The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-02-27
TEACHERS FIGHT
PLATOON SCHOOL
AS ROBOT MAKER
National Educational
Assn Boosts 1t

The people who are advocating the
platoon system for the public schools
before the department of superin-
tendence Of the National Education
Association are all neglecting to tell
the teachers and superintendents just
how the platoonizing Of the schools
affect the teachers.
Rose Phillips, the director Of pla-
toon schools in Detroit, in speaking
before the department of elementary
school principals yesterday, urged it's
financial economy, its effect on the
normal life Of the school children,
its effect on the teaching Of the three
RS and on social relationships, but
did not say anything about the effect
Of the platoon system on the
teachers.
The Chicago school teachers who
are opposed to the platoon system
are opposed because of its effect on
the teacher and teaching.
Teacher Becomes Machine.
In the perfect platoon school sys-
TEN all lessons on all subjects are
prepared by one person who super
vises the teaching of each subject.
That means that one person would
prepare the lessons, for instance, on
history for all the children attend
ing school in Chicago. At the same
time in all the schools in Chicago,
if it were run under the platoon sys-
tenn, history would be taught. At
the same moment in all the schools
history would cease to be taught
and the next subject on the program
taken up.
The real danger of the platoon
system rests in the fact that a per-
son who does not come in contact
with children prepares the lessons
and the teachers merely repeat like
parrots what has been prepared for
them.
Standardized Education.
No provision is made for the ex-
ceptional class or child. Everything
is standardized to the last degree.
The teacher is told what to teach
and is assigned SO much time in
which to teach it. A given amount
of ground must be covered in given
amount Of time.
A supervisor who had any preju-
dices or ideas would undoubtedly
work them into the preparation Of
lessons. The teachers would be
bound to teach these ideas whether
or not she agreed with them.
Much has been made by advocates
Of the advantages of the use that the
school auditorium could be put to
carry on certain kinds Of propa-
gands. The teachers who oppose the
standardized lessons could and no
doubt would be used to spread propa-
ganda.
Away From Freedom.
The teachers are made mere par
rots under the platoon system the
teachers say. They point out that
the modern trend in education is all
toward freedom in the schools and
classes and away from fixed stand
ards. More reliance is placed on the
individual pupil and less and less on
the prepared lessons under all plans
advocated by real educators. The
platoon system leaves no place for
individuality Of any sort. The les
sons and schedules are prepared and
teachers and pupils alike are made
to fit into this schedule.
The u. s. Bureau Of Education in
conference on platoon schols begins
in the Hotel Sherman tomorrow. The
conference on platoon schools begins
dreds Of school superintendent and
principals who are in Chicago attend
ing the convention of the National
Education Association.
This conference is the big bid of
the Bureau Of Education for the pla-
toonizing of the schools and the
robotixing Of both the teachers and
the pupils.