The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-08-07
LUTHER II. GUL1CK, N. D.,
Director, Department of Child Hygiene,
Russell sage Foundation.

xtugkcu SaSS FOuuQutloAs
CFrom Worlds Work.)
Last June an army of 100000 boys
and girls, about fourteen and half
years old. marched from the city pub
lie schools Of America. proudly bear
ing the evidence of having completed
successfully the eight years OF study,
During that month and the months
preceding there dropped from the
ranks another army OF 25o0o0 children
who had failed OF graduation. They
were of about equal age and had spent
about the same length OF time in
school as their more fortunate school,
mates. The larger fraction Of this
100000 educational failures had COM
pIeted only six Of the eight years IN
the course of study.
This Is our great educational prob.
lem. 1t transcends In Importance all
questions as to the method ana scope
content or intent, for the first thins
10 do is 10 get the children to attend
school.
The whole theory of democracy is
built on the assumption that the
voters shall be Intelligent The last
two years OF the elementary schools
contain the studies basal to intelligent
citizenship-United States history,
civics, commercial geography, etc.
Our school systems have accom-
plished the first task given to them,
They have in less than century
reached the point where all the pupils
do actually get a working knowledge
OF the fundamentals OF an intelligent
lie. namely. the ability to read the
daily papers,to write, to do such oper.
ations with figures as are involved IN
daily financial transactions. Ihls mas
never been done be.ore in the history
of the world. Heretofore the bulk OF
the world got what education 1t Sc.
cured in the home. In single CEN
tury the world has developed social
instrument which actually does this
fundamental and world-changing thing
that Isl. puts the "three RS into
the possession OF all
we In the United States are making
a new demand of our schools. The
pupils must learn the fundamental
facts necessary to intelligent citizen-
snip. Because of the decay OF the
apprenticeship system we may have
to include vocational training in the
schools; but, whether this is to come
or not, 1t is necessary for all to be-
come intelligent citizens.
The last two years OF the course are
by all odds the most valuable years.
In a certain sense the first years are
but preparatory to the last two years.
During the first years the pupil has
been manly acquiring the tools OF
education. During the last two years
he learns more about applying these
tools. than he does during the whole
first SIX years. In such subjects as
commercial geography he will light
upon the activities of all our people
The study Of how our country is gov
erned-civics--is basal to intelligent
citizenship. The study Of United
States history has been parenthetical
and lnadequate during the preceding
wears. During the last two years 1t
is comprehensive and consecutive. This
tragedy. therefore. Of the bulk OF the
children who fail of graduation Is that
they succeed In accomplishing no
more than the first six years OF the
course.
How. then. may we save this army
OF 100000 children who drop out Of
school without completing the last
two years of the course? I use the
Word save" deliberately for large
fraction of these 100000 children drop
out Of school because they have failed.
They are humiliated, their confidence
In their own ability us DESTROYED, and
the soul-destroying conviction Is
ground into them that they are "fail-