New Britain herald., 1917-12-12
MISS FALLON READS
BEFORE TEACHERS
Democracy and Education u
Subject Of Interesting Paper


Ella A. Fallon, supervisor of elemen-
tary grades in the public schools The
paper was of great interest, showing
sincere thought in preparation, and it
was ably delivered. The paper fol-
| lows:
1T was no mere accident, that the
! members of this Council of Teachers,
| voted unanimously. to take up the
STUDY OF democracy, for it's work of
! the present year. It's action. was a
register of the mental-set of the
times; its undertaking, gives an added
| evidence of the practical place, that
I the subject Of democracy has in the
purposes of New Britain schools.
1T cannot be denied, that until the
present world-upheaval Americans of
! recent times, have been drifting, I'M
consciously, into a way of taking our
democracy, and all it's blessings for
granted; assuming, unconsciously,
that its characteristics, it's vitality and
it's advantages were without effort)
self perpetuating; that they were ours,
by their long -ago adoption, and thus,
efforts to secure them to ourselves
and to the future, were not called
for.-but that they were, instead ours
without effort, for the using and en-
joying. Liberty and freedom were
the synonyms we used, forgetting their
lndlSSoluDle counterpart responsible
ity. In other words, there are evil
dences. that we were becoming too
nearly unconscious Of the deeper
meaning of democracy. too nearly
dulled to our own special RESPONSE
bilities in maintaining the basic fac
tors, in this way of living.
'The present catyclisnn among ma
lions, has had the effect of a great
awakening among all thoughtful
people; it has led such, to take a
fresh look, at democracy as a way of
living together,-and all thoughtful
Americans to take a new interest in
our own particular type of democracy.
1T is therefore inevitable that
observation-disclosures the vital factors in
the perpetuation of democracy
should at this time be uniting in
studying anew the cornerstone of our
national structure,-with a view to
intensifying conceptions of, it's mean
ing, and therefore seeing more clear
ly our responsibilities as teachers of
the children of our democracy.
The meaning of democracy was
discussed at our last meeting. The
point was made that democracy is
more than a form of government
that it is an attitude of mind, a philos-
ophy of social life. Dewey expresses
the same idea in the phrase, "A mode
Of associated living. 1t is this inter-
probation that is intended to be
stressed at this time. Expanding this
idea, Dewey further says, "A society
which makes provision for participa-
ton in it's good, for all it's members,
on equal terms, and which secures
0f ifII
tons through inter-action of the diff
ferent forms of associated life is, in
so far, democratic' The principle of
democracy is therefore, as potent in
the economic, the educational, the
social, the religious life of a demo-
cratic people as it is in their political
life. In other words, a people, or
ganized ideally as a democratic ma
ton must live democratically in all ITS
social relations; and it maintains
democratic government merely as
means to an end-the end being to
secure the privilege of SO living. To
keenly sense the tremendous signifi-
canoe of the play of this principle
upon every fibre in the life of de-
mocracy, it is worth while re-
reading that delightful short chapter
! in Bryce's American Commonwealth,
Inc t'lC6SdHCIcSS VI A14ACI1Sdll
! in which, by contrast with old world
conditions, one gets renewed appre-
! citation Of our democracy as it affects
| our everyday life-imperfect as it's
| present state of development is.
ITO the American teacher, this es-
innate Of the meaning of democracy
is of prime Importance. 1t helps in
| forming a reliable judgment regard
| ing the extent of education necessary
for the perpetuation of this way of
| living: and it helps in determining the
| type of education needed.
| considering democracy in this
broad social meaning which has been
| referred to, the need of universal edu-
cation, of education for all, drives
| deeper than merely to prepare for
voting, or for holding office in the
usual sense of the word: it becomes
rather a necessary. provision for free
ing and developing potential powers,
for fitting for social intercourse and
service, for perpetuating not a form
of government alone, but the aims,
aspirations, standards and principles
of this form of associated living, and
to minimize the selfishness, ignorance,
indifference and other human tenden-
cies \that might threaten it-and
hence, is forever indispensable.
because human beings, in any
group or nation, differ from each
other in a multitude of ways, vary so
in talents, tastes, temperaments and
abilities, democracy-to serve it's
purpose-in, providing education for
all, to the best advantage of each
must depart from the one-type form
of education, so deeply imbedded in
the common thought, and offer, in
| stead OPPORTUNITIES as varied AS are
the different needs. Such opportuni-
ties, while they should help to fit for
various forms of service, must have a
more educative scope than merely the
technique of any vocation. Other
| wise it would not be long before COM