Evening star., 1934-05-22
PROPACANDA-FREE
EDUCATION GOAL
Studebaker, New Commits.
Sioner, FavorS Rugged
IndividuaIism.


ceive into its midst one who has made
that theory the touchstone of his life
and aims.
He is John Ward Studebaker once
a bricklayer, now superintendent OF
schools in Des Moines, Iowa, who will
become United States commissioner OF
education September l.. His ideals are
those of democracy.
No Stickler for outworn forms, now
ever, is this rugged individualiSt, who
stands but feet and peers lntently
through steel-rimmed glasses as he
discourSeS with patriotic ardor OF his
dreams.
His dreams concern the future OF
America and depend on the free, m
telligent thought of each citizen aimed
at solution of the problems wrapped
up in the coUntry's economic saliva
ton.
Beliefs Freely Spoken.
This man, who in few weeks Will
hold the highest educational post III
the Nation, believes with all his heart
in a return to the attitude OF nina
tvpified by the old-time New Eng
land town meeting, where each solved
for himself public problems and as
freely spoke his beliefs.
such should be educations aim,
thinks DR.. Stuoebaker-
we need to rededicate ourselves
to the theory of rugged indlVlduallSm
in education" he said in an interview
today at the Shoreham Hotel where
he is attending the convention OF the
American Association for Adult Edu-
cation.
Keep education free from all prop
aganda and enable it, as a process IN
which all freely participate, to make
the choices concerning specific meas
ures in the field of economic So
cialization that we think will be most
beneficial to society in the United
States"
Between Two Extremes.
As DR.. Studebaker sees the pros
pact which confrontS America, 1t Is
huge scale of economic sociahza-
ton with absolute laissez faire, as
zero in Specialization. at one end and
Socialism. as 100 per cent Soclallza-
ton, at the other. The choice facing
the American people is to determine
the place on the scale between these
two extremes. which they will occupy
This choice they can make intelli-
gently only through education in the
social sciences and free expression and
interchange of thought. in the opinion
of the new commissioner of educa-
ton.
An ignorant people can't manage
a democracy in this dynamic age of
machinery" he declared.
But DR.. Studebaker doesn't believe
that the people are ignorant.
He said: 7 am an absolute devotee
Of the theory of democracy; l believe
it can and will work"
He does not consider democracy as
an unchanging idea, however
Fears Regimented Thought.
Democracy is being re-det1ned,' he
declared Rugged individualism and
democracy according to the old Amer
lean tradition, were almost synony-
nous. According to that tradition,
we applied rugged individualism to all
phases of life.
Now we are trying to extract from
our concept of democracy consider
able degree of economic individual |
arises, how far can we go in taking |
economic individualiSm out of de- |
mocracy and yet leave in it individual |
ism in Government, social affairs and |
education?"
DR.. Studebaker is not afraid Of reg |
imentation of industry, but rather |
the danger of a RECOMMENDATION of |
thought. AS encouragement to free |
thought, Americans must achieve |
true freedom of speech. he asserted. |
Toward this end the public forums |
in Des Moines, which have attracted |
Nationwide attention under his di- I
rection, were instituted. The cost of
the forums is met by grant from
the Carnegie Corporation.
During period of 36 weeks, end
ing next month, $50 neighborhood and
city-wide forums will have been held.
The meetings take place at an aver
age Of Is to 20 week.
Tackle Modern Problems.
They are conducted by a staff cf
three leaders, whom Dr. Studebaker
calls experts in explanation" supple
mented by lecturers drawn from Des
Moines, other American cities and
even foreign countries.
According to DR.. Studebaker. "the |
curriculum IN these experiments in |
adult education is made up of news |
paper headlines. Subjects of discus
sion are the depression and other
modern day topics, rather than Han
nibal crossing the Alps
He calls the forums the "people's |
university in the social sciences"
The meetings begin with the pres
entation of some outstanding spot
news" event by the leader and is
minutes of discussion from the floor
of its significance Then the leader !
lectures for 40 minutes on an up-to- !
the-minute theme. presenting all view
points, and the discussion is thrown
open to the public.
In the forums, conservatives and |
communists, facists and anarchists fig
uratively rub shoulders in harmony, !
and extremists become less extreme. /,
The neighborhood meetings last exact !
ly one and one-half hours, beginning
and ending on the minute. The city
meetings are two hours in duration.
Taught to Think.
Through this means, the people are
taught to think on questions of vital
concern to themselves and to express
their thoughts.
DR.. Studebaker is enthusiastic con-
corning their possibilities and intends
when he takes Office as commissioner
of education, to do all in his power to
encourage such groups.
Such forums are all we need to |
save and improve democracy and give |
the final answer to the question of
whether nation can succeed in ac-
quiring an abundance of material !
goods and at the SAM time retain |
the spiritual values which We all read |
into our concept of the great Amer
lean dream" he declared.
The forums cost approximately |
$25,000 a year, or l per cent of the |
annual school budget of Des Moines |
he said. They we're started a year |
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