The Washington herald., 1913-09-14
Commissioner Claxton Makes
Reply to Criticism that
There Are Too Many Fads
and Frills at Present Time.

The United States Bureau of Education
| Is inclined to resent the line OF criticism
which recently has become rather prev
alent, that modern educational systems
are superficial too much clogged up with
fads and frills and that the Three RS
have been forsaken and shelved to the
detriment OF the rising generation.
| DR.. Philander =. ClaXtOn, United States
Commissioner of Education, IS of the
opinion that the modern critics of edu-
cation do not know what they are talk
ing about. He declares that not only
are the Three Rs taught to school
children nowadays, but that they are
taught better.
About twenty years agon' there was
Il violent revulsiOn on the part OF Amer
terial or abstract This sociological rev.
olution was ubiquitous and affected
| politics, education. architecture. man
I ners. customs, dress and hundreds Of
other matters. The cause OF IL was that
the American people. firmly on their
feet. following a thirty-year struggle for
a recovered equilibrium after the civil
war. began to feel certain Importance,
an Independence, which they longed TO
express in some terms or in all. Then
many great fortunes began to spring up
among the northern families. Instead
OF the United States having a score of
wealthy families. there were hundreds
and even thousands OF them. There was
a feverish striving after the effete, and
these people who had builded their
wealth by means OF plain things i'm
mediately began to despise plain things
because they had been associated with
the forerunninG poverty. They considered
that anything plain could not be etfete.
Cbunpo In Archffecfure
Take the architecture, for instance.
The architecture OF the United States
had up to this period been OF an astonish-
ing purity, although there was little va
Ration in design. The general lines OF
the colonial period still endured. But at
the time of the rise OF the wealthy fami-
lies structures were erected-office build
ings, railroad stations, and. above all,
residences-which outdid in sheer hideous-
ness tho architectural attempts of any
people In any country in the world.
With education It was the same way.
The Little Red Schoolhouse, the almost
universal cradle OF the vigorous Ameri-
can mind, also began to be despised as
belonging to a crude age. Progress
called for improved methods. The Amer
lean father who had learned his three
Rs" and his rule of three and mustered
Harvey's grammar and plOdded through
McGuffey's readers in the Little Red
Schoolhouse. suddenly developed the no.
ton that such things were out OF date
and they were baniShed along with the
old black walnut bedstead, the glass
hanging lamp with the bit OF red flannel
in the bowl, the wax bird under the
glass dome on the side table, and the
God Bless Our Home" sign, sampler
worked, which hung over the parlor
door.
Newer Methods Adopted.
All these old standbys Of the early edu-
cationaI system gave place to newer
methods. The spelling bee and the sing
ing school were considered to be beneath
the dignity of progressive people. So the
modern ramifications of education came
along. There was the new method of
elocution and almost everything else
which was taught in many schools. Its
pompous exaggeration, though barren of
any art, was looked upon by the newly
rich nation as very desirable. Foreign
languages were cultivated and foreign
manners and customs adopted. Special
lists in education, any one who could give
new twist to the training of the youth,
had his chance The people were mad to
catch up with elite civilization. Then the
reaction. Then the realization that the
ancient usages had certain very estima-
BILE attributes was borne in upon the peo-
pie, and the patriarchs were turned to
for advice. 1t was given to an accompa-
niment of the bitterest sarcasm and sa-
tire, but was salutary.
Old books were brought into use again,
old architecture became popular, antique
furniture was hauled out of the cellars
and garrets into which IL had heen
thrown in utter contempt, and the people
were almost as hysterical to get back to
their former position as they had been to |
depart from II. The old-fashioned in
womsn's attire became the fashionable |
and certain moral virtues came back into |
style.
But so far had things gone forward |
and so blindly, that many OF the critics |
would not be quiet, and called ceaselessly !
for greater and greater homage TO the !
old-time ideas. This has continued Up to |
the present time. They have been at |
tacking the schools for a long time. 1t |
has been popular cry that the children |
OF the rising generation are being spoiled I
by the new and foolish methods of edu-
cation.
But as q matter Of fact the educational |
msthaa " not open 70 'crtticisrn, accord