The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-02-26

lOAhdA1ACO SUuCdLlOIldl SYSTEM
Miss Barrows was one of the
pioneers for the Gary system in
the New York schools where
the attempt to introduce the
system aroused such intense
opposition from the teachers
that their representatives at
the N. e. A. conference will
oppose it almost in a body.
Is Gary System.
The platoon system, as the "Gary'
system is now more politely called, is
the latest word in the goose-step
process thru which public school ed
ucation is now going. It leaves prac-
tlcally nothing to the initiative of
the individual teacher, who teaches
one subject over and over according
to a prepared method as classes file
in and out of the classroom.
Members of the American Fed
GRAFTON Of Teachers are against the
platoon system for the reasons that
the government and the interests it
represents are for it. Among these
reasons is its efficiency for propa-
ganda purposes.
Thru the method of using the
school auditorium intensively, groups
OF children filling. it at successive
half-hour periods thru the day, high
power propagandists can operate on
all the pupils in an entire building.
Under the former system the propa-
ganda had to be passed thru indivi-
dual teachers, some Of whom were
not sympathetic.
Propaganda Poison.
The propaganda purpose of the
platoon system is not denied by its
advocates. One of it's defenders,
Superintendent Charles L. Spain. of
Detroit, lists the Red Cross, Liberty
Bonds, and Thrift stamps, among the
varieties Of good propaganda" which
could be put over more effectively
thru the platoon system.
Class conscious workers have lit
tie use for some of the good propa-
ganda" which poisons their childrens'
minds in the Garyized schools.
The platoon system, as its name
implies, regiments the school child
rem. They march into classrooms
where they are taught to order by
teachers who have no opportunity to
become acquainted with them from
the physical inability to become ac-
quainted with the members of sets
of classes she must teach. She
the teacher-becomes a drill master,
hearing Rotations from multitudes
of little strangers.
New York school superintendent
will lead the fight against the system
but opposition will come from Chi
cago and other centers also.
The platoon system began in the
Steel Trust city of Gary. Its name
was changed, as its apologists at the
National Association of Education
convention admit, because the name
Gary" was a drawback.
1t is now in use, in complete or
modified form, in so cities. These
include such obviously industrial CEN
tiers as Detroit, Pittsburgh, Birming-
ham, Ala; East Chicago, South
Bend, Ind; Newark, N. j.; Roches-
ter, N. Y; Port Arthur, Texas;
Braddock, Pa; Latrobe, Pa; New
Castle, Pa; Akron, Ohio; Monessen,
Pa.
Want Robots From Schools.
In these industrial cities the pla-
toon system has obvious advantages
for the ruling class. From the work
ers' and teachers standpoint the OBJ
jections to the platoon are summed
up in the evil uses to which it is put
by industrial rulers who want robot
lied products from the schools. On
the other hand if the control of edu-
cation were vested in the working
teachers and not in school boards
subservient to the financial interests
the more efficient use of school
equipment would be welcome.
Superintendent 4. G. Hartwell, Of
Buffalo. and o. l.. Reid, Of Youngs-
town, Ohio, will speak at this morn
ing's session at the Auditorium
Theatre.