The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-06-29
DEMOCRACY DEPENDENT
Upon ABILITY TO THINK
Mental independence More
Important Than Knowl-
edge, Strayer Says.
MADE PUPIL REASON
Power of Working Out Con-
clusion Child's Most
Valuable Gift.

democracy depends upon the teach
crs ability to make children thin
things through to a conclusion an,
then present results" said Proiesso
George ID. Straycr of Columbia teach
ers' college in the third series of lee
lures. delivered at the summer session
of the State University in the assenbI,
hall yesterday morning
Children think and have problem.
regardless of the teachers, therefore j
is necessary for the teacher to ente)
into serious competition with VIVA
they are thinking in order that tn,
children may prefer to stay with tn,
problem the teacher presents. Wha,
YOU have to do, instead of debating. tt
make children think is to propose 6
problem so alluring as to hold the
child's attention and YOU will make
him think. And it is far better tc
have him reach n conclusion through
thinking than by mere memorizing"
Too Many Without Minds.
Professor Strayer said that the world
is full OF people who never think a
thing is right unless they read it In
the morning paper. According to him
the most valuable stimulant to think
ing for the child is to have him think
that what his classmates say does not
matter, not to look upon the teacher and
her opinions as all mighty ITO asso-
ciate with y superior. dominecring per-
son is not the best situation for think
ing
Tear Up Desks.
The time has come when We are
going to tear up the orderly rows of
desks and seats in the schoolroom
where the children can only look at
the backs of each others heads, and
let them arrange themselves in social
groups said Professor Strayer and
his prophecy met with applause.
He took what he called "a shot at
the high schools from the standpoint
of science" when he quoted Professor
john Dewey as saying that after we
got laboratories in high schools we got
the liturgy of the laboratory. not the
spirit of investigation"
Think, for Democracy.
Most of us think only when we
have to-" concluded Professor Strayer.
1t Is easy to let a quack Influence us.
In the old times we used to belong to
political parties-and we did. For the
salvation of democracy we must think,
and this depends upon teachers slim
ulating thought in children.
Power Of Appreciation.
The Power Of Apprecia ton was the
phase of mental life which Professor
Strayer dealt with in his afternoon
lectures. This depends upon the ioy
things, not upon the adult standard"
. Under wrong conditions children try
to adapt themselves to the adult stand
ard of appreciation and not only be
come hypucritical but become disgust
ed with poetry and acquire Il dislike
for music.
4 like the boy who says he doesn't
want to hear Carsuo on the Nictrola,"
declared Professor Strayer. 'There is
possibility for him to develop the
power of appreciation because he has
the power to resist being made a hyp-
ocrite. In the whole field of growing
appreciation there is a lot in having a
choice
More Consume Than Produce.
Most boys and girls are going 10
become consumers, not producers.
therefore there is a danger in over
'mrh@sizing technique Rather keep
in mind how much enjoyment they
are getting out OF it. Allow children
to choose and then after Interpreting
the subject for them leave it,"
Professor StraNer spoke of the field
OF appreciation designated as humor-
that saving quality, and said that if
he had to choose between teaching the
last year of geography and reading
Iom Sawyer to the children he
would choose the latter,
Have children come to endowment
by Vlrue of AN ideal which the teacher
lnterprets for them through some noble
character advised the speaker.
He said that the cynical teacher
and the one who thinks it unwomanly
or humanity TO have or show feelings
We're impossible.
In the field of appreciation Of what
Is fine in technique, Professor Strayer
SAID That one was not a good teacher
unless some subject which one is
teaching gets such n grip on some
enid that he wishes to specialize in it.
Can't Modify inheritance.
I'D suggest" he said. that Won,
can't do much to modify the inner
ttance of "A boy or girl i'll intellectual
life. They will move up, but will be
limited
we can best establish prciudices
and ideals as W" are able to stand
before the children in sincerity and in
terprct for them-enter into the spirit
Of the situation. Give them the Dos
sibiity of enjoyment by association
with YOU
Professor Strayer will conclude the
columbia week" series of lectures
with one to be delivered at three
O'Clock Friday afternoon.