Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-09-28
EDUCATION FOR DEMOCRACY

Stating that popular education is the safeguard
Ut Our American democratic idea, Professor Dallas
Lore Sharp of Boston University, writing in the
October "Harper's Magazine urges a more united
support Of the public school by all elements, of the
population, as we'll as a new spirit in the national
course of study that shall make it primarily an edu-
cation for democracy. q
Referring to some tendencies to discriminate
against the public school, and to, pursue aristo-
cratic and exclusive aims in education, the writer
says:
Events since the war make some of us Ameri-
cans trennble for the safety of democracy here. We
know that its enemies are not all in the ranks of the
Reds. The ultra-Whltes are as dead against it as
the deepest-dyed Reds, the reactionary as much as
the radical. Let one look with contempt, or suspi-
clon, or indifference, upon so fundamental an insti-
tuition as the public school; let him draw off and
leave it to the poor, the colored, the foreigner the
unholy, and thus divide the House of Democracy
that one is the enemy Of America"
After pointing out the importance of the public
school in the DIFFERENTIATION of the foreign ele-
ments by social contact with the native-born. Pro
lessor Sharp continues:
1.-The foreigner is not the only question in Amer
lca. or characterization our only problem. There
are questions many, and problems many: but at
the bottom they are all a problem of education, are
all the one old human question, Who is my neigh
Dor! The fundamentals in a democracy are social.
Seek first democracy in education, as in everything
american. EQuCdt1On must hrSt be social: the
American child must go to school in his neighbor-
hood, with his neighbors. 1t is better for democ-
|racy that he go to school with all the children in
his little community than with all the books in
the wide world; for the lessons he needs first are
attitude lessons-lessons in what are the right feel
|ings and faiths and manners of a democracy.
"How can these things be taught? BY but; one
method in a democracy-the simple, single method
of leavening. There is nothing that may not help,
except %aloofness and segregation (the real ills of
democracy, but when everything else is done, our
social lump will still need to be leavened-with
Anglo-Saxon yeast, and with the yeast of democ-
|racy.p
In this connection the writer replies to the arpu-
ment Of certain educational authorities that the
higher steps of education are not for the mass; that
Iall that can be done is to educate the leaders and
let the rest follow as best they can. HI says:
1T is not leaders we need so much as leaveners.
many pervasive spirits working in the sa;rit Of the
people. The leader is part Of the machinery OF an
aristocracy--autocracies have need for kaisers
armies of captains. It is different in a democracy.
There is a better power even in an army. The last
war was won by the second lieutenants, humble
human factors moving among the men. American
democracy needs 100000 second lieutenants and
precious few captains Of anything. The leader too
loftenxgoeslblind, and he thinks the people are blind.
4 You cannot lead the American people.
How clearly Lincoln understood thisl He was
true mixerfand, 4 great Democrat. His leavenine
lpbsVer anno2nnted fo genius
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