Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-07-18
PLAN FOR A MODEL SCHOOL.

G. H. poerninger president OF The
National New Education League, with
headquarters at Milwaukee, believes
that 1.-The psychological moment for an
advance movement" in education has
| arrived.
He first shows how supremey the
| Lancaster system Of education reigne1
| in this country for nearly half a cen
| tury until Horace Mann returned from
Europe and proclaimed the doctrines Of
rational pedagogy, for which his oh
servation, principally IN Germany had
| Inspired him.
Mr.. Doerfiinger complains that the
light ignited by Horace Mann has even
! yet not dawnod upon most of the school
districts OF our country; that respect
for the law and the inallenable human
| rights even for the simple precepts Of
the Golden Rule is on the decrease
| In magnificent schools buildings in
wealthy cities. he finds that the teach
Ing force trembles before the possl
billty of strikes or other outbreaks Of
a reign of terror led by considerable
percentage of criminally disposed pu-
| pills. while nefflciently constituted
| school boards in many parts If
| the country still proclaim the 3 II
| Trinity as the true an only god
| Educat ional pathfinders endowed vita
a holy fire of enthusiasm for the up
| lifting OF the race by means OF humani
| tartan soul development usually meet
| with indifference and want OF insight
on the part Of school boards as we'll
as parents and public"
He draws clear picture of how
strong character has occasionally made
efforts and even succeeded In raising
the standars OF the school work. and
then how ignorant ambitious mer'
cenary or malicious demagogues ride
into power and turn the wheels of
progress Backward or how, some
times by means of partisan poll
ties. sometimes by utilizing class
despotism which Is gaining ground in
| formerly progressive communities
masses OF uniformed people blindly
follow leaders or mseaders, and undo
| the work OF talented educational lead
| crF,
The remedy proposed for this cond,-
ton is. in this reformer's words ''An
improved education broader and better
in quality and power ethical and es'
thetic as well as intellectual and phys
ical for the whole people not only for
live per cent to ten per cent that are
now enabled TO so to the high schools,
colleges and universities" He main
tains that every healthy citizen should
be raised upon level of general cul-
ture so as to he able to observe, think
Judge and act for himself and be in
dependent of misleaders.
To carry out the theory n school -
serve az AN educational model is first
to be established somewhere in the
United States where environments are
sntisfactory and faculty composed
exclusively of able, practical teachers
neither too old nor too young, of suf-
hcient experience and devoted to new
education" ideals. is to be engaged ami
placed under the direction Of a presl-
ent possessed Of those qualities in a
higher degree, "a genial disposition and
Il strong character
Ethical culture. the evolution OF
good beautiful souls and strong char
acters" Is to be kept constantly IN
view. the school Is to have twelve
grades and Is TO demonstrate how the
new system VIII absorb the present
expensive and unsatisfactory high
schools. and many special superlnten'
denotes, as soon rs the normal schools
receive better prepared students and
learn to train them better 80 that the
total expenses win not be Increased
materially 10y the reorganization
The reformer confidently claims that
this proposed model school well Of
J ticered and equipped and kept absolute.
~ free from political and other detrl-
mental non pedagogical influences en-
Toying beside the eight grades OF the
rational schools referred TO above, two
kinder garten grades as a better foun'
dalton and two additional advanced
grades at the top, win achieve IA
better results than were attained BIS
It's former simpler prototypes of lnteiio
equipment aud says that II Will glV'
It's pupils ht about sixteen years Of
age an all-around culture of a scope
, Approximately equal to that obtane'
In the present high schools al abou
+, eighteen years Of age, but better II
, quality and powers
The cost Is estimated AZ $4,000 70
T, site ana buildings and S60,OOO per year
p for maintenance private cndowmen
rs regarded as essential in order 60 se'
cure freedom from those deu1mcnta
q aud even yitiatlng influences of th'
f. average board NJ trustees.
e Those az the back of the movement
g are state superintendent - =. carr
r. OF Wisconsin President g. n. Van Hts
q uf thr state University and Prof
e M " O'Shea, the Dean Of III
IA department Of Education, Pro
e Charles McKenney of the Milwaukee