reaching methods employed, and the daring all sorts of
educational experiments. At the same time he severely criticized our
lack of unanimity, and the evident disadvantages of such communities as
have no cowboy superintendent to lick a conservative or stingy school
board member into conformity with his plans.
We visited an agricultural college where we were told of farmers who
came to study soil fertility, and farmers' wives who studied kitchen
chemistry, farmers' children who tested seeds, and to whom these
prairies, to which they were being bound by an intelligent knowledge of
their environment, were beginning to speak a new language.
We saw a teacher's college which one with the prophet's vision had
planted in the desert. The sage-brush ridden prairie had been
transformed into a glorious campus, and uncultured boys and girls into
enthusiastic teachers. More than twelve hundred of them come back each
year to get better equipment for their difficult task.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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