New-York tribune., 1920-03-17
By
Heywood Broun

saying that throughout Orchard Third"
Shakespeare was on the point of writ
ing "Conscience does make towards of
us all" and then suddenly remembering
that he had used that line in Hamlet"
Mr.. Browder helps US to save face by
suggesting that we probably meant that
Shakespeare was saving it up for
Hamlet" "An American Citizen of
Swedish Birth" and two others write
to say that Stockholm is not the capi-
tai of Norway. And yet when we re-
ferred to Ty Cobb as a southpaw in
Sunday story a few weeks ago we re-
ceived not single letter of protest. Can
1T be that there are more people in
America who know the date Of the pro-
duction of Richard Third" than are
aware Of the fact that Ty throws with
his right hand?
"Why all the jibes at teachers ?r
writes Instans Tyrannus. "Have we not
enough odium to bear?
Il used to look to Books for re-
freshing setting up but now the col
umn is getting as bad as a meeting
called by the superintendent to discuss
our shortcomings or painful session
Of the Home and School Association.
Teachers pick Shakespeare to pieces.
they create distaste for good reading,
they turn out machine made product.
destroy initiative and preach disgus,-
Ing Prussianism that goes under the
guise Of Americanism.
DO we? Are we so unenlightened.
SO stupid, so lacking in subtlety, SO in
experienced, SO unable to pass on the
good things in life that we have come
upon? The friends Of mine who are
teachers are college women. Thew
seem to read more and better books
than my other friends and acouaint-
ances and to manage to see more worth
While plays To me, at least, they
seem to be less orthodox, less in love
with their own prejudices. They make
fewer banal remarks. They talk about
their young charges with keener dis
cernment, l should say, than the par
ents of said young people-certainly
with more humor.
Some day, when have time Ito imi
tate your own pleasant style), 1 an.
going to write pathetic essay on
That Guilty Feeling that teachers are
made to have by their pupils, their
pupils parents, their superior officers
to say nothing of the janitor and the
clerks clerk, the average man, their
own families, the critic to whom thew
look for inspiration from the world.
OF books and shows. We are guilty of
being dogmatic, of not being dogmatic;
of teaching Americanism, of not teach
ing Americanism; Of prescribing read
Ing, Of not prescribing reading; Of ac-
cepting SO little salary, Of ssking for
more; of being prim, or being frivo-
lous, and so on
"And your correspondent of TODAY
charges the educators with robbing his
boys of the power of original thinking
and of making them mass thinkers!
Now, l gather from the study of
my fellow beings that very little orig
mai thinking is done after the age of
nine. AT about that time the average
human wants the same kind of flexible
hyer that his little friend across the
street has, adopts his chums' judgment
on teachers, haircuts, girls, etc. and
goes on to the end of the chapter try
ing not to make fool of himself by
saying or doing anything different
from the rest Of the gang. Must we
take this most prevalent tendency Of
humanity on our already overburdened
consciences?
"of course. the particularly odiou.
ana arrogant passion for conformity
tnat too many people dare 70 call love
q country Is ysry trying for us ali.