Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-04-14
NEW PLAN OF TEACHING
Educator Says Human Beings Will
Naturally Do the Riqht Thing.

Naturally 10 tne ni9ht 'h'hS'
In the April American Magazine AL
bert Jay Mock, describes the public
schools Of Gary, Indiana, where real
adventure in educational methods is be-
ing undertaken. The idea is that chill
dren, no more than adults, can learn
except through experience. This means
that children, in order to be educated
in the best way, must see and feel and
become interested personally in sub
jects as well as read about them. The
practical working out Of this idea in
the Gary schools has brought about
a freedom in the interests and disci-
pline of the schools such as Is found in
no other educational institution in this
country. AS a matter Of fact the chill
dren follow their own interests and do
about as the" please. The following ex-
tract from the article gives an idea OF
the working out Of the plan so far as
the morals and discipline of the chill
dren are concerned:
LAS to the moral element in life, it
is extremely difficult to communicate
the impression made by the Gary
schools, because their philosophy Is so
radically different from anything we
have ever seen or believed in. This
philosophy Is one that is familiar to us
only by name. Few Of us have enough
faith in it to practice it, 1t is called
+ho nbilocnnhv
THE first principle Of it Is this: that
human beings Qncluding children) left
wholly free to act and surrounded by
free opportunity, will naturally do the
right thing as far as they know how.
This principle Is in full force at the
Gary schools. If anyone cares to know
whether it Is practical or not, / sug-
gest that he go to Gary and see-not
merely drop off between trains, but go
there and stay until his questioning
mind is fully satisfied.
There seemed to me to be an utter
absence Of discipline. l could not see
the. evidence Of repression or comoul-
sion anywhere. The teachers were re-
laxed, confident, almost casual in their
manner. The children were their own
timekeepers. There were no monitors
If child wanted supplies Of any kind.
he went (without asking) to where they
were kept and helped himself. When
through, he carried back the surplus
and put it away. Children came and
went freely everywhere in the building
or on the premises. Everything was
open. I was struck with the lack OF
self-consciousness in the children. Even
in the class rooms no one noticed
visitor present; their manner was nat
ural, busy, and pleasant, as far from
diffidence as from impudence.
Such was my observation. 1t SEEM
ed to me that all this was so because
being left wholly free in the midst Of
practically unlimited opportunity it was
their natural instinct to be good, kind
ly and Industrious. Therefore, 'disci-
pline was superfuity.
Mr.. Writ bore out this view. By
way Of illustration he gave me several
anecdotes. Among others, showing the
self-regulating power Of his system, he
told me that when a family moved in
from outside and learned that school
began at a. M, they usually rang him
up in great dismay to tell him that they
could never in the world get their boy
started so early.
"All right, he needn't come till lat
err
We'll, when shall l send him?'
Can you get him ready by half
past nine?'
"'Oh, yes, easily
Very WELL then, half-past nine will
do nicely
Next day the boy comes at half
past nine and next day and perhaps the
next. But by that time he has found
out what he missed by not being there
earlier, and at eight o'clock on the
fourth morning he Is sitting on the
school steps waiting for action"