San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-03-01
A PROGRESSIVE
Thought on Secondary Edu-
cation,
BY PROF. WILLIAM scHoCH.

NOb BIodb "hiio oBV, AOou
an article written by one Of the
bright men of our state, entitled
'sThe Public School Farce" In
it / found the following passage:
"Our public school system is
simply a machine into which
multiiar1ous minds are thrown, as
raw material, and transformed
into so many mental shoe-pegs.
No attempt is made to measure
the capabilities of the pupil-to
determine whether almighty God
intended him for poet or pot
walloper, Massillon or a mule
driver. There Is the curriculum
as unyeilding as the bed OF Pro-
crastes; like youthful Edison
and the ass colt, the budding
Shakespeare and the thick-skulled
Senegambian, are fed on the same
intellectual fodder-their minds
driven with a brutal maui into
the same mould" These words
seem like unkind criticism, but
they embody thought which is
forcing itself more and more into
prominence. More than one
parent is asking himself the ques-
tion: Should not the course Of
study in the public school be ar
ranged more to conform to the
varying ability and taste Of the
pupil? To discuss this question
on a rational basis, we shall have
to ascertain the true end OF educa-
ton and then determine how
near we come to its attainment.
or course, the limited space at
my disposal will not permit any
extended argument, much less the
development of a whole education
al theory. Only enough will here
be attempted to convince you that
the advantages offered in our
public schools need broadening,
and that this may be effected by
allowing greater freedom Of
choice among the subjects taught.
The aim of education is to pre-.
pare for complete living 1t is a
search for means "to bring the
most intensive individual exis-
tence into harmony with the most
extensive life," and therefore has
a double end: ID The harmonious
development in the individual OF
all the capacities proper and useful
to the race; (2) The development of
the individual of such capacities
as are peculiar to him. Education
therefore, as far as the individual
is concerned-should insure his
usefulness and happiness
The kind OF occupation a man
engages in, its value for himself
and others, will evidently depend
on his leading interests, his mo-
tives or incentives to activity.
Therefore, the more mans work
lies in the direction OF his tastes
and ability, the greater the likeli-
hood that it will be done we'll. AS
a result, power to do like work will
be developed and the conscious
ness OF this power will be a pleas.
ure for him and, as such, an in
ducement to still greater effort.
For pleasures impel and pains in
hibit, and their power is tremen-
dous, especially in the young.
Hence the stress placed on excit-
ing interest in children, and rely
ing mainly on this interest for
success of method. We may say,
therefore, that the efficiency of
different subjects in promoting the
realization OF the aim of education
consists Cd in the strength and
perseverance of the interest de-
rived, and (2) in the degree OF
power developed.
Strong, real, and permanent in
terest in a subject is impossible,
unless the subject is Understood |
and the pupil believes he has some
for it. The forced pur-
suit OF permanently embarrassing |
subjects-subjects for which the |
learner has no capacity-invari-
abb cultivates aversion and |
evasion, unless the teacher is
satisfied with inadequate or parti-
al achievements. The first two are
the recognized evils Of the cast
iron courses of study, and the last
their lame remedy. Throughout
my experience there has not been
q year when some one pupil had
not to be marked lenieRtly in a
particular subject, for which he
had no interest or capacity, that
he might not be debarred from
when his studying
otherwise was excellent. More
than once, some one teacher had
10 do violence to his judgment.
Aside from this, the inflexible
curriculum is suitable only to a
limited number OF pupils. For the
number OF graduates is generally
but very small per cent OF the
pupils entering the high school, and
If this number. there are only
ew who go to college and the rest
With rare exception, become teach
.rs-t0 nnrnatuRta the intel ectu-