The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-29
new SCHOOL
HEAD FAvORS
STANDARDIzING
Steson Takes Issue With
Idea of IndividuaIizing
Education Methods.
SPEAKS AT INSTITUTE
Points to Success of Plan
in Industry and in
Newspapers.
SPEAKS AT INSTITUTE

There is greater need for intelli-
gent followers than for leaders in
America today" Paul c. Stetson, In
dianspolis' new school superintend-
ent, declared today, addressing the
Marion county teachers institute
in the Perry township high school,
Southport.
Taking issue with those who
would "individualize" public school
educational methods, Stetson, in
his first public address since be-
coming head of Indianapolis
schools, cited advantages of stand
ardization of the schools" analogous
with Standardization in industry.
Standardization, to a certain ex-
tent, is what makes life possible in
the civilized world" he said. "a
good example of Standardization to
the nth degree is the chain store
development, reducing waste and
expense and bringing products
previously out of reach within the
price of the average consumer"
Points to Newspaper
Stetson pointed to the Standard
cation of newspapers throughout the
country in the matter of everything
except local news.
While Standardization Of jour-
nalism in the last thirty years has
removed the color of bygone days, it
also has destroyed the violent, un-
reasoning partisanship which placed
party welfare above that of city
county or nation" he asserted.
Impartial treatment of news
matter, outside editorial columns,
has given us news on which we can
rely,
1.-The subject of standardization
in connection with public schools
is controversial, because the word Is
used so Unfortunately.
Standardization in the schools, I
believe. is not a bad thing. Our job
is to fit our product, future citi-
zens, into modern civilization, able
to cope with modern problems.
Need Intelligent Followers
while there is a great demand
for leadership today, the demand
for intelligent followers is even
greater. Every one is a follower in
some lines. The whole citizenship
of the nation is based on intelligent
reaction of the electorate.
IF we can get body of people
who are intelligent followers, dema-
gogs will disappear, and questions
of vital importance to the commu-
nifty will be settled on their merits.
Public schools should develop
originality, personality, and militia
tive, but they can not send eccen-
tries out into the community. The
eccentric is an unhappy man. The
happy man fits into his life in the
community"
Other speakers today included
Willis Sutton, president of the Ma
tional Education Association and
superintendent of Atlanta (Ga,)
schools, and DR.. E. E. Harper, presi-
dent of Evansville.
The institute is to close this eve
ming.
Oman Is Speaker
Speakers Thursday included DR.
G. Bromley Oman, president OF
De Paw university, and Professor
j. Raymond Schultz, head of the
social science department at Man
chester college, who urged teachers
to work toward solutions of vital
problems confronting the nation.
Waves of optimism and waves of
pessimism are sweeping the coun-
try" Schultz said, adding that lin
most instances the optimists are
blind and the pessimists are
cynical"