The San Francisco call., 1909-05-24
HEADOF NORMAL
HAYS TEACHING
PLANS OF TODAY
Prof. William Burk Writes Book
on "MediaevaIism of
High Schools"
present Day Methods of Peda-
gogy Antiquated and USE
less" He Says

After 80 years Of work in the edu-
cauonal field. William Burk. principal
OF the state normal school in San Fran
cisco, has come out unequivocaily
against the present system OF teach
ing. and has written a book in which
he 1sys the pedagogic method of the
present day, denouncing it as archaic
and medieval. Two chapters Of the
book will be published in a coming
issue OF Worlds Work.
That he has followed the conven-
tional course solely because he had TO
make a living. he frankly admitted.
I have appealed to the pedagogue
for 90 years without success" he said,
and now / appeal to the people. Our
educational system is based on tradi-
tions and customs which had their in
ception in medieval times"
Under the heading The Mediaevalism
OF Our High Schools" he has no hesi-
fancy in explaining his views: He
says:
The subjects which are most gener-
ally taught in all high schools are those
OF mathematics-algeb and geometry.
So vital and essential do they seem to
be considered that practically no stu
dent. whatever his goal or ambition
in the world of activity may be, is
permitted to escape them.
UNKNOWN IN THE WORLD"
Yet, the items OF mathematical
principles and the forms. as presented
by our schools and college courses. are,
as a matter Of fact. virtually unknown
in any field Of world life. 1t is a
strange condition Of ignorance that
most teachers vaguely suppose that at
least the engineering occupations con-
Germ themselves with the school type
OF algebra and geometry. The algebra
Of the schools chiefly consists in re-
solving complex factoring expressions,
the like of which is unknown on earth.
and probably not in heaven. Then
follows various algebraic proofs re-
garding the divisability of sums
the proof OF binomial formula.
philosophic proofs upon the significance
OF imaginary quantities and negative
values and finally the pupil is led
through a maze OF quedratic equations
resolvable only by steps of strange de-
vice"
Speaking Of historians he says:
We certainly need these exhumers in
the work Of civilization. but 1T does
not fellow that the memories OF school
children should be turned over to
them as museums for their unused
junk"
FORCES LIFE FROM WORLD
His argument against the system is
summed UP in the following words:
The medieval problem was how to
live away from the world; ours how
to live In ft, for it and by it Yet,
by dramatic tragedy OF fate, out OF
the graveyard OF the medieval world
there extends one dead hand-the
hand OF the scholar monk, passing
down his pedagogy to the schools of
the twentieth century. BY this with
cred hand our children are compelled
20 study unincarnated forms of
knowledge. not world knowledge it
self"
The book throughout voices an en-
phatic protest against the system OF
teaching a pupil a certain subject. not
FOR the good that he may obtain from
that subject. but for the mental dis
cipline which viii be his IL It is i'm
parted to him according TO the lines
OF conventional standards. Along this
trend of thought he says:
Upon the simple ground that the
world was using science the subject
never would have been admitted, but
z trick was played upon the peda-
gogues. worthy Of the Greeks who
made the wooden horse. Somebody
started the rumor that science would
train the faculty Of observation So
the pedagogues opened a crack in the
door and the world spirit pushed in
6 little science. The pedagogues fell
upon IL and fashioned IL into observa-
ton drills. according to the undisoov-
cred laws OF the mind. There is, as a
rule. very little world science in school
science. but a great deal OF mental
process
Principal Burk has been the head
OF the state normal school for many
years After having completed a post
graduate course in an eastern univer-
sity he entered the newspaper field
for FIVE years and then entered on his
educational work.