Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-10-27

convention of the Maine Teachers AS
sociation began today with the session
of the department of superintendent
and secondary school administration.
Superintendent S. R. Shear of Pough-
keepsie. N. Y, spoke on directing the
Work of the Teacher
Efficiency is the password of the
Goth century" said Supt. Shear, and
everywhere the idea is to develop sys-
TEN, concentration and more rapid re-
action. Our school system costs the
country half a billion dollars annually
and involves the welfare of 100000
children.
1T is a matter of deep concern,
therefore, that we realize the largest
possible return on this tremendous in
vestment. Schools properly equipped
and conducted and thoroughly super
vised are bound to produce results.
Payson Smith, commissioner OF edu-
cation of Massachusetts, and formerly
State superintendent of Maine schools,
was the principal speaker at the after
noon session, which was attended by
more imam SUOU LeaCHeTS.
1.-THE fundamental and eternal aim
of education is that of creating, cult
waiting. strengthening and perfecting
those characteristics and habits OF
thought and action which enable the
individual either to perform the daily
task of the commonplace or to meet
the crisis of the unusual fairly, hon.
estly and effectively" he said. His ad-
dress in part follows:
This new word Preparedness, that
has lately come into our educational
vocabulary, is not SO very unlike an
other that has held a time honored
place. Preparedness is only slight
variation of the word Preparation,
which has for so long ruled our schools.
preparation, however, has been UNI
derstood to mean that demand of a
higher institution upon a lower that the
latter should get ready it's students in
a manner and to a degree acceptable
to the former. 1t is based on the no.
ton that there are certain ultimate
results of higher education that cam
not be satisfactorily achieved unless
the process is begun early by the use
of certain accepted instruments. Slow
ly we have been coming to see that
the human mind is not so narrow in
its workings, or in it's possibilities Of
development, as to be reached and
nurtured only by a selected group of
traditional school subjects. We are no
longer defining an educated man alone
as one who has had the advantage of
institutional training. We know that
men may become greater in power
through the influence of many and va
ried agencies, and that as they become
thus greater in their development.
more fully grown, SO to speak. they
become in reality educated.
$50 we are coming every day to be-
lieve that a school which is happy
when 1t is called preparatory school
is getting it's satisfaction out of a
pretty narrow task, and we are be-
lieving that the institution which takes
chief regard as to what it is doing
to help the boy to grow and to develop
to the fulness of his powers, using
all it's influences to that end. is the
one that will finally render a good ac-
count of itself. Preparation, then, as
a narrow aim of education, which by
no means passed out of our school
policies, is passing over the line.
preparedness, this new term, means
much that the old one has meant
but with certain specific applications
and extensions. 1t means first that the
schools should help to prepare the ma
ton for defence I do not want to
labor you with my already declared
views on this point But may l re-
turn to the aim of education which I
propose and say this: that it is GER
talnly the business of education as
much to help child to grow or de-
velop physically as in any other way.
III the present agitation for military
drill shall take us away from this
foolish program of present day physi-
cal training that gives nine or eleven
boys muscular development on the field.
while it gives to a thousand lung de-
velopment only from the bleachers
something good will certainly have
come from it. Military preparedness.
however, has no more place as a di-
rect aim of physical education than
college preparation has as a direct aim
Of grammar school cOurse-or. for
that matter. Of a high school course.
again. Preparedness will be given
a vocational application. That has al
ready been made. And here again, as
an advocate and not as an opponent
of vocational education, would declare
that education in America or in any
other democratic country must not too
early attempt to direct youth into
channels predestined by any other
force or influence than that furnished
chiefly from within themselves. If
ever we should commit the folly of
permitting school teachers. or school
superintendent. or industrial mana
gers to determine too early the voca-
tons OF our youth, then look for a
different social order. one founded not
on the liberty of the individual to find
his own place and work out his own
destiny, but for one that shall lodge
in bureaucracy the determination of
his future and his fortunes. Let once
there be lost from American life that
element Of f1ux through which one may
order and recorder again his plans,
make moves, new moves and. if you
please. many mistakes, and you will
have lost more than the genius of a
democratic social and Industrial life.
You will have Prussianized human con-
duct in the one country that above all
others has proclaimed as a guiding
motive tho u,o~<3 O~.a~<u-;<,,