The Washington times., 1920-04-08


OF his ability to ma out things for
himself.
o., Dewey Pie.ssr Of system.
In this country the movement for
progressive education began with the
experimental work OF John Dewey In
his school conseeted with the uni
versity OF Chicago In 1895. and with
the experimental work and writings
of Hanford Henderson. DIR. Monies,
SORTS system has also influenced the
followers OF the new plan OF child
culture.
In Washington. one OF the pioneers
of the movement was Mrs NJ. V.
AyTes, formerly public school
teacher. Seeing her little SON srriV-
ing at the age TO enter school, she
decided that II would be cruelty TO
place him whore his life must be mt
ted exactly 10 the mould OF several
hundred other children whose facul-
ties and inclinations might be diff
| ferent. For this reason, SHE COM
menced instructing him at home,
merely placing things In his way
which would encourage him to try TO
read or 10 reason and then waiting
for the reaction before attempting
to teach him.
Other parents Chukht inc lued anu
Mrs Ayres soon had a little school of
twenty Ave pupils; One OF them was
Phil, jr., son OF Il. l.. ClaNton. United
states Commissioner OF Education.
81 found out that the work was
so great that / couldn't be either "A
good teacher or good mother, and
\ so had to give II up" said Mrs.
Ayres yesterday. Nevertheless, I'm
proud to say that my boy, who has
been In school for two years, Is sew
eral months ahead OF pupils OF his
| own age. although he entered public
school two years late. l find, too.
that he has learned to learn. and that
the lessons at school really mean
something to him.
Tried Out at Chevy Chase.
"My daughter. aged nine, never has
been to public school or had any set
course OF education. but find that
she is Interested In everything that
interests children OF her age. and Is
Just as we'll equipped in an cduca-
tional way"
A school along the methods advo-
Gated by the association is conduct
ed by Stanwood Cobb in Chevy Chase.
II has forty-five students, who are
declared to be keeping UP with the
schools without any of the tedium
OF ordinary school life.
Mr.. Cobb will read a paper at the
convention on The Friendly SCHOOL,
master"
Other schools which adopt the as
sociation's methods in greater or less
degrees are: The University School,
University of Missouri: the Gary
schools. Gary. Ind: the School OF
Childhood. Pittsburgh. Pa; the Park
School. Baltimore, Md: the Scar
borough School, Scarborough, N. y:
the Lincoln School, Columbia Univer-
sity; the Horace Mann School. New
York: the schools founded by Marietta
l.. Johnson, at Greenwich, Conn.,, and
Montclair, N. j., and the Smallwood
School in Washington.
Speakers before the convention will
be: Stanwood Cobb, instructor of
English, United states Naval Acad-
emy, Annapolis, Md; DR.. Frank s.
Bunker, chief OF the city schools d.
vision, Federal Board OF Education.
Marietta L. johnson, principal OF the
Organic School. Fairhope. Ala, and
Edgewood School. Greenwich, Conn;
Alice Barrows Fernandez, specialist,
social and Industrial relations in edu-
cation, Federal Bureau of Education;
Frank D. Slutz. director of the Mo-
raine Park School, Dayton, Ohio: Per-
sis X, Miller. principal of Public
School rs, Baltimore, Md; and Angelo
Patri, principal of Public School As,
the Bronx, N. Y.