The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1918-04-06


Home Journal to investigate differ
ent school systems and then write a
series of articles. Those observa-
tions were later published in book
form under the title, The New Edu-
cation.
Prof. hearings instructions were
to write up his observations in such
a way that the reader, after finishing
an article, would exclair1n, There is
something that we must introduce
into our schools" -
Incidently, let me remark, a pc
culiar situation has developed in
many public school systems in the
methods employed to introduce the
new ideas" into the so-called cold
systems" or, rather, systems that
D.. either lacked the new ideas or did
not emphasize them sufficiently to
attract particular attention.
And right here, too, let me say
that there is vast difference in pub
licity methods employed by school
superintendent. Some, like some
doctors, depend and thrive on self
ioouoNOAy uOIhO0Os lASluo1A6 dit1S1SS
of self-praise, published in the press;
others consider such methods bad
professional ethics. , =.
Some trouble has arisen, too, in
discriminating between what are
really new or progressive ideas and
what is old, discarded stuff that has
been resurrected, newly dressed--re-
curing fads. e.. 81
Nearing succeeded only too we'll
with 'The New Education" Every
society woman, reading hearings
articles in the country's leading pub
lication for her sex, became inspired
and determined to employ her lei
sure, her social position and, if nee
essary, her husbands money, to car
~ into immediate effect, not only
one, but all of these IDEAS. Impulse,
1t must be charged, is the autocrat
that directs the activity Of the aver
age society woman. 81 Judgment,
reason. common sense are more apt
to be the characteristics Of the hum
bier matron, the woman of the home.
The society woman ever IS alert
to do something out of the ordinary.
True, love Of humanity prompts
some; but love of praise and attain
ment Of prominence prompt others.
Laudatory articles in the daily pa
pers, accompanied by photographs,
are strong magnet. Whatever the
motive, those articles on '.The New
Education" caused the women to in
terest themselves. Some agreed to
push one idea some another idea.
In that way. honors would be prop
erly apportioned. There would be
results without friction or jealousy.
Above all else, society butterflies
love to be popularity specialists.
That is prominence, if not happiness,
sureme. 49, -. ...... 80. -
Clubs were found to be handy We
hfcles to advance educational am
billions. If none existed, they we're
organized. Every club soon had it's
school board committee or its edu-
cational committee. Some of these
clubs had no more real interest In
the welfare of the public schools
than the Turks in the Armenians.
AS a result, some. school systems
have had hard time to keep from
being dubbed" to death.
And so the trouble began: Many
school boards and superintendent
became subject to whims and moods
of these clubs and were forced to
adopt policies which were detriment-
al to the public schools and the
wishes of their patrons. An excep-
ton must be noted here in the case
of so-called Mothers Clubs or Par
ents and Teachers Associations.
These clubs, organized in connection
with the various buildings, to broad
en- acquaintance and to secure closer
cooperation between principals,
teachers and patrons, are not OF a
political nature, and cannot, as
rule, be used to further personal am
billions.
These are not the functions, how
ever, of certain ecclesiastic or So
ciety clubs. Crimes were commit
ted in the name OF democratic edu-
cation, in the name of the progress
sive. Able superintendent who ar
gued for a gradual introduction OF
changes, who had seen fads come
and 60, and who, seeing the danger
10 Tic III thO hSPSAS9o JeA~
BILE into which they were likely to
be driven, threw out word OF eau
ton, were swept aside, as too slow,
old fogied, stubborn, or unheed1ng,
when the ladies made their assaults.
In some cities, skillful teachers OF
writing, reading, arithmetic, geogra-
ply. history, ETC., the "out-of date"
studies, were considered worthy OF
little notice, or even considered in,
competent, when compared with one
who could get such splendid results,
in cutting paper dolls, known under
the new name of industrial arts"
School principals, men and women
of valuable experience, who recog-
nized these things and were able to
accord them proper value, were
gradually forced to resign by having
their positions made as obnoxious as
possible. If not resigning voluntar-
lily, means were found to discredit
them.
Nothing should stand in the way
of the ladies in carrying out their
ideas. Many school superintend-
ent had already introduced, in. q
manner efficient and consistent with
common sense, most of the ideas
suggested by Nearing, before they
over heard of Nna rino Tn fart