El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-04-20
SPE GIBLIST
ARE NOW IN
DEMAND
General knowledge Is No
Longer Desired in Busi-
ness and Professions.
TEACHING TEACHERS
NEWEST PROFESSION
CBy Frederic ]. Haskin.)

Washington. D. c., April 2O.-Time
was when there were but three prOfes-
sions. law, medicine and theology. The
universities turned out lawyers. cler-
gymen and physicians, and men whose
lives were to be devoted 70 any other
work were not considered 10 be worthy
objects Of higher education. Law was
taught to students OF law by lawyers;
theology was taught to students OF
theology by doctors Of divinity; and
medicine was taught to medical stu
dents by physicians. 1t was not deemed
necessary for teachers to be, above all
things else, teachers
All that has changed. The change
came with the era q specialization,
and largely on account OF its more liz
uid constitution, has been most heartily
welcomed by the American university.
No Call for MediOcity.
The spirit of the American university
has said that in this utilitarian age, ed
uceIion must be Of practical valCe.
While general culture IS not over
looked, new courses Of training are
being developed which viii fit a man
or a woman 10 enter at once upon re
n7unerative work The demand for the
properly trained worker is greater than
the supply. While for mediOCriry there
is little call, the expert may be sure OF
a comfortable income in whatever TOca-
ton he chooses There are lawyers,
doctors and preachers enough, but
there are too few highly trained men
in the never professions.
II sounds like a paradox, but it is
true that the profession OF teaching is
the newest profession Of all
The time has passed when knOwl-
edge Of subject is considered suffi-
cient training for a teacher. Now the
fact is recognized that a man may be
a scholar without being able TO pro-
duce scholars. A knowledge Of peda-
gOgy is as important as a knowledge
Of a subject, II one IS to be a success
ful teacher, even in a special subject.
The different departments Of the
great universities supply the means Of
gaining the knowledge OF the special
subject and IN addition, their colleges
Of education now train the expectant
teacher in the practical methods Of
teaching his science to others. This is
one Of the newer developments Of edu-
atiOnal work. Without It. q complete
expensive equipment of the university
plant could not be secured
Better Training Needed.
While the normal shcOOls Of the
American public school system are ad-
mirably filling their part in training
teachers for work in the elementary
schools. there has been until lately
lack Of facilities for training teachers
to teach in the higher schools and col
Ieges- On account Of this the time Of
the universities has been wasted by the
admission Of students who We're not
properly prepared This fact was rec
Ognized some years ago by the Ma
tiOnal Education association and as
result most Of the largest universities
of the country are now provided with
a department Of college education.
The American university was the
first TO recognize the value Of educa-
ton as a science in itself. Less than
so wears ago, &. prominent English edu-
Gator opposed the establishment OF
chair Of education in the University OF
st. Andrews, declaring that there could
be no such thing as "a science Of edu-
cation" Now the English universities,
profiting by the work done in the Unit
ed states. teach education, although the
department IS not so well organized a IS
in America
an English speaking university died
less than two years ago He held the
first chair of this subject IN the Uni
versity of Michigan NoW there are
over 200 colleges and universities IN
this country having a professor Of edu-
cation In the larger institutions, the
subject Of education has advanced from
a strug gling department IN charge Of
one or two mediocre professors, to a
school or college Of education having
a faculty Of high priced experts who
teach each subject with special skill.
The University of ChiagO includes
10 main subjects in its department Of
education besides la 6e nuHlDer oA
minor branches. In order that those
preparing for educational work may
have practical experience IN teaching,
the university maintains complete
system of elementary and secondary
schools. These serve the students IN
education as laboratories for their
WORK just as the physical laboratories
help the students in that department.
Education is thus placed upon scien-
tific basis and the students gain
o. f nrlmn1nlHE
tiOnal psychology, school organization
and methods, and a survey Of the his
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