The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-03
Technical Education in Public Schools

Technical Education in Public Schools.
Kindred to the great religious strife now
raging in Europe q most animated agitation
ing on both sides Of the Atlantic. In recent
communication to the London Times Sir John
Lubbock q great leader of British scientific
thought, urges the extension OF the system of
specific subjects IN the elementary schools
and the increase Of stimulants for proficiency.
to facilitate the ENGRAVING of science teaching
on the present rudimentary tuition. AS the
spokesman Tor his class he proposes change
which, if adopted, will virtually revolutionize
the education of Great Britain.
That a slow and silent revolution has been
going on tor years in the educational systems,
both in Europe and America, is manifest, and
it becomes an important thing to guide it
away from the dangers upon which extremists
would run it. Nothing in our day is more
over-tinkered and liable to be prostituted to
Improbable ends than education. and its
critical discussion is greatly needed. The
modern free school was not intended to sup
ply the demand for technical training in spe-
citic subjects, and, while Its warmest friends
have never aspired so high for it, such an ex-
tension OF its sphere would surely be prema-
ture. We cannot too carefully guard an in
stitution such as this from any expansion
beyond its proper limits. To do so is like
building story upon story to a structure whose
foundation was laid for more modest
mansion, but is finally crushed by the ad-
ditional weight The revolutionary measures
proposed by the advocates of strictly tech
meal free schools in England (and their
views are re-echoed here) aim at teaching the
sciences on q much broader scale than is now
done in many of the higher academies
Whatever may be said in favor of enlarged
misunderstanding in lieu of the old classical
study, to make the former an integral part of
the regular school course will enormously in
crease the scope and expense of free educa-
ton without any special advantage TO the
public.
There is scarcely any evil attaching to in
tellectual culture more to be dreaded than
''book-ridden" education; and to this we may
be fast approaching The coercive schooling
to which in a measure we have become COM
mitted it is to be feared is one of the ex-
crescences which larger experience will soon
lop of. Nor has the overgrowth stopped with
this. We have had grave propositions to
make grand national university and to
devote hundreds of millions OF money to do
in questionable way, what is now done to
the satisfaction of all by collegiate instltu-
tons that have stood the severest tests of
time.
| Sir John Lubbock's views will chime in
with those of many public educators on this
side the water, for it is the misfortune of
every class Of public servants to magnify their
craft Already the burdens of free educa-
tional institutions, which an overtaxed people
have to carry, might tax the most Atlantean
patience and endurance. But to add to these,
under present circumstances, would produce a
reaction of popular feeling in this country,
from the effects of which all free education
would take many years to recover.