This Modern “Dope”

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Education.

Our Johnny is a pupil
In a public school, you know;
His class he leads
In stringing beads
All in a fancy row;
At writing he’s deficient,
He can’t spell even “cat,”
But ah! he knows
Each flower that grows,
So what care we for that?

In mathematics Johnny
Is hardly any good,
But he can knit
A woolen mitt
As well as gramma could!
He doesn’t know one hero
Or date in history,
But hip hooray!
His blocks of clay
Are beautiful to see.

Before he’s graduated
An’ awful lot he’ll know,
And he can turn
The things he’ll learn
To profit — maybe so;
But yet, somehow we hope,
He’ll learn enough
“Old-fashioned stuff”
To drown this modern “dope.”

— Paul West in New York World.

Olean Evening Times (Olean, New York) Oct 17, 1911

Tags: 1911, Poetry, Progressive Education