Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-27
PUPILS THINK FOR SELVES
In MODERN EDUCATION
Expansion and Enrichment of Curricu-
Ium Removes Barrenness of
Three RS.

| creating a SITUATION L[1aL Will MAKE IL
inevitable that its pupils grow In the
habit of doing their own thinking.
It must not be inferred from what
has been said that the acquisition Of
1 knowledge Is deprecated or sighted,
| On the contrary, thoroughness and pro-
| ficiency, whether in intellectual pursuits
or in the arts and crafts, is one of the
! leading detectives of the new ways of
| teaching. But what one can do Is con-
sidered more important than that lie
| knows. knowledge that does not func-
ton is of little value.
The modern school, therefore, Is an
active school, It's pupils are doing
things, making things. They do not
merely study about mechanics, but
make things In the shops and labora-
| tories. The boys who construct motors
or dynamos are learning principles OF
| chemistry, physics. mechanics that &C
tually function In life. Nothing Is
really learned until 1t is experienced.
Get Practice I'm Thinking.
Many a golf player has read book
on golf only to find that his game Is
but little improved. Youths who come
to grips with actual social and eco
nomic problems are getting practice in
thinking for themselves as citizens.
The emphasis has been shifted from
learning about things to learning to do
| things.
Nor is this permitted to become a
| narrow type of education. The new
school seeks to bring the pupil into
| contact with every important phase of
human activity In order that he may
grow in breadth and variety Of in
terestS.
A balance is sought between breadth
of interests and specialization: The
| modern secondary school frankly ac-
| cepts the beginnings of specialization,
at least in its upper reaches, as one
of its functions. The twentieth CEN
fury, with its highly developed division
of labor, demands the highest type Of
vocational efficiency.
The person who is not a master of
some worthy vocation is of little value
| to himself or to society. But along with
skill in a profession or a craft must
go that variety of interests that will
make possible a wise use Of leisure
to the individual.
Many Schools Still Lag.
would not give the impression that
| all schools today are working in these
new ways. ] have described the eX-
| ception rather than the rule, suggested
an ideal rather than given an accurate
portrayal Of existing schools. Too many
are still extremely conventional, hide
bound by tradition and obtuse to the
| demands of modern life.
Journalism. must insistence on learn
| ing subject matter that in itself has
no superior disciplinary value and will
| never be of any earthly use to the
| learner, still persists to an amazing ex-
! tent. But the trend to a more vital
education Is pronounced in progressive
public schools throughout the United
States, and to q surprising degree in
| fecting similar changes there.
We are still searching for a more ade-
quate answer to the old question: What
is education? The old school had its
good qualities. and these must not be
| lost. To provide a curriculum that
grows out of the conditions and the
needs of society, and that takes into
| consideration the nature and needs Of
the child. that is vital at every point.
is one Of the most difficult tasks in
modern life.
Dangers Are Recognized.
How can we furnish the environment
which will inculcate in the pupil the
desire to form habits Of work, will give
him opportunity to develop his own
unique potentialities, to do such crea-
tive work as he is capable of doing, to
make his educative process Joy and
not a drudgery, and at the same time
make of him a social being?
There is always the danger that we
shall produce the. dilletante and daw-
dler. The difficulties are so great that
experimental schools. such as the Lin
coin School of Teachers College. have
been established for the purpose OF
studying these problems.
The query, What shall be taught?
rises at many points in the most funda-
mental questions in American life. The
row at Dayton, Tenn. over the teaching
of evolution only affords an Illustration
of the difficulties.
All are agreed, for example, that we
should teach patriotism. But of what
does true patriotism consist? Is our
form of government perfect? Is criti-
cism Of the existing political and social
order to be permitted in the schools?
If not, how will youth ever acquire the
habit of thinking for themselves on
civic and economic problems? If so,
where are the limits of criticism?
The schoolmaster Is confronted on
the one hand by the extreme Chauvin-
ist and on the other by the extreme
| pacifiSt. What can the school do to
strengthen such a basic institution as
the home? Where is the dividing line
between general education and special
ization? There are questions innumer-
able.
Methods of education are under con-
slant criticism. Frequently the critic
wants to return to the old order OF
things educational He should realize
that the old order has passed, that
change Is inevitable and necessary.
The combined wisdom of all the
wisest of our educational philosophers
and scientists and the most skillful
teachers will not be sufficient to find
the complete answer to all these prob
lens in our day. But current trends in
education give promise of school that
will become a truly creative social force.