The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1908-12-25
THE NEW EDUCATION.
Elimination Of Unnecessary Studies
In Our Public Schools.


Interest attaches to the remarks
made by DR.. M. Bates Stephens, STATE
superintendent of Public instruction.
on the alleged waste OF time ana Ell.
fort on the part of 80 per cent. Oh
pupils in the public schools by reason
of cast-iron scheme OF STUDIES
framed in the interest OF 10 per cent.
The curriculum of the schools is de-
signed to prepare all the pupils for
the high schools and the graduates OF
the high schools for college. IL all
the pupils went through all the
grades and then went to college the
scheme of instruction would be, pre-
sumably, fairly satisfactory. AS
matter of fact, says the State super
intendent, but 10 per cent. ever grad
nate. Of the graduates only small
percentage go to college The inter
est of the many is thus subordlnated
to that of the few, whereas II there
is to be a bias" in making up the
curriculum, sit should be in the dl-
rection of the 80 per cent. VINO never
go beyond the elementary grades.
The requirements of the high schools
should not, it is held in effect, DOM
mate the course of study in the ele-
mentary grades. The studies pursued
in the grades attended by the great
majority should have more exclusive
reference to the needs of the major
ity; they should embrace such topics
as will be useful to those whose en-
tire education is obtained in the ele-
metary grades. Pupils, it is contend
ed, have equal rights, and it is unfair
to sacrifice the education of 80 per
cent. to the exigencies of 10 per cent.
of the pupils. Parents who do not
wish to prepare their children for col
lege, it is suggested, should have the
option of schools better suited to their
purposes. The effort to adapt the pu-
pills to a symmetrical abstract scheme
of eudcation, instead Of adapting the
scheme to the pupils, has naturally
produced unsatisfactory results. 1t
is deplorable fact" says DR.. Steph-
ems, in view of these results. that
the high schools are feeders of the
colleges" The high schools, it is de-
clared, should stand on their own bot
tom, and likewise the elementary
schools.
When this is brought to pass, and
the curricula of the elementary
grades are shaped for the benefit of
80 per cent. of the pupils in them,
there will be an open door for the "vo-
cational training" which must in the
near fueure, Mr., Stephens predicts,
prevail in the schools. An ancient
sage held that children should be
trained in the things they must do
when they become adults. 1t seems
an obvious truth. A member of the
School Board, it is noted, has suggest
ed that more vocational subjects
should be introduced in the course of
instruction, but their introduction
under existing conditions will be, Mr..
Stephens thinks, somewhat difficult.
1t implies the elimination of present
unnecessary branches of study, which
is commonly opposed by well-meaning
partisans of special studies. 1t is
less difficult to get in new study
than to get out an old one, however
much the latter has become discredit-
ed in the eyes of the vast majority
of educators.
According to dispatch from New
York published in the Sun yesterday,
resident of that city has devoted
100000 to the promotion Of what is
called "the new education The
new education" is the plan which
is designed to promote self-reliance.
1t is founded on the theory that the
ordinary school system misses many
things. The main object of the move
ment is to stimulate executive ability,
to teach children to take the initiative
and to do things, rather than to teach
theoretical knowledge. The sum
which has been given to further this
idea of education will be expended at
the rate of $4,000 in gathering re-
ports on that phase of school work
which fosters the executive and in
itiative in children. The compilations
are in charge of the International
Committee on the New Educational
Movement.