Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-03-01
BURDEN OF PROOF IN SCHOOL
MATTERS

MATTERS
The Carnegie Foundation for the
Advancement Of Learning in the
fifteen years of its existence has dis
tributed nearly ten million dollars in
retiring allowances and pensions to
1000 persons. It has proved a bene-
faction In several respects. 1t Is in a
way to prove very useful in rela
ton perhaps not anticipated by the
public, in its conclusions as a dis
interested observer Of educational
matters.
In its report just made public, it
has a very important message re-
specting the burdensome cost Of
modern education. 1t declares that:
THE present-day system Of educa-
tion has reached its enormous eX-
pense, not wholly by reason Of its
efficiency, but partly by reason Of
its superfciality." The report con-
stitutes an arraignment of the ten
dency in educational matters today
and this Is supported by statements,
which we think 1t will be extremely
difficult to disprove, but which if not
disprovcd should arouse people to
call a halt.
Bcrgson in his Creative Evolu-
ton defines: For life is tendency,
and the essence Of tendency is to
develop in the form Of a sheaf,
creating. by its very growth, diver
gent directions among which its I'M
petus is divided" This reminds one
Of the wild, tangled growth shutting
out the sun and dwarfing and strang-
ling itself; the impetus dissipated in
underbrush. Pruning is the only
possible way to proper development.
How many realize that the cost of
public schools increased from s14O,-
100000 in 1890 to a billion in 1920;
that the salaries Of teachers increased
in the same period from $96,O00,0 900
to $436, 100000? That enrolment in
the public elementary schools in
creased from thirteen to twenty two
millions. and in the high schools from
100000 to 100000?
In addition to all this, to all the
increase in cost Of equipment and
buildings. this educational plant is
putting forth shoots in all directions.
suckers that are sapping the main
growth. 1T is not too much to say
that the vocational training offered
in the high schools has so little Of the
sharp, accurate responsibility Of the
well-trained technician, and is SO
poorly related to the facts and cir
cumstances Of these vocations, that
it is in great measur an educational
farce" declares the report.
The report should leave no doubt in
anyone's mind as to which c-hool of
educational thought the administra-
tors Of the Carnegie Foundation be-
long. They believe the teaching Of
vocations in the high schools grave
mistake, that such educational
theories are what have added, most to
the costs Of education. that they
should be taught properly in special
schools from which the student might
derive some practical benefit.
They believe the child must know
his own language. He must have
some knowledge of elementary arith
metical processes. He must know
something of the government Of his
country and his rights and obligations
as 4 citizen. In this day most people
would admit that this minimum must
embrace some acQuaintane with the
processes and results Of science. If
this be granted. school offering
Its pupils four studies. to be pursued
resOlutely and vigorously during the
terms Of years that pupil spends in
1t, would afford one conception Of the
function Of the school and the method
by which that function would be per-
formed.
In contrast with this notion, there
has arisen another theory Of educa-
ton: that the child must know some
that are going on in the world. He
must be taught something Of art
something of science. something of
literature, something OF political
economy. something Of every form OF
knowledge in which the modern
world interests itself.
1.-THE first conclusion makes Tor
sincerity. for thoroushness and for
Intellectual vigor. The second. only
too often. in the endeavor to give the
child some grasp Of all knowledge
gives him only the most superficial
smattering, and instead Of quickenins
his powers OF reason. tends to give
him the impression that he can solve
the problems of his own life and OF
his own country by the same super
fetal processes that he has learned IN
the school"
The burden Of proof to the contrary
10 on the defendant and when the
public gets sufficiently informed. il
will call for it. Then those who would
teach everything In the public
schools, from catechism to chiropody
from Arianism to zymology, will
have to give convincing evidence OF
the faith which may ',e in them.
Now the national fuel trouble il
being blamed onto the Interstate
Commerce Commission. This lets