Evening star., 1932-03-27
BY HAYDEN S. PEARSON.


" DUCATION is one of the big bus
l. inesses of the United States.
Pupils are counted in millions,
IL teachers by the hundred thou
sand, and the cost is reckoned
in billions. Each decade from 1890 to
the present day the cost has doubled.
In other words, in 1880 the taxpayers
of the Nation paid an educational bill
16 times as large as the taxpayers met
in 1890! There are definite indications
that the rate of increase is slowing
down. The Nation could not stand 100
per cent increase of the present cost
in 1910.
So educators and administrators are
faced with a problem which has not
been presented in the recent decades.
The problem is this. With decreased
income and normal increase of pupils
inevitable, how is the situation to be
met?
Before taking up the question of
extra-curricular activities in the Sec
ondary schools, it would be wise to
mention a few points on which we may
all agree. There is much controversy
over the problem of the extra-curricular
activities. But all can agree on a num-
Der of guiding principles.
First, we must maintain our standard
of teaching, and constantly strive to
raise it. With the quality of teaching
there can be no compromise. This
means, in effect, that good teachers
must be used. That, in turn, means
that salaries must be maintained, other
wise the capable men and women now
in the profession will seek other fields
OF endeavor. Second, we must maintain
excellent school plants, otherwise the
grade Of teaching must suffer. The pu-
pills and teachers need good environ
| ment in which to work Good tools
are necessary for good workmen. Third,
as our school population increases, there
will be need of additional teachers and
more plant facilities. These must be
up to the present standard and better.
Problem of Maintaining Standard.
This brings us face to face with the
problem that is more and more engag-
! ing both professional and lay interest.
How Is our educational standard to be
| maintained, and the cost kept within
| reason?
Various school systems in different
| sections of the country are attacking
the problem in varied ways. This year
has seen the elimination of the kin
dergarten In many systems. Others have
increased the number of pupils a
teacher, thus reducing the teaching
staf. Many systems have reduced the
| salaries, one system has made a cut of
2O per cent. In some places, the auto
matte salary schedule increases have
been either suspended or dropped.
However, in this article we shall con-
slider another angle of the crisis in
winch our public educational system
finds itself. This is the problem of
extra-curricular activities In our sec
ondary schools.
To gain perspective Of the serious
| ness of the situation, we must see the
background of the changed philosophy
OF education which has fastened this
octopus on our costs.
For several centuries, from about
| 1910 to 1900, the best minds in educa-
ton conceived the process Of teaching
as preparation for life" The guiding
principle was to teach the young of the
/ upper stratas those things which would
help them maintain their hereditary
! economic and social planes. Roughly
| speaking, in 1900 education was con-
cerned with about per cent of the
youth population of Europe. In 1900
| ABOUT 10 per cent was concerned. To-
day, in the leading nations, we are the
oret1cally concerned with 100 per cent
OF the youth population.
InlS change is due 70 two factors.
flrSt, democracy has established itself
as the form of government which en-
llghtened peoples prefer. This has done
away with the old social idea of strait
NEG society with God-given hereditary
privileges.
Second, educational philosophy has
changed from preparation for life" to
living life" We want our youth to
| actually live according to the principles
| they will use all through the period of
adult citizenship
With these two facts in mind. It Is
easy to understand how extra-curricu-
lar activities have gained such a stran-
gle mold on our school systems. In a
CLUB OF any sort, whether it be a radio
cIuo or an embroidery circle, students
40 gam training in those principles
winch actually guide adults In success
fully assuming places in our social life
They learn to live and work together
pound oy common ties. Leadership and
IolioWership, both necessary for happy
cltlzensh1p, are fostered.
naturally, educators took the easv
ana broad path. They encouraged a
thousand and one types of extra-cI,r-
| ricular activities. Clubs grew apace.
| teachers specialized In this field. School
time was used more and more. Our
educators have thoughtlessly pro-
ceeded on the principle that if extra
curricular activity was good, the more
there was the better the educational
system.
Clubs Run on School Time,
Thus today in single high school
there may be go different clubs For.
| II we are to live up to democracy's
| creed, every single pupil must be in a
club, even though there be but half
a dozen out of a thousand who want
a special club. To make it possible
Tor all to enjoy the benefits the clubs
must be run on school time, because
some 40 per cent of the secondary
scnooI population is gainfully employed
outside of school time.
What far cry this is compared with
the philosophy of education of our
forefathers' day! Beekeeping and en-
broldery both hourished then, but the
| taxpayers were not expected to support
their culture in the school.
Here are some of the Orders Of We
committee and trustees for the gram
mar schools of New Haven to be OBJ
served and attended in ye said Schoole
made, agreed upon and published in
ye sd. schools in ye year 1684':
list. The erection of ye sd. Schoole
SS~4S ~ pAAASAPoAlJ 4OI yc 4uSGI uCGlOu VI
hopeful youth in ye Latin tongue, and
other learned Languages soc far as to
prepare such youths for ye College and
publique service of ye Country in
Church and Commonwealth.
"2nd. That noe boyes be admitted
into ye sd. schools for ye learning of
English books, but such as have been
before taught to spell ye letters well
and begin to write, and CIPHER for
hfrTa sos1
further and vt. all others either too
young and not instructed in letters
and spelling, and all girls not in
structed and spelling, and all girls be
excluded as Improper and inconsistent
with grammar school as ye law en-
JONES.
18th. That all Scholars being gath