New-York tribune., 1920-12-04
The New Science Teaching

The Fundamental reason why sci
encc has made steady progress in
cur schools is that it is to-day a large
part Of our lives. But science teach
crs have been slow to recognize this
practical relationship. As classical
teachers taught the Latin and Greek
languages as if such sheer word and
grammar lore was an end in itself
so the physicist and chemist and
biologist have keen too disposed to
view the subject matter of pure
science as a sufficient end in itself
A most valuable and interesting
account of the better concention of
science teaching is to be found in a
report upon the reorganization of
science in secondary schools pre-
scnted by committee Of forty-seven
science teachers appointed by the
National Education Association. 1t
is published as Bulletin. 1920. No.
26. Of the Bureau Of Education. De
partment Of the Interior, and NAV be
procured from the Government
Printing Office at Washington at 10
cents copy. The report has spe-
clal interest for New Workers, for
the chairman Of the COMMITTEES on
Science is Dr.. Otis w. Caldwell. head
of the Lincoln School in this city and
one Of the most wisely progressive
and distinguished fgures in second
airy education i'm this country.
The analysis Of The respects in
which science touches life deserves
reproduction. There is health; the
control and olimination of disease.
the maintenance of hospitals. ETC., all
presuppose a widely disseminated
knowledge Of personal hygiene and
public sanitation. There is the home,
which science serves in a hundred
ways and which cannot be made
comfortable or safe or economically
or efficiently managed without a
knowledge of science. In the choice
Of vocation as we'll as in broaden
ing the workers interest and eff
cheney in his job in later life science
training lends aid.
Science also offers most stimu-
lating avocations; the marvellous
adaptations of plants to their en-
Vlronment, the march Of plant pro-
grcssions, the sharp competitions
among the forms Of plant life, the
history Of the remote past recorded in
the rocks, are topics with meanings
to one whose eyes have been
opened by science instruction. "Ethi-
cal character' the report names as
the final service Of science teaching,
and certainly the scientific attitude,
with its devotion TO truth and its
clear knowledge of The laws of cause
and effect. is an essential part of the
moral and religious training of the
modern world
The method Of teaching outlined in
the report ccntcrs around definite
projects:
at may be to make an electric
motor, to understand how motor
works or Why it viii not work. to re
pair broken motor or to find out
what are the origin and nature Of
any one Of the materials Of which Il
motor is constructed; it may be TO
find out about the structure and
proper manipulation Of an auto
mobile or Of 4 bicycle; it may be to
rid community of mosquitoes or
house flies or to find out how some
former generation Of men dealt or
failed TO deal with any particular
problem of health and disease; it
may be to find out how to prepare
the meals for group Of guests
throughout summtrs vacation'
Obvious danger lurk in such
method Of teaching Introductory SCI
cnce, especially by inexperienced
teachers. But the report considers