New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-22
A CHOICE IN EDUCATION.
THE ELECTIVE SYSTEM ADVISED BY
PROFESSOR p. G. wIGGIN.
THE RESULTS OF PRESENT SCHOOL, WORK SMALL
IN PROPORTION TO TIME AND EFFORT
EXPENDED-PRoGRAMMr OF STUDY


IN PROPORTION TO TIME AND EFFORT
MISUNDERSTANDING OF STUDY
SHOULD BE ALTERED.
p g. Wiggin writes TO The Boston Transcript
TO say that the result OF our public school work.
especially in the case OF the Girls is amazingly
small In proportion to the time and effort ex-
pended.
THE phenomenon" he says. .is partially
plained by the fact that we instruct our children
In the same manner in which the sage Imoe first
attempted to prepare himself for life. amused
myself during the voyage. related the wise man.
sometimes by learning from the sailors the art
OF navigation. which have never practised, and
sometimes. by forming schemes for my conduct
In different situations In not one of which have
ever been placed The results Of such futile meth
DDS would naturally be unsatisfactory, and their
reform Is matter OF Importance. But how Is this
to tc accomplished?
The chief cause Of the trouble seems to be the
fact that the schools endeavoring to cling to
traditional method OF education when the condi-
lions which once justified that method have passed
away In earlier days the fixed programme found
a sufficient justification in the existence OF
definite standard Of culture but such standard
exists no longer The scholastic ideal, once fixed
and easily defined had been gradually losing It's
hold until In the last few years. those years which
have seen the extraordinary advance OF the spe-
ciallst, 1t has almost entirely disappeared And
mas leIt no SUCCESSOR. Inc pOncy pursued by the
schools is evidently out Of harmony with this ten
dency toward specialization.
THE result OF It has been a lamentabe loss In
vitality II may. OF course. be conceded that there
are occasions when popular movements are I'M
healthy In tone or manifestly OF a temporary nat
ure. when the great body OF educator not only
justified In entering their plea against the momen-
tary insanity. but they even under a moral obli-
cation TO make what stand they against It; but
1t seems very improbable that this Is one OF those
occasions. The tendency TO specialize IL not an un-
wholesome TAD: 1t is a necessity OF the times which
must be recognized and met before there can be
again any vital relation between a child's early
education and his future. And II Is not 10 be met
by putting of long possible the inevitable
moment OF choice, by wasting years In purpose
less and therefore desutory and vain pursuit OF
unrelated subjects under the pretence Of laying
broad foundation for uncertain future structure.
This method forces the young person to make up
for the lost time at last by intense and UNMARRIED
application In the field In which he may make
himself useful 10 society and since our secondary
education rarely succeeds In forming the taste.
and una. simulated knowledge soon slips away,
the graduate Of our schools who has had no other
training Is forced into that very narrowness from
which the schools would have guarded him. BY
undue conservatism they defeat their own ends
THE NEEDS OF THE TINES.
The greater colleges and universities have long
since recognized the needs OF the times meeting
them more or less successfully by means OF the
elective system; and they have attempted to extend
this system 10 the lower schools by proposing an
increasingly large choice OF subjects which may
be offered for admission. But. partly from consid-
eratons OF economy and partly because few Of the
leaders in the field OF secondary education are In
cordial sympathy with the movement, the lower
schools have not met these advances half way.
1T is true they have In most cases taken the
license aowed-they were forced to do by their
the programmes remain fixed as before, the only
change being that there are several from among
even this small modisum Of liberty is permitted
outside the nigh or preparatory schools. Before
either in the choice OF subjects in the order
In which they are 10 be taken up; he must march
reading and other subjects Of the school pro-
gramme quite a; II the ,S connection between them
The absuTdiiy Of al this is palpable. and,
velopins the. faculties or EFFORT TO furnish
the mind with knowledge or believes IT wise 70
ms,hGd IL s eauniGly a,EgDanIE ,
special abilities and weaknesses. and X we would
make them useful citizens We must contrive 10
deyslNp the former and CyersCms the latter we
same programme az the same pace II Is az inn
possible as 4 would be to develop their muscle.
regard 10 individual strength and physical con-
The attempt accomplish this impossbllity has
given an appearance OF Inconsistency and vacil-
latlon to the policy Of our secondary schools which
confidence in the nfalibilIty OF educators
s. Of bp IN IS FOR TO the n
out reasonable hope Of finding a guiding light. and
in view OF the dlsagreements and indecision of
these Swans led TO question whether IL
would not be better to consider more carefully the
tastes OF the pupil and the practical sense OF the
parents. corrected by the advice OF teachers II Is
cert anly possible that there might be safer guides
I'm the choice Of subjects than artificial and fire.
quently whimsical programme has been found TO
be. and although this method would also have It's
difficulties. for. since economy must always be
determining factor In the cduca ton OF the OF
tho people the union OF the greatest possible
Ideal that hardly be realized except by the
favored few. whose money commands the best
opportunities
III some freedom OF choice could be given
among those subjects which are not strictly neces-
sary, the child's attitude toward his work would
at least be more wholesome and natural Both he
and his teacher would be compelled to recognize
some definite purpose IN his study, and the gain
in interest and vitality would be incalculable'