Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-04-06
THE "MoDEI,N SCHOOL,

Afs AbiHiAth fitNiltIs hHHlHihllh
secretary Of the general education
board, Nv out with statement OF
what he describes as the curriculum
OF the proposed modern school"
And We have an idea that he In at
least partly right In his criticisms Of
the present educational system.
Or. Flexner lays down the general
principle that aside from "rcading.
writing. spelling and figuring, the
curriculum OF tho modern school
would be built out az actual activities
in science. industry. aesthetics, cyics.
The work In science would be the
central and dominating feature"
The modern school would not go
through the useless form Of teaching
children useless historic facts just be-
cause previous generations OF chill
dren have learned and forgotten
them" This does not mean that hiss
tory would not be taught In the pub
lie schools and made part OF the
curriculum OF the college. But 1t
would be taught differently.
The Important and UDimportant.
70 know when the pilgrim fathers
landed at Plymouth Rock is unim-
pnrtant, but 70 understand what re-
suited to civilization from that incl
dent IS tremendously interesting. in
structivc and OF the greatest possible
benefit to the student 1t broadens
vision, 10 know when the first slave
waa brought TO the American colon
les. Is a matter Of no moment. But
io understand the soeinl, economic
and political Influence OF slavery IN
the affairs Of the United States is cs-
sential TO the education Of the AM
criean youth. In no other way could
the story 81 the United States be un-
derstood or the coming generations
have the inspiration OF what their
foroaears did for the upbuildinE and
eementing Of this greatest OF all gov
efnmcnts "of tho people. by the peo-
pie, for the people" In the study of
history learning facts Is not import.
ant. what should concern us is knowl
edge Of causes and effects.
Latin and Greek
Neither Latin nor Greek would he
contained IN the curriculum" This
statement is IN harmony with the
modern thought and trend. We all
know that the literature of the am
cient Greeks ana Latins is trcmcnd-
oasly important and most OF us know
that a far better Knowledge Of those
liteaturos can be had through good
Transitions than IL possible for one
student out OF ten thousand to get
from The original
This Of course. does not mean that
The classics are to he done away with
entirely. but ia the retrospect OF
years the wisdom OF the old practice
of offering no alternative for the tolls
of conJugaiion and paradigms ap.
pears more than doubtful. As a
matter OF fact tho position Of Latin
and Greek in the curriculum rests
upon tradition aud assumption"
When They Were Practical.
The study Of Greek was Necessary
when Greek was the language OF the
church and only the clergy had learn
ing The Latin language was neees-
sary after the church divided into the
eastern and western churches. and
Latin became the language Of the
Roman Catholic world Later. II
was the language OF all western learn
ing and OF procedure in the English
courts. Men learned the language 50
they spoke i, as readily. and far
more correctly. than they spoke their
native tongue.
All Of that Is matter OF the far
past Now the excuse is that study
" Latin gives one a better knowledge
OF the English language and IS val
nabie discipline II happens TO be
that the men who have written The
best and the purest English have,
been men who knew only the English,
Just as the Athenians. who gave 10
the world the bes, vehicle Of express