The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-07-22
THE Progressive TEACHER.
Paper Read AZ The state TeaeherS' Asso
citation. July I3. By Prof. George d
NoreIoek. Principal OF The Westmin
@Ipr High school.

We are living in an age Of progress proba.
bis uneQualed by that Of any preceding age Of
the worlds history. 1t Is manifest in every
hue OF work, in every profession, and Ia every
art SO rapid. in fact, have been the strides
OF advancement. that ia every trade. oecupa.
ton. and profession, many. either on account
Of ineompeteney, cr lack ofprogressIye spirit,
have bes,u compcIt to fall by the wayside to
make tuom for others who by their earnest
ness aud ambition have proved themselves
able 90 cope successfully with the difficult
problems which are encountered.
The farmer OF the present day employs diff.
irrrni methods iu tiiiing the soil aud planting
his crops from those employed by the farmer
uf hliy years ago; the physician employs diff
iereut remedies in treating certain disease
from ih0se employed by the physician OF Tor
mer times aud so We might pass on through
all the professions. aud find the same evidence
0f progress m each.
The spirit Of progress has given certain adj
vss,i;ages to the modern farmer and the mod
eru physician which their ioretaiherS did not
possess. The farmer OF today is brought into
closer contact with others engaged in the same
occupation. The farmers institute aud the
various agricultural journals enable him to add
10 his own experience that Of contemporaries
and those who lived before him. The lee
tare room aud the medical Journals are do
ing the same for the physician OF this progres
siEe age.
To The progressive teacher several questions
would naturally suggest themselves: Have we
in our profession as teachers kept pace in the
march of progress Has our advancement
been commensurate with that Of other protes
sious II We cannot answer these questions
afiirtaAlively, then II IS time that We. who are
eggaged in = profession which concerns the
future welfare of the State and the nation
more than any other, should pause to inquire
why we are lagging IN our work
Few teachers would be willing TO admit that
the teaching Of today is not vastly superior to
that Of fifty years ago, bat IA comparing the
results accomplished, 1t must not be forgotten
that the facilities for efficient school work are
also very much greater. The cardinal ques-
lion to be considered would seem to be wheih.
er the progress has been commensurate with
the increased facilities. Until we, as teachers,
eau eonscie;.siously answer ives to this qnes-
ton. We cannot Jay just claim TO superior
progress.
ln contrasting the methods and results OF
the educational work Of the present with those
Of former times, there is frequeHtly tendency
toward a disparagement of everything that Is
not entirely modern This is anfair, and It Is
wrong to assume that everything that is old Is
worthless simply because Of its antiquity, aud
il should be remembered that the present de.
gree ofexcellenee in every profession IS due to
the accumulation of past experiences. Such
contrasts are usually drawn without due con. +.
sideraiion Of the superior advantages possessed
by the teacher Of today over the teacher OF
former times.
Ifu we're possible for one Of the teachers Of
Of darn
school rooms, he would no doubt, be greatly
surprised and mystiied at some Of the meth
ods OF instruction employed. Imagine his sur
prise at our modern word method IN teaching
reading. ln his time this method would have
been considered ridiculous; yet We are thor
oughly convinced that il IS the method by
which the best results may be obtained In the
shortest time He, however, accomplished
the same result probably at a sacrifice of time
aud labor. The modern method of the object
lesson in primary language work would prob
ably recall lessons of similar character IN his
day. for this method was used to some extent
in those times; the words rod, birch, foolscap,
etc. being taught by the object lesson.
On the other hand. no less would be hlS
surprise al our surroundings-the well lighted,
well yea,iiaIed rooms, and comfortable seats,
maps, globes, charts, aud other appliances OF
him TO feel that il he had possessed some OF
these advantages he also might have been able
TO accomplish more satisfactory results.
The public school system is frequently ac'
cused of having an overcrowed curriculum,
and the fact that there are indications OF re.
action, and that relief from the pressure OF
accumulated studies in the schools is antici-
pated, is hailed with delight by many promi-
nent educators. and it is generally believed
that public sentiment is in favor of more SimplI-
city and thoroughneSs in public school work.
1t is true that the course OF study has been en-
larged from time to time until 1t has become
very extensive aud much more difficult to
handle; so that it is questionable whether the
trouble lies in an over r-crowded curriculum, or
whether it lies in the fact that the teachers have
not kept pace and are unable to adapt them
selves to these new conditions.
If the accusation be just, and if it be true
that an overcrowded condition OF the currieu'
lum actually exists, is it not possible that this
condition may be attributed, at least in part,
TO the over anxiety of teachers and school otii'
cials to be among the first to adopt every new
theory brought forth? A teacher learns that
sewing, or cookery, or agriculture has been
introduced into a certain school. The idea at
once occurs to him that unless he introduces
the same into his own school, he may be ac
cused of being behiSd the times, or perhaps
that he may be called by that most dreaded OF
all names. "old fogy. Thus by repeated ad-
ditions, the curriculum becomes so congested
that no teacher however well qualified is able
TO handle it successfully.
The term progress is frequently confounded
with fadism, and the one is easily mistaken
for the other. A proneness to grasp every new
theory without first testing its worth, is not an
evidence of progress. The very fact Of being
ready to accept untried the theories of an
other however well grounded their source
NAV be, is an evidence of weakness. rather
than of strength aud self reliance. Many the
ories are advanced which may be applicable
to one school, and on account of certain local
conditions, entirely inapplicabe to another;
and the school official and the teacher should
be careful to make 4 judicions selection oi
those things best suited to the conditions and
surroundings.
The progressive idea of education recog,