The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1921-12-08
economic prosperity.

While the classics dominate the
English system of education, science
is the foundation of the German sys-
tenn, and a student of present condi-
tons in Europe says: France and
England emerged from the war with
purer faith in humanity and human
istic ideals, and with a strong deter
mination to guard the schools against
the materialistic influences on whose
sandy foundations Germany estab-
lished her Kultur, only to be destroyed
when the rains descended and the
floods came"
Official declarations similar to those
made in England and France have not
been made in our country, but there
are indications Of growing sentiment
in the same direction.
Dean Jones, of Yale University, in
recent interview for the New York
Herald, in which he discusses the radi-
cal amendment of Yale's elective sys-
tenn, says the curriculum shows mark
ed tendencies to go back to that of his
YOUTH when the classics were prom
! inent, and after referring to the fact
that the classical men, by and large:
are the best students in the college
| he pleads for the cooperation of sci
the curriculum to meet modern educa-
tional needs.
I believe there is a general agree
ment that the elective system has
proved a disappointment, if not an
outright failure. Formerly opponents
of the classics contrasted the actual
results attained by the classical sys
tenn with the claims made for it. 1t
is now time for the classicist to chal-
lenge the results of the new system.
| We have gone to such an extreme in
our demand for the utilitarian sub
jects that, as an Illinois educator puts
it, we refuse to teach anything be-
fore the morning recess unless we are
sure it can be used before noon of the
same day.
The we'll if not favorably known Co.
kato high school published it's declara-
ton of independence few years ago
in these words: eve are DOING some
intensive work in spots out in this
state regardless Of college require
ments in English or any other require
ment this side of the MOON"
May we not expect: with the devel-
opment of scientific methods Of in
vestigation and measurement, and
with the results Of different methods
and systems before us, may we not eX-
pect to see, in the near future, a
somewhat general agreement on at
least the fundamental principles that
should determine the school curricula?
| At the present time we have large
element in the educational world that
bases education in the schools on in
terest, native: instructive or spontane
Gus, apparently ignorant or forget
full of the fact that there is such a
thing as acquired interest. Another
element, formerly much more numer-
Gus than now, considers the authority
of the teacher or the school the cor
rect basis. A combination of these
Two ideas, based on scientific princi-
Piles, and modified by local conditions
and Individual needs would bring or
der out Of the chaos now existing.
would lead to an agreement on mini
mum essentials, and should result in
unsatisfactory conditions.
marked improvement over present
There should be no antagonism be-
| CWCtIl Cllc Sldoo1So anu Viz oNASAASSo:
but the antagonism is easily explain
ed. Before the development and ex-
tension of the sciences to their pres
ent status, the classics dominated the
curriculum. With scientific develop
ment came an insistent and proper de-
mand for a place in the system of
school training. Yielding to this de-
mand meant lessening of the prom
inence Of the classics, and there re-
suited contest between the advocates
of the two lines Of work, and argu-
ments about their relative values. 1t
is unnecessary to review these argu-
ments and claims. The earlier claims
of the classicists have been modified
by our changing conception of the doc
trine of formal discipline - a sub
ject which has not yet been finally dis
posed of. The earlier confidence of
the scientist has been shaken by the
disappointing results attained under
the new order of things. This disap-
pointment is causing a demand for
more of the socalled cultural training
which carries with it lessening of
the emphasis on science. In his 1918
report on the Status of Secondary Ed
uCdLlOIl COIlulloSlOuc1 VI COuSdGAO1l
Claxton refers to the phenomenon Of
decline in the ratio Of students who
elect science.
Mr.. H. G.. Wells, in his late book
"The Salvaging of Civilization" dis.
cusses the kind of schooling necessary
to make the world citizen Of tomorrow
and says: Education today is made
quate in that it has not kept pace
with the enlarged range of the mod
ern state, e. g., one language is in
sufficient. Besides knowing his moth
err tongue, every child should maste,
at least three languages while he is
still young"
The horrors of the World War
made possible by the triumphs of sci.
ence, have led to numerous utterances
in opposition to making science the
backbone of our school training. These
writers refer to science as the enemy
Of mankind. and one writer says
"The dreadnaught service, the subma-
rine service, the air machine service
the riant artillery service the poison