The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1933-11-09


not prove that the schools Of tho I
future can not and will not prevent
tho recurrence OF such difficulties.
TO be sure, the schools OF the past
will not suffice. Education must |
be rodirectod toward new purposes;
perhaps Il must DO ro.organized
IL ro.adapted to social needs, diff |
ficuities such as those we now en-
perience may DO lightened, IL not
entirely prevented.
Allow mem to illustrate briefly
what / mean In connection with |
the foregoing task. First of all,
tho problem OF unemployment now
demands q new emphasis In voca-
the World war and during the |
years Immediately following 1t, the |
school concerned primarily with |
educating boys and girls to per-
form certain specialized functions.
That Is, society had number OF |
jobs that were to DO done and Il |
was the function of tho school to |
train boys and girls to do them eff
ficiently. This situation has
changed, however; there are not
Jobs for everyone; there is not q
demand for large supply of tech.
nically trained individuals. Con.
sequcntly, the school Is no longer
justified In placing the same en-
phasis on training In technical
skill that II placed on this func-
ton O few years ago.
Social Policy Needed
Tho course II should pursue Is
h., ,.A t,aanAu aloa piu dafiNOH n
will depend on the social policy
which the nation itself adopts. VIII
tending machines be the task OF oil
In the future? II 30, II IL appar-
ont that hours Of labor will be-
como increasingly shorter. The
need for technical training Will
continue, but tho time which each
individual, VIII use In the perform.
anco of his vocational duties Will
be much shorter than the present
working day. On tho other hand,
1t may DO that In tho future, go
cicty will own the machines and
will intrust their operation TO u
rather limited number OF tho to-
tai population. In that case,
technical skill will be needed by
much smaller number Of people
than at present, and hours OF Ia
Dor may not be reduced u great
deal lower than those now existing
In the major industries. Should
such u course DO followed, II will
become tho task Of tho school TO
find other socially useful Jobs for
tho great majority OF American
boys and girls.
Lot mo call attention to another
phase Of tho new education which
must receive major attention. Tho
schools Of tho past have placed
large emphasis on more efficient
production, and very skillfully have
they accomplished that task. The
wheels OF industry have turned
with greater and greater rapldity,
until methods OF production are
now far ahead Of those Of distri-
button and consumption. Two
excellent books by Stuart Chase
direct attention TO this problem.
In his volume, "Your Moneys
Worth" and the moro recent one,
zone Hundred Twenty Million
Guinea Pigs" he calls attention to
tho need for an educated eonsum.
Ing public, capable OF selecting
wisely the communities and SET
vices necessary for their health
and happiness.
New Training Sought
A final illustration may 10 used
Of the need for new type OF edu.
cation. There Ia now IN unpar.
aileled need for q new and better
type Of citizenship training, train
Ing that will TT the individual for
participation In tho management
Of tho affairs Of his community,
state, and nation. Briefly as the
foregoing illustrations have been
stated, they are sufficient TO show
how Vital IL IL for teachers TO
study the social problems OF to-day
and redirect tho work OF the school
In accordance with present day
conditions. For educators TO re-
main aioof from the social order IN
which they now find themselves,
reminds one OF the Monks who 90.
batcd tho nature Of the trinity
while the Turks were beating down
the walls Of ConBtantinoplo. Teach.
ers' orga nizations In many parts
Of the country are now studying
on a statewide or city-wido basis,
the problem OF unemployment and
other social problems. This ID o
commendabie practice. and 1t
marks the type of teacher leader
shin which am recommending.
The fourth task confronting tho
teacher Of tomorrow. Ia that OF In
tcrpreting the new school to tho
public In order to insure lis sta
billy, The public school 10 tho
peoples school and tho people
must BIO thoroughly ACQUAINTED
with It's. purposes, It's methods, ana
its achievements, or they will not
support It. 49,.
larger and more complex, schools
have grown larger and at the same
time become farther ana farther
removed from their patrong. How
many of the parents OF the chill
dren you teach are well enough
acquainted with you TO- recognize
you In O department store or IN
tho library? How many. OF them
know what you are teaching ana
are reasonably familiar with tho
methods that you use? How many
visit your classroom even two or
three times o year? II any large
percentage Of them have even TINS
meager acquaintance with you and
your work you are indeed FORUM
ate.
Public Contact Lost
The school II no longer tho
necessary center OF public atten.
ton. Il Ia not the social center OF
the modern community to-day.
Nothing forces the parent 70 boz
come Intimately acquainted with
tho tecahers Of his children. Sol.
dom does no have o voice In the
formulation Of school policies or IN
the direction OF It's affairs. Under
these circumstan the public has
lost contact with education. As |
the eecretary OF tho interior re.
Gently said, I'VE have taken our
education too much for granted.
Like alr and light and water, we |