Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-13
COURSE IN EDUCATION.
Rowdoin College Takes the Lead IN
Another Important Matter.

Tn response to inquiries regarding
the new course in education ~hlch mas
been opened at BOwdoin with the pres
ent half year, the following mas Deen
issued by the college relative to the
new course. which by the way. is the
first one of it's kind to be opened in our
State. Following are facts regarding
the aims. method and scope of the work
of the course. which will have as its
basis the training of college-bred
teachers.
THE courses OF education in our COL
leges and universities prepare for edu-
cational leadership; it may be of one
sort or 1t may be of another; it may be
for the teacher or for the citizen of
public spirit; in all cases the aim is to
prepare for educational leadership.
Courses in pedagogy aim at better
teaching to be sure; but more than
that they aim at equipping men and
women to cultivate public opinion and
bring backward school systems up to
date.
1.-THE first course deals with educa-
tiOnal theory. To many this is a dull
unpleasant word. Let us have more
lfitS SdS, diil icSS tieofs
There you have it. the old delusion that
has stood for all time in the way of
progress. To be sure. experience is of
great value when one enters upon it
properly equipped: indeed. no amount
of library study can give teacher
what he is bound to stumble upon dur
ing the first year in the class room.
But the wisdom of added years is not
the wisdom of experience alone.
Rather ii Is the result of intelligent
questioning and interpreting of expert
cnce II is precisely this experience of
the teaching and the scientific world.
organized under guiding principles,
that we call educational theory.
'Unguided experience may be often
the blind leader of the blind. History
tells us that it has been so. Years of
experience often do little more than in
crease prejudices in an impenetrable
shell.
Yet course in educational theory
does not consist in regular doses of
dogma. speculative theory and such
bad tasting stuff. 1t is rather a course
of combating blindness and narrow
ness of vision. a course in thinking on
educational matters. The student is
given the power to criticize his own
teaching; he is saved from many mis-
takes-th" blind stumbling and the
early decay. More than all this. he is
prepared in q measure to be a leader in
his community. Whether or not a man
is teacher or expects to be- he should
hope to take an intelligent interest in
directing educational affairs in his own
community. AS a citizen and a father.
he owes this much to his schools; as a
oollege-bred man. he owes this much to
the community. Preparation for such
service is found in a college course
which develops sustained and indie
pendent thinking guided by the educa-
tlonal experience of centuries.
The study of the history of educa-
ton imparts a sense Of solidarity with
the academic past: that the teacher
may regard himself as the dignified
maintaincr of whatever is honorable
and enduring in educational tradition
II inspires him with the highest ideals
of his calling: it humanizes his work:
and 1t forever makes him responsive to
the voices of great teachers.
college courses in education began
in New York university IS years ago;
but only recently have colleges gener-
ally recognized the need of a higher
training for teachers than that fur
nished by normal schools In 1884 six
educational institutions offered peda-
gogical instruction.: in 1898 the number
was So: in 1897. 220: in 1899. 244 and
In 1902. IA. From these figures it is
clear that the colleges of Maine have
been slow in responding to the demand
tor the professional training of college
bred men teachers. and as already stat
Ell Bowdoin is the first college in the
State to take up the work