Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-25
DR.. CHARLES F. DAPP
On Student Self.Government

CyTUDENT self government is one of the
~ few questions which IS extremely one
sided, and its far-reaching possibilities are
now being extensively utilized by me euucM-
tional world, according to DIR. Charles +:
Dapp. chairman of the Schools Vocational
Committee.
For some years" said DR.. Dapp. "stu-
dent self government has been in operation
in some Of our higher institutions OF learn
ing where the students are more settled IN
their habits and more mature in their con-
vctions. But this great educational poten-
tiality is now being introduced into our
high schools, both senior and Junior, ana
even into the elementary schools. In the
junior high schools. especially, student sell
government bids fair to solve the question
that has troubled our educators for years
namely. what to do with boys and girls IN
the period Of adolescence.
4 Twofold Aim
Like all forms of government. student
self government has twOfold purpose; 1t
aims to correct existing abuses ana also
to make things n little more congenial Tor
all concerned. Since the school is the train
ing-camp for citizenship, no sphere is better
adapted than this to put Into everyday prac-
tcc by the students themselves the theory
of government they are taught In the class
room. The experiment was tried under the
old system of class promotion, and SO ad-
mirably did the students measure up in the
| initial test that when the elective system
was adopted in our high schools it found
the students ready to take the advance step
which this system prediCates.
1.-THE theory is that il a student possesses
| the intelligence to elect the studies which
| will be of value to him in later life he also
| has the intelligence to do what is expected
| he is in school. The privilege Of choice i'm
| poses responsibilities of right thinking
and right doing and the more privileges Of
choice the greater the responsibility.
| 1.-THE elective system, while advantageous
! to the student is somewhat burdensome in
administration. or course, in any educa-
| tional institution, the difficulties of admin
strat!on must always give way to student
| benefit even though the elective system
| throws a vast amount Of clerical work upon
| the teachers, whose time for the most part
should be spent in teaching and in perfecting
| themselves in their chosen field OF educa-
| tional endcavor.
| Much Supervision Required
"The elective system also neccssitates a
| great deal Of supervision Of students who.
| because of roster complications. do not have
| classes every period Of the school day. These
students must gather for study in room,
| usually the school auditorium. reserved for
| the purpose. In small high school this
| supervision is not difficult. but in one num- =
| bering from 1900 to 300 students, where
| during certain periods Of the day as many
| as 700 students are assembled for study
| supervision becomes real problem.
| "Now the question arises who Is TO do
| this supervising? Teachers do not like this
'police duty and If detailed for it do it
| half -heartedly. They feel that they can
spend their time to better advantage in the
| classroom. Our educational authorities feel
| tbat. in the absence of an appropriation
| for n special corps of proctors, each school
| should work out its own salvation along
these lines.
..These conditions in the larger schools
| offer the students yet in their formative
ncriod a splendid opportunity for the deve
npment and practice of those qualities and
| cnnncities which they must exercise In man
| hood, A modern high school represents in
numbers a good sized town. where the nc
| tivities of the students are not repressed
but directed and expanded; where respect
f"r the rights Of others is the first law. and
| tho other like unto it, namely, self control
Soif. control in trifcs, let it not be forgotten
trains TO sclf-contrOi in crises.
Teamwork Demanded
"Student self government is potent cdu
cotionnl force because 1t demands tcamworL
of the highest type.
.In the teamwork which student self
government demands 1t Is not the case of &
snw students winning the laurels and tn,
others standing on the side lines, cheering
In. student self government, all can be Sin r,
ef the first magnitude.
''Student self.government is also I