Evening journal., 1920-07-07
MAKES PLEAFOR
common SCHOOL
Dallas Lore Sharp, Would
Have New Educational
Program
LECTURES BEFORE
,.. SUMMER SCHOOL
Special to The Evening Journal.

Special to The Evening Journal.
NEWARK. July 7.-Dallas Lore
sharp Of Boston. distinguished writer,
lecturer and educator made a strong
plea for the Common School," in
the first OF a series Of lectures before
the Delaware College Summer School
in Wolf Hall last night. His subject
last night was Education for Democ-
. racy." Tonight Mr.. sharp will lecture
on Twenty Years a Teacher" and To-
morrow night on "The Magical
Chance"
. In his lecture last night Mr.. sharp
said the hope Of America Is the pub
lie schools and that the general pubic
must be educated for the responsible
tiles Of citizenship. He criticized the
private schools Of New England as
taking away the opportunity OF be-
coming more democratic by all chill
dren attending one common school
and said IL would eventually have TO
come that 10 improve conditions and
ecitizenship The speaker argued that
the spirit Of America must be formed
before the child Is through the public
schools. "Out OF the schools" he said,
'"even more than out OF the churches
comes the thoughts that make us what
we are nationally"
Mr.. Sharp in part said, THE average
physical age OF man Is 30; his aver
age educational age Is 49, or there
abouts. A few men go on 10 school
after iS. but they learn nothing fun
domental, for theories. methods and
facts are not fundamental: they be-
long 10 the useful, the professional.
We live on and learn. but the lessons
from II 10 20 are only review and an
application Of those we learned from
TO rs.
'I do not believe any system Of gov
eminent can be better than ITS aver
age citizens We are not born Demo-
cratic We have 10 be educated TO IL.
We arc horn arlstocrais.
= Certainly no democracy can be bet
Ter than its educational system; for
democracy. more than any other po-
lit'cal program is a program 0f edu-
cation The spirit Of democracy ls.ihe
fruit of education. and never an in
herilanco. NOu can get the spirit OF
arisiocracy by inheritance Mr.
Sharp said every child whether male
Of female Is born a Presidential posi-
hiliiv and in this connection referred
10 ihe nominee Of the two big politi-
cal parties both from Ohio and both
/ receiving their clcaiion In the com
mon schools Money. birth and
/ breed nc do count in in America. but
very lfilc Look az these two men
great many things come TO ms
through money. birth and breeding
/ hut not ,ihc essential things. Educa-
/ Ion and purpose count a great deal
more. We cannot make the United
. Siaios a true Democracy. without
4 cducation The real end of American
4 education is the knowledge and prac-
iice ~ democracy whatever Other
4 personal ends IL may serve"
"0ur present school concepts ar'
ms inadequate as present school ap
nronraiions and programs We mus
Z rcconccive tho nations ednc7iiona
D noods as recently we conceived he
4 mNiiarv need: and we must create al
educational machinery as effective a
the military machinery 10 meet tn
america is now divided education
ally AGAINST Itself: wrong in its aims
weak IN iis purpose feeble In lts sup
port: f<ftering IN its faith: and no
only. divided but hostile. In its oduca
ti0nal nlans. II Is had enough that Il
pcr cent NJ our children do not aNen'
school az an: 10 is not so bad 10
democracy however. as that the othe
! - ner cont should he divided In thei
ciucation nv private parochial. indus
trial and 'ho REGULAR public schools
> Nni'l wa cnn be said N have no com
mon educational program, no common
educational purpose. M common edu
cati0nal idcal.-no common school
fei what else hu' a common schOo
ho the head Of The corner Of democ
racy? We must 20 10 school; W
aust all 60 20 school; .se must al
60 together 10 school with a cOmmo
language yes. and a common course q
study, a common purpose, faith, an
enthusiasm for democracy
characterization Is not the grea
Fl problem before US A few millions Q
foreigners In America need 10
Americanizeed; but all the millions O
Americans in America, need TO b
q mOcratlzed. Nothing less than thi
care be our educational aim.
~ have not worked out a ne'
course OF study. This Is a plan not
program. One thing know: we mus
have a common school for all the pee
pie: and all the people must atten
a common school, until every Ameri
can child has a common high schol
education. This must be done befor
we are safe for democracy. TheI
will be need OF special school
8-plenty for the subnormal; prival
schools for the feeble-mlnded voct
tional schools for the slow and stuf
horn; but for the normal. one CON
ison school only. for rich and poo
up 10 the end or the high school, b
which time we are pretty nearly a