The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-05-14
new METHODS IN
SCHOOLS TODAY
Grafton High School Super
intendent Says Disciplin-
ary Methods are Good.
NOT OPPRESSIVE
IN ANY MANNER
Challenges Statement of the
New York Times Anent
Present-day Systems.
To the. Editor:-

To the Editor
I do not wish to rush into print"
but if Won could put into the form of
an editorial the other side to the pro-
nouncement made in an editorial
copied from the New York Times
which appeared in Yesterdays issue
OF The Evening Times, it would he in
the interest of correct
and u saticfaction to every wcll-read
school man in the state.
Object is made TO the TWO principal
statements made. % That school
men acquire an arbitrary, unrespon-
sjve attitude from long school cXpcri-
ence, and (2) that disciplinary stand
ards are rcpressiVe and U~nco-operat-
i've.
With regard to the first. it may lie
admitted that the traditional School
master is OF the type described. lie
has been considered to be something
OF a little god, perched or his pedestal
of self-esteem and mythical SUPERIOR
ity of wisdom, to whom all other les
ser mortals must bow down in sub
mission whenever there is A contact
of Wills or opinions. Like Gold
smiths school master, when he talks
all others keep still. and still he ak
and still the wonder grew that one
kTIldll Hodu tpliu carry q ! nv hI't".
But in actual fact the modern school,
master is no more like this ideal than
the modern farmer with his electric
lighted house and barns. automobile.
and scientific agriculture is like the
old-fashioned "hayseed" the cartoon
lists are won't to caricature.
Find a Different Type.
If the writer would attend such a
meeting as that of the department OF
superintendence of the National Edu-
cational association recently held at
ST. Louis. he WOULD find there an en-
tirely different typ of man. In per-
Sonal appearance he is no different
from his business acquaintance, and
his characteristics are formed by ex.
perience in managing a similar enter
prise, namely. d public service corpor-
alton with the welfare of the COM
munity at large as the prime object
and with cooperation with all uplift
enterprises as the method.
AS the manager of a public service
enterprise, the modern school master
is far removed from the unsocial. alb
sent-minded picture which the editor
ial gives. The keynote of his actions
is cooperation. and where there is co..
operation there is of necessity 4 ION.
currence of minds and opinions which
results in united effort toward a COM
mon ideal. This schoolmaster. then.
Is happy if he can create an impress
sion by his attitude and his acts that
he wishes to work With all his fellows
in mutual cndeavors toward public
betterment. And his personal char
acteristics are the result of this wish
n aim. They are far removed from
the arbitrary n unresponsive.
Things of tho Past.
In the second place. the unqualified
assertion is made that the methods of
control used in the schools are reprcs-
sive n unco-opcrative. The writer
has not Yet discovered. though. the
evidence is directly under his nose in
his own city. that the dn-the-hoys hall
discipline of Professor squeers is
distinctly a thing of the past and is
considered not only old-fashioned but
criminal in the up-to-dae. we'll man
aged systems of city schools. In mat
tiers of control, sympathy is the guild
Ing method in the new education. The
school of our grandfathers, and alas,
in many places of our fathers, was
constructed IN the principle that the
master was the li~sht-givins sun
around which all activities should re-
volve n that the plebian pupils We're
hut little satellites who by happy
chance received from time to time
small increments of life Giving light
and warmth. But in the school of to-
day. the child is the center of atten-
ton. Toward him radiates all infll-
ences and agencies and for him the
master and all he implies exists. 1t
is h function of the modern school,
master. then. to get into sym~pathetic
relations With each individual within
his influence. This is effected. as a
rule by means of the retention of
those child-like (not childish) quail
Ties which make it possible for him
to understand the child's viewpoint.
to know his wishes and ideals. and to
work with him in the unfolding of
those personal qualities and capabili;-
ties which will determine what rhe
learner will he as an adult. Repres-
sion and coersion occur frealenf1y
ONLY in poorly managed schools. The
skillful schoollnaster causes his pupils
to wish to do right by means of the
powerful suggestive power of the
environment which the proper man
agement has created.
Very truly yours.
+. L. Whitney,
superintendent City Schools.