Newark post., 1912-08-07
EDUCATIONAL DISCUSSION
MRS. DAWSON TAKES ISSUE WITH MR.. WASHBURN


that | again approach the debata
bic subject of what is worth while
in education: especially do | feel
this in venturing to .criticise any
portion Of the views so ably ex-
pressed in your columns by Mr..
Washburn. | have a feeling of
sympathy for him when he states
his slight surprise that he who is
not an educator should be expect
ed to give opinions upon educa-
tional work, or be appealed to as
one having opinions as to meth
ods. ~ ! also admire his coura ge.
The men and women who make the
history of education and the prac-
tice Of pedagogy their vocation,
also realize the immensely Of their
responsibility and know that the
question cannot be disposed of in
Il few newspaper para graphs. 1t
is related to the whole history and
evolution Of mankind, it stands
linked indissolublv with every
great movement OF the world.
None of the varied phases Of hu-
manitv are too high or too low to
escape its influence. There is
scarcely another subject presented
to man that has brought forth the
best efforts of the mind as has
education. \ French educator
says that 1.-THE education of IA peo-
pie is at once the consequence of
all that it believes and the source
Of all that it is destined to be. -
Thus it can be seen that the sub
iect is indeed a comprehensive
one. We. to whom You so kindly
give space in your columns. and
who are not in the ranks Of the
noble army Of teachers and
professional educators. feel acute
ly orr lack of preparation. when
attempting to express conclsel Y as
possible, our thoughts along this
line. Being as ! am. mere
mother and housekeeper. occupied
as was primeval man with prob
lens Of food. clothing and shelter.
it may seem to yOu temerity on
nay part to approach this subject.
Mr. WaShburn states that it has
always fallen to ''mpn Of his class
to demand better conditions for
the mass Of mankind" Why not
lie is by nature and inheritance a
gentleman. by profession a jour
nalist; he has told us in a previous
discussion of his studies at college
where he obtained his "little Lat
in and less Greek - we are here
fore led to the conclusion that il is
from those who have received The
fruitS of education we are to lock
for betterment of future condi.
tlons. Having eaten the seeds ot
this fruit they share alike the joys
of the upper world and the sor.
rows Of the underworld Can he
not see that in acquiring that edu
cation which contained many
things he now repudiates he was
indeed preparing for a vocation il
life as truly as had he devoted his
energies to studying carpenter
work or farming. Having read
many of his editorials and some OF
his other literary work. | feel jus
titled III saying that many more
people have benefited from the
products Of his mind than would
have by his skill in woodworking
or raising large crops of corn
Perhaps with the natural perver.
sity of mankind he looks before
and after. and sighs for what is
not, +" hence his strong plea for the
cultivation Of character by means
of the shop and the farm
THE educators. the clergy ol
any one class do not dictate noI
'authoritatively determine" what
the people shall have as to edu
cation. Barring the more or less
uneven influence of the politi
clans. the people have gotten il
every age what they have de
manded. Compare systems of ed
ucation and courses of study from
earliest times to the present, anC
they will be found to vary as po
litical changes and great move
ments have worked upon the so
cial order. Our educators have
responded to the revolution il
thought wrought by Darwin ane
his contemporary scientists, Jus
as the educators Of the early Sev
enecnth century did to the Bacon
ian philosophy. Methods of teach
ing. methods of investigation anC
study. relative importance OF sub
iects taught, textbooks for pupils
al have undergone Il change II
the last generation. Any discus