Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-23

differentiation on the lines OF
Juvenile personality. character and tenn
permanent Is "a marvellous advance II
was a terrible state of affairs. hard on
children. teachers and educators. try-
ing under the old infexible process to
make a Socrates out Of a hoy destined
by nature TO be Watt or an Edison.
or TO make a learned Aspasis or fact
logged Lady Jane Grey out of a poten-
tial Martha, Florence Nightingale or
Jane Adams.
Now by special schools or by appro-
pirate variation and representation In
the curriculum we make definite appeal
to the motor type; that Is, the phys
ically restless mentally lnvestigative.
muscularly active sort Of child who
always wants TO take things apart to
see what makes them go and how, and
we utilize some of this priceless energy
IN Il constructive way. which by reliev-
ing excess s,eam brings the child into
accepting relation with the other. more
scholastic. studies.
I'VE have recognized the claims OF
the nervous type which went to pieces
under the juggcrnaut of arthmetica
and grammatical rules and hard geo.
graphical names Literary and histor cal
subjects. and handicraft with the needle.
the cookstoye or the hammer and saw
help to relieve the strain on the nerves
and strengthen the child for coping with
the essential problems of grammar and
arithmetic.
Furthermore, even where subjects
have been modified SO far from the
academic we have not, in my opinion,
which ] get from the best educators as
well as from my own experience. robbed
the studious child of lis rights. We are
doing IA very good tl.Ts in taking the
intellectual type of chilli once the only
type we knew. and to vie. we tried to
make alb other children c.rform, away
from concentration absolute on books
and idealizing OF textbook learning and
marks. We are developing better round
ed children in our schools now and I
do not think Philadelphia is tagging be-
hind either our schools got rid Of
Mr.. Squcers some time ago and now
Doctor Blimber and his amlable spouse
have fol owed n
II don't defend extravaganza in the
schools and maybe too much money IN
being spent. But the money expended
Tor what are often denominated fads'
by critics of the schools is not wasted
by any means. II does not show up in
the number of divisions IN school and
apparently increases the per capita cost
Of education. but the excess cost is pure
suits In beitercd childhood. in physical,
psychical and even spiritual lmprose-
ment. Is not so tangible as the usual run
OF statistical tables In annual reports,
but the graphs of Improvement are there.
imperceptible perhaps in many ways to
the merely practical minded, but intu.
ttively sensed by the person of vision.
They may not be measurable by the
gauges of the so-called efficiency
norms, but their effects pcrvade the en-
tire civic structure.
Money spent for vocational training,
school doctors and nurses and other
helpful modern ideas, which. UNDER
stand, there is movement forward to
discontinue. Is money well spent. Against
the costs must be set the facts that
children are put in better shape for
formal instruction, and are more effi-
ciently fitted for their work in life and
fewer and fewer are forced into candi-
dacy for reformatories. jails. public in
stitutions or lapse into slackness or
shiftlessness, Here Is a great saving of
public funds--big dividends on enlarged
school budgets
~ think the schools every year are
turning out children better fitted TO cope
with the business of life. both for per-
sonal success and value to the commu-
nifty
I'VE have democratized the schools
and have not minimized what the ex.
perts like to call educational functions
ing"
This series began Thursday, February
al. The fourth article will he published
Monday.