Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-24
DR.. JEAN 3. BECK
Talks on Elemental Education

L1LEMENTARY training in all things is
IL the first essential of a success which Is
founded upon a firm superstructure and is
not superficial, according to DR.. Jean Il.
Beck, professor of French literature at the
University Of Pennsylvania.
Genuine originality" said DR.. Beck,
"does not consist merely In doing things
differently from others. This we usually
call queerness. The real thing consists In
doing things by method which is based
upon sound reasoning and the application
Of principles which have been shown to be
correct. What happens from the other sys-
TEN was shown to me during recent walk.
Auto as Educative Symbol
'I was stroling aimlessly when / heard
the furious footing of an automobile horn;
Before I got to the place the trouble had
been rghted and man told me that lady
in the machine found her engine had gone
dead and was footing the horn to start II
again. Now it takes about an hour to
learn the mechanical operations necessary to
run a car-that is, If everything goes right
But let anything go the other way and the
standard manipulations only result In put
ting the operator IN the position of the lady
mentioned.
"Apply the same thing to education. A
child Is taught a certain mechanical way
OF studying, as the teacher generally aims
at quick results. Consequently, as soon as
there occurs an instance where initiative
is required the student shares the fate OF
the lady. Individual initiative Is good
thing, but il needs guidance II one does not
want to lose time by letting the student
find out by himself what has been discovered
and definitely established by others.
The Self Made Men
"I am afraid that we over emphasize the
value Of self-made men in high posi-
tions. At best they are the exception and
for every one of them there are hundreds
and thousands Of mediocrities who, If prop
erly trained, would have reached higher
level.
"rhere are many so-called artists,
painters, musicians and professional men
who have acquired a thorough mastery of
| the mechanical manipulations Of their busi-
ness. But let an indiscreet pupil ask a
theoretical question or demand an explana-
tion Of something really fundamental and
| our hero will act like the footing lady. If
their education had emphasized the theory
| of their business as well as the practical,
none of them would ever have to fear being
| placed in the humiliating position Of being
| intellectually stalled.
| ''Take, for another example, mechanic
| in a saw mill. If he understands the prin-
| ciples Of the machines he operates he will
|
| these machines almost as genius. A
| violinist who can not only play well, but
| who can illustrate and explain what he
! plays Is a phenomenon.
Improper Elemental Training
| "What is the reason for this lack of
| Fundamental knowledge in SO many workers
| and craftsmeni Improper training at the
| outset.
| "How wonderfully inquisitive and enthu
| siastic are most children! And how amaz
| ingly dull and apathetic we find most OF
| them when they leave the school benches.
Who killed that fundamental human trait OF
| inGuisitiveness--the bud of creative enthu
| sIasm and the live cell Of progress?
| "If an individual possesses this ines
Unable gift, the talent or genius to create,
| IL should be carefully fostered. Feed it with
| the essence of what Is best, the nobeSt Of its
kind In history, and you will bring up an
artist worthy Of the name; give it the wrong
intellectual diet and you will get freak
''This consideration leads to a question
of greater portent. Is 1t not possible thai
the traditional way of teaching history NAV
be responsible for perpetuating some of the
horrors and the greatest woes of mankind
Teach Good, Not EVIL
"Instead Of piling up in the innocent
minds tales of tryants, Of assassination and
smurderous wars; in a word, instead Of