Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-30
ADULT EDUCATION MOVE
HAS WORLDWIDE SCOPE
Potential Effect on Social Program
Called Nothing Short of Revolution
ary' by New York Authority.
BY CAROLINE A. wHIPPLE,

TODAY an educational movement,
known by the infelicitious term
Adult Education" is active in
Il a great part of the civilized
world. In its potential effect on
social progress this intellectual awaken
ing is nothing short of revolutionary,
for the heights that a democratic
OF its people had trained intelligence
and mental alertness is difficult TO
exaggerate
The desire for learning on the part
of large groups of adults is not new,
for evidence of their interest is found
over a long span of history, both here
and abroad. It is, however. the recent
rapid growth of the interest that IS
amazing.
In specializing on the causes of its
sudden expansion some say that the
World War is responsible for that as
for SO many other swift changes; others
explain that recent marvellous dis
coverieS in science have so altered the
world about them that adults are forced
to make new intellectual adjustments
70 new environments; others say that
increased leisure of workers has now
for the first time given them oppor-
tunity to undertake sustained study.
Whatever the cause, marked inter-
est in education among mature per-
sons is a hopeful reality, which some
enthusiastic observers are hailing as
second renaissance with promise of an
intellectual following among the rank
and file. The more conservative are in
clined to bide their time and to pray
fervently that the movement may not
be unduly accelerated by the over
jealous, but that it may be permitted
to grow naturally and spontaneously in
varied forms suited to widely differing
conditions.
What specifically is this adult educa-
ton? Here in the United States, for
tunately, no hard and fast definition
has been given and therefore it can
be all things to all men, as, perhaps
not so fortunately, it frequently isl
Continuity Common Factor.
There are common factors, however,
that are generally accepted. One, that
Il Is an activity, voluntarily undertaken
by those who are beyond the age of
compulsory schooling, and that, there
fore, 1t does not occupy first place in
the daily routine of these adults. as
their main concern is necessarily with
earning living; another is that this
educational endeavor possesses q certain
continuity and is not merely casual and
incidental
In this country, too, emphasis is not
placed entirely on so-called cultural
studies as is commonly true abroad
The director of Peoples Institute in
New York has thus expressed his I'M
Outstanding of the movement:
1t Is sought to make of adult educa-
ton something which will broaden the
interests and Sympathies of people, re-
CARELESS of their daily occupation or
along with 1t, to lift mems thoughts out
OF the monotony and drudgery which
are the common lot, to free the mind
from Servitude and herd opinion. to
train habits of judgment and of appre-
citation OF value, to carry on the strug-
gle for human excellence in our day
and generation, to temper passon with
wisdom, to diSpel prejudice by better
knowledge of self, to enlist all men, in
the measure they have capacity for it,
In the achievement of civilization.
The underlying principle of adult edu-
cation is that it shall BE- both individual
and lifelong. It is this that marks it
on so sharply from former concepts of
education, which implied that person
was either educated or not educated ac-
cOrding to the length of time he had
spent In recognized scholastic inStitu-
tions. Education, that is, was regarded
as q completed process, often unpleas-
ant in the getting and not to be con-
tinued when one really began to live.
Equal Younger Students.
Results of recent experimentation in
the field of adult learning by Prof.
Tl1orndike have given scientific validity
to the principle of lifelong education,
for interesting the relative ability of
young and old learners 1t was found
that the older student did not suffer in
comparison with the younger one and
that lin general nobody under IS
should restrain himself from trying to
learn anything which he needs to learn
because of belief or fear that he is too
old to be able to learn it,
Many men and women of middle age
had had suspicion that they were still
able to acquire new knowledge and new
skills, but it was distinctly comforting
to hear from an eminent authority that
they had not been mistaken in their
optimism.
To others, this discovery must have
come as unwelcome tidings. for it had
always been so easy to sit back COM
fortably and murmur placidly, I'm
sorry didn't have the chance to learn
that when was young. Nowadays
young folks have all the luck. But it's
too late now, you can't teach old dogs
new tricks. you know" Unfortunately
for the pleasant torpor of these re-
signed adults, it is possible to teach old
human beings new tricks, however it
may be for old dogs.
The story of the spread of adult edu-
cation in different parts of the world
is fascinating, but in the limits of this
article only a cursory glance can be
given to work outside the United States.
England is undoubtedly the country
most prominently identified with the
movement and her influence has shaped
the policies Of other lands.
Other Countries Push Work.
Sweden, Norway and Finland have
similar trends of adult education,
although in Sweden and Finland the
universities take a more prominent part
in the work than in Denmark. Ger
many has a we'll defined program with
the emphasis on cultural education for
Industrial workers. Czechoslovakia has
found the educational efforts of her
people under the united leadership of
the Sokuls a valuable asset in achiev-
ng national independence and IN
combating difficulties incident to new
government.
In most distant countries-in Aus
tralia, with its vast territory and its
small population; in chaotic China,
harassed by war; in huge Russia,
shaken by tremendous social and eco
nonnic upheavals-there is a vital in
terest in continuing education, for 1t Is
recognized that only as general level
Of intelligence Is raised can there be
q healthful national life
Here in the United States there is
marked interest in adult education
which, in varied forms. has been in
existence for many years and which
now, with rapid gains since the war, is
found In a surprisingly large proper
ton of the population in widely sepa-
rated areas.
The evaluation Of the work Is another
matter. Doubtless some of 1t is spuri-
Akora lie q onnlIiIle HUNGER