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i ! { WINNETKA WEEKLY TALK, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1920 SCHOOL PROBLEMS By Supt. Washburne Q.--Do you like to have parents help the children with their studies at home, especially in the lower grades? When I help mine he usually says' "But that is not the way the teacher does it." A.--You child has hit the nail on the head. If you can familiarize yourself sufficiently with the way the teacher does it, your help at home may be of real value, but to expect to be helpful without know- ing what the teacher is working for and how she is teaching may result - in more confusion than help. Par- ents should keep in close touch with the teachers and know something about the purposes and methods of educating their children. Questions concerning methods will be gladly answered in this column or in person- al conference. It not infrequently happens that a mother who herself has been a teacher will feel entirely competent to help her child without knowing just how the child is being helped in school, or even in some cases to criticize the methods of the teacher. Criticism of the teachers' method should be directed only to the Superintendent of Schools, but questions designed to help the par- ents in working with the children may, of course, be asked directly of the teachers. The answer to the next question will show one of the ways in which a parent may easily give a child the wrong kind of help with the best intentions in the world. The only way to be safe is to keep in touch with the teacher. O.--Why do you object to children using reasoning in. learning how to add and subtract? When my little girl asked me how much 4 and 5 was I told her to work it out with some toothpicks. Later her teacher told 'me that this was wrong. Why? A.--There are many things in life which have ot be done so frequent- ly that it is better to have them automatic than thoughtful. When a child is learning to walk we do not teach him to think where his weight should come and when he should put each foot forward, but trust to the trial and error method to teach him a series of reflex, so that he will not have to think about his walking. When a child is learning to talk we do not at first correct his English by teaching him grammar. We teach him that "ain't" is wrong and "is not" is right, entirely regardless if the rea- sons. When a child asks the name of an object--a thermometer for instance,--we tell him the name but do not attempt to tell him that it is called a thermometer because it measures heat and the Greek word for heat is thermos. This all may come ldter, but our immediate con- cern is to give the child a working knowledge of those things for which he is going to have frequent use. Arithmetic combinations (i. e. 3 x 4 -- 7,4 x 4 --8, etc.) are number facts which the child is going to use all through his life. To start him in the habit of counting on his fingers, or on little lines or pegs, is either to slow down all his arithmetical pro- cesses or to give him a habit which mush afterward be broken. There are only 45 such combinations. Chil- dren can easily learn these as facts, just as they learn the names of ob- ject. When they do learn every com bination automatically their arith- metic work is more rapid and more accurate and they can use their rea- ! soning powers for applying this fact knowledge to the ready solution of practical problems. In order to prevent children from counting when they add we deliber- ately begin in the first grade with | the more difficult combinations, not with 1 x 1, but with 5 x 4, 6 x 3, etc. We teach children to count independ- ently so that they know what 9 means, but we never teach them to count 5 and then 4 more and find out that this gives 9. The children will find this out ultimately, but we do our best to establish an instan- taneous recognition of 5 x 4 as spell- ing 9, before, any thinking on this subject is done. This upsets the pet pedagogical theories of a good many of the edu- cators of a few years ago, and even of some of those now occupying high positions. Teaching the number com- binations so that they will be known automatically, however, is not bas- ed upon pedagogical dogma; it is based rather on scientific study and efficiency of results, and is recom- mended by educators who base their recommendations on research rather than on philosophy. SCOUT TROOP NO. 2 WILL CELEBRATE ANNIVERSARY Boy Scout Troop No. 2 is planning a hike in celebration of its first an- niversary Saturday. During the year the boys, under Scoutmaster Ger- hard, have effected a flourishing or- ganization, which is now entering enthusiastically upon its second year. Meetings are held in the Parish house every Monday evening. The Troop now has its full quota of thirty-two active members, with several boys under the 12-year age limit enlisted as "cubs". Application has been made to national head- quarters for permjssion to enroll additional members. There will therefore be room for more, and any boy of the community, not already a Scout, will be welcomed in Troop | No. 2. Don't let yourself think that your suits and overcoats are worn out. Let us clean, press and repair them and convince you that they are still good for many months more wear. - 1063 Gage St. Hubbard Woods Tailors & Cleaners Formerly H. E. ODHNER, Tailor WINNETKA Phone Win. 278 A LONG HEAD or A SHORT HEAD It's queer how the thrift habit seems to reflect itself in people. Usually the more efficient, earnest workers have savings accounts. They are usually long headed--the ones who plan ahead. Are you of that type? Or are you short headed? Be long headed--plan for the future by opening thatsavingsaccount here today. All money deposited here earns 3 per cent interest WINNETKA TRUST and SAVINGS BANK Simonizing Expert Washing Have your car made ready for Winter Driving [SPECIAL ATTENTION TO DETAILS | Cylinder Reboring Repairing of all kinds . HUBBARD WOODS MOTOR CAR CO. North Ave., at R. R. Tracks Phone Winnetka 617 Attention! Progressive Voters! JAMES M. COX Department. Created State Board for Voca- tional Education. Adoption of Health Code. Establishment of State Tuber- Establishment of Modern Bud- culosis Hospital. LEAGUE OF NATIONS: GOVERNOR COX' Record of Legislation 52 Measures of Constructive Law for Qhio Such as: Labor. Suffrage. get System. Created Vocational Education for Blind Children. Created Institute for Deformed Elimination of Sweat Shop and Crippled Children. Establishment of Child Welfare Recommendation and Passage State Legislation for Women Governor COX says: '""agreed upon. [13 N "The first duty of the new Administration clearly will be "the ratification of the Treaty. A definite plan has been The League of Nations is in operation The question is whether we shall or shall not "join in this practical and humane movement . . . . "As the Democratic Candidate I favor going in." Gov. Cox' Speech, Accepting Nomination for Presidency. Senator HA RDING says: "The obligations are clear enough and specific enough. I oppose the "proposed League I donot want to clarify these obligations. I want "to turn my back on them. It is not interpretation, but rejection that "] am seeking." "I am without a specific program constructive in char- "acter about world associations." Des Moines Speech, Oct. 8, 1920 Baltimore Speech, Sept. 27, 1920 VOTE for COX and ROOSEVELT NATHANIEL H. BLATCHFORD, JR. FREDERICK K. COPELAND WILLIAM B. HALE HAROLD L. ICKES ROSWELL B. MASON WILLIAM S. MILLER W. McM. RUTTER HENRY F. TENNEY ROBERT H. WALLACE ROLAND D. WHITMAN