The Detroit times., 1915-08-06
Why the Schools Fail
~ n. ApplNcToN BRUCE,
Author of The Riddle of Personality
Psychology and Parcnthood." etc.

For a good many years there has been at
intervals bitter criticism OF the public school
system OF the United States. OF recent years
especially much has been heard OF the break.
down" OF the public schools
In the words OF one distinguished critic:
The public school Is the panacea In which
We Americans have been putting our trust We
are now waking up 10 the fact that IL Is not
doing the work We confidently expected II TO
do"
And another. still more distinguished, Presi-
dent Emeritus Eliot Of Harvard University, has
declared:
The schools have failed sisnaly to cultivate
general intelligence. This Is evinced by the
failure 10 deal adequately with the liquor prob
lem. by the prevalence OF gambling, Of strikes
accompanied with violence. and by the persis-
tency of the spolls system
That this criticism is to some extent justi
fled no candid observer can deny.
But 1t does not go TO the root OF the matter.
The important point too often overlooked by
critics OF the schools Is that however good a
school may be. 1T is FOREDOOMED TO FAIL
URE UNLESS PARENTS COOPERATE PROP
ERLY WITH IT'S TEACHERS.
Moreover proper pare1:a! cooperation means
that before sending children 10 school. PAR
ENTS MUST LOOK TO 1T THAT THE Chill
DREN SHALL HAVE RECEIVED CAREFUL
PRELIMINARY HOME TRAINING IN THE
PRINCIPLES OF RIGHT THINKING AND
RIGHT ACTING.
Many parents unfortunately are derelict in
this regard. They seem 10 think that little need
De done toward the development OF a child =
mind until he reaches school age
Then they assume that the school can and
should mould the growing child according TO
an ideal pattern
Possibly the school could do So IL the child
came 10 1t as ABSOLUTELY RAW MATERIAL.
The trouble Is that, neglected though the child
may have been by his parents. HE is ALREADY
A PARTLY FINISHED PRODUCT by the time
he gets 10 school
He has acquired. precisely because he has not
received preliminary home training faulty
habits OF observing. Of anayzing. OF Judging
he has ACQUIRED the habit OF being swayed more
by desire than by reason
For lack OF proper guidance he may even
have acquired the habit Of being chiefly In.
terested in things that are detrimental TO his
best welfare
These habits the schools can never hope com.
pletely 20 correct. for the reason that THE IN.
PRESSlONS RECEIVED DURING THE FIRST
YEARS OF LIFE ARE THE MOST LASTING
AND MOST INFLUENTIAL OF ALL impress.
SIONS.
This is one OF the most soundly established
truths of modern psychology.
Consequently, those who have closely studied
the educational problem are coming more and
more into agreement that 1T Is IN THE HOME.
AND BY THE PARENT. THAT THE EDUCA.
| GUN
Even in the second or third year n IL not too
early to begin the educational process
IL you do begin II then and II YOU carry Il
on wisely You need never fear that your child
viii grow 70 be another example OF the "inef.
fectiveness"J OF the public school.
The school VIZ mould him Alright. because
you will have msde him properly receptive 10
the schools efforts for his good.
Parrots seize objects with the left claw by
preference or exclusively, and they have been
found TO make a reader use Of the left claw