Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-07-12
"CalI Nothing Common" Says the
President OF the University
0f California.
EDUCATION AS A CURE.ALL.
Old Schools More Humane Than the
Graded, but They Exist for Child
And Not Child for Them.


ISOLATION convened In Temple audltori-
um this afternoon. Following the rem
| dition Of several musical numbers, Prof.
John Adams, OF University college, Lon
| don, England addressed the convention
upon "A Significant Lack of 11duca-
| tional Technology" Following this
BENJAMIN 1de Wheeler, president of the
University of California Berkeley, Cal.
spoke upon the subject OF "Can Nothing
| Common His address was received
| with expressions of appreciation by the
large audience that flied the auditor
| um.
PRIEST. WHEELER's ADDRESS.
Prest, Wheeler said In parti
Human society of this present time
and place evidently believes in educa-
ton, IT. is inclined to stake it's life
upon IL. 1t believes on the whole with
faith that Is chill like and bland II
is often perplexed about what to teach
and why, and how to- teach II and
through whom and yet the perpiexitles
seem only 10 sanctify the deep nyster-,
les of pedagogy, aud strengthen faith
In tho systems that issue from the cloud
wrapped mount of education. II educa-
talth is still strong enough aud tho
charity gentle enough to Judge that
there ought TO have been more OF II
IN quantity, or else a higher voltage;
The operation was successful though
tho patient died For all the social ills
education has come 70 be as universal
prescription as blood-letting in the
older medicine. II people are leaving
the farms: II divorce is Undermining
the family: n the political machine Is
looting the elites, the remedy IN to be
found in education: the schools must
look out for IT, This IL the habit Of
opinion today. The habit appears to
be good one; the opinion is presuIn-
ably In substance correct. Surely we
Of the craft are not inclined TO dis
courage It,"
at the heart Of the present day be-
lief in education Is our peoples faith
in the common schools. They have de-
Veloped paripassu with our democracy.
our people are persuaded that the
maintenance of our peculiar instltu-
lions Of popular government Is depend
ent on their existence, and the full and
successful workings OF these instItu-
tons upon their efficiency There has
appeared no competent reason for im-
pugning the wisdom OF this decided and
increasing popular conviction. Not all
the graduates of our common schools
become good citizens nor yet of our
universities; but statistics assign GRIM
inality overwhelmingly to the class of
illlterates. We do not teach young
humans reading In order that they may
read the constitution their understand
ing might conflict with that of the
supreme court, but we teach them read
Ing that they may share the thoughts
and observations OF people of other
places and other times. and so be deliv-
cred from slavery to tho immediate
al 4.
norance and mal-judgment which such
slavery Involves
THE public school must be made
and kent the school for all without rec
ognition of classes or conditions, and
II must shape It's work and plan so as
TO close no door but rather open the
freest opportunity for the best achieves
ment and the highest advance. The
present rigid system of the grades.
whose chief excuse has been economic
necessity must yield to permit the
more rapid advance OF gifted and dill
gent pupils The old district school
without the grades was more humane.
the machinery of grades aud |
is wondrously perfect, but |
the school exists for the child and not |
for the grades. The place for the |
child In reference TO the grades is at |
any time 10 be determined not by what |
he has once gone through IN the past, |
49, Nit' ~ 80 ~ ~'o7''-s'i 'NN ~ NltS
work he Is able 10 go on and do |
next. TOO many minds and too many /
Wills and ambitions are dulled by the /
routine and treaimill Of the grades: |
and that means bandaEng the foot ana
strapping the skull to product a stand
ard size. Particularly 90 the last two
years OF the grades need TO he re-
Treshed ana readapted- The common
schools Of noble name. noble like the
II represents. but he who
falsely shifts the vnluo OF it's name
is warned. he dare call nothing COM
mon OF unclean that service OF human
ty At large has cleaned"