New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-13
EDUCATION SYSTEM FAULTY
Schools Lack Unifying Influence,
Saws Mrs. Spencer.

In a recent address before the Messiah
Social Service Club Anna Garlin Spencer
said: Some persons engaged in great re-
forms look upon the work Of the ameliorist
as futile They say IL is the old attempt
at dipping UP the Atlantic with teaspoon.
believe they are both needed-the anchor
ist and the reformer are two hands doing
the work together At present the one
agency doing more TO accomplish both than
any other agency in America is orr public
schools. 1t has been justly said that II
there is a noble army Of martyrs who de-
serve to be crowned before they die II IS
the public school teachers. They do much
to fit the children of the immigrant for
American life.
Mrs Spencer then pointed out what she
considers weak places in the present meth
DDS of education.
"Our churches divide us: our relations
TO the great Industries of the world divide
us; our ancestors and our planes Of culture
divide us; even the public school is not
now in New York the unifying influence It
started to be, and still is in parts Of the
Middle West.
"Co-operation is still inherent in the mech
anicism Of the kindergarten, but compe-
ttion is all through the higher schools. All
the kindergarten games call for Corpora
ton: they are played together: but in the
school there is the feeling If I am head
there are others below me. The present
system teaches that the clever child who
can deceive or get the best of others will
succeed, while the stupid child loses out.
The school should be kept as long as pos
hot 4gpt, q
success, bringing out the idea Of mutual
helpfulness as an element In higher devel-
opment We want exercises that have TO
be shared to produce the best effect
1T doesn't do any good only to preach these
things to children. We are causing moral
dislocation when we tell child to be help
full to others and then furnish him with q
system OF conflict that forces him to be
otherwise in order 10 succeed. / have seen
child in school punished for helping a
comrade who could not remember n word.
What are We going TO do when we talk
to children about helping one another and
then punish them for helping d friend in
distress? 1t is placing the mechanism of
examinations before the human soul.
1--WE should permeate our schools with
fraternalsm We mustn't stife childish
preferences. either We cannot rightly learn
to love the race until we learn 10 love some
few people specially. OF course. l love a
few of my friends more than | love the
subway crush that is trying to get just
where I want TO get That is human
nature.
I'VE have come to a point IN the eyolu-
ton of the race where we must have CO.
operation. All laws prohibiting child labor,
laws demanding a minimum wage. laws
that reach down and order these things,
as it were. can never cure all evil. We
have got to have that within the human
heart which tends toward mutual help
fulness We need change In the very CEN
ire OF gravity of the moral life itself. IT is
to forget our own salvation in helping 9TH
ers. and the man without a dollar IN his
pocket needs this change Of heart as much
as the malefactor Of great wealth"