The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-03-06
PUPILS LEARN NOTHING
RIGHT, A MOTHER SAYS
Taught Mass Of Detail Under Modern System, and She Doubts That
Plan Fits Child for Future Usefulness.

n CORRESPONDENT. writes: 81 ar much interested In the problem OF
~ the public school curriculum. Does it adequately fit the child fol
4 - future usefulness? Wherein should 1T be modified?
"The subject is especially brought home to he justn for my tnree og
Ill children Of fully averages intelligence an having received nearly all
their intellectual training in the public schools cannot-one single one of them
write r spell In a way which I would call decent. Yet they are all
we'll advanced IN mathematics biology and physiology, i'll the latter even to
knowing the component parts of bnei They havea tremendous varietyi n ther
school work, and 1 an wondering what it all amounts to-
"T have taught m fourth child his letters in he oldfashioned. way, ana" 70
can say the alphabet. ad knows that the component parts OF IT arr ! an
1t is not merely a picture to him. He will ultimately be able to find words r
the dictionary and subjects in the encycopedia-which my other son ae ny
and, / fear, never will be--sncet they have never learned the Apna D ~ ~. ~
Doesn't that seem to you dreadful? 1t all looks to me rs though HI cnidpn
were learning such a quantiy-not to say, mass-of details. that they learn
accurately" #t
This womau,s letter is dated at a place considerably removed from New
York-and yet in New York. and other public schools there are ne ouot
grounds for similar complaints. NsssM ~
~ Richard Burton. in q recent eloquent address upon the subject was Duel
in denunciation of those who darken wisdom with much counsel regarding
modes of education.
at is the simplest thing m al imagine" he insisted ut is like breath
ing and eating-just the most natural thing gin the world. All that is neces-
is that a strong,r refined, educated personality should be brought int
contact with the child. Then take good books and pre ove them tosether'
the child learning, the teacher guiding and expatning-and To-! thu thing 10
done" *Effs t""H t%
This is all very well. But wherea r your Strong refined educated per-
scnanhes?" They are not common-and since they ire n% the curriculum
must be shaped accordingly.
Even our Dr. Naxweps enemtes-and n man Of such convictions as MS
car fail to have enemies-must admit that he ha brought our schools u
wonderfully. His ideals are high. and his methods original but wen neretis
lit not tre that our children are too often taught from the viewpoint OF
quantity rather than that of quality? asks Kate Epson Clark in the rooki
Eagle fr #l
Peter Macarthur. has written some lines upon this subject which are worth
quoting: H. SIS -
my little boy is eight years old. He also learns astronomy,
He ges to school each day. And names the stars it night
He doesn't min the tasks they set OF course he's very up to date
They seem to him but play. But / wish that lie could write
He heads his class 1t rama work.
And also akes the lead "They teach him things botanical;
At making dtnky paper boats They teach him how to rs" {.
But I wish that he could read. He babies Of mythology
And gravhattons law. =
"They teach hinp physiology; The discoveries of science
And, oh. it chms our hearts With him are qure a fad.
To hearo III pratting innocent They tell ne he's a clever boy
Mix u his inward parts - But. I wsh that he could add