Evening star., 1934-07-01
EDUCATORS TOLD
NEEDSOF SYSTEM
Reorganization Necessary
In Changing Conditions
Says Hutchins.

great mass of the Nations people Will
have leisure to learn, was outlined
last night to some 1000 educators by
Robert M Hutchins, youthful presl-
dent of the University of Chicago.
He spoke at the opening session oil
the National Education Assocla-
tion's seventy-second annual meeting
in the Washington Auditorium.
A feature of the meeting was the
exchange of messages, via radio, with
Little America, where Admiral Rich
ard E. Byrd, long friend OF the as
sociation, is encamped.
II wish tonight to look beyond the
current phase of the depression to the
economic, political and social sltua-
ton in which life will be carried on
when the crisis is past or when we
have grown accustomed to it" Hut
chins told his audience.
He pictured a stationary popula-
ton, with the superannuated and the
adolescent definitely withdrawn from
the labor market; a working day,
working week and a working lie
growing shorter and shorter, and an
imperative need for education OF the
mass of the people.
Task Facing Schools.
He described the task which will
face the schools in this way
The pupil must be taught to earn
a living in the society that exists, not
In one that ought to exist some time.
He must be made a good citizen OF
this commonwealth, not Of another,
no matter how much better that other
may be-
DR.. Hutchins advocated new set-up
in the institutional division OF educa-
tional system to meet the needs OF the
developing civilization. He suggested
a six-year primary school, a three or
four year secondary school, and a
three or four year junior college or
technical institute.
There would come sharp line OF
demarcation. Up through the junior
college or technical institute, or
combination of the two, most OF the
country's youth would come, regardless
of the individuals ability to learn. 1t
would be the responsibility OF the
educator to find something the pupil
could learn.
Instead of demanding that pupils
adjust themselves to us we should
have to adjust our institutions to
them" DR.. Hutchins declared. In
the past, when a pupil has failed, we
have commonly indulged in slurs on
his intelligence and character. In the
future. this pleasure will be denied us.
We shall have to find the course OF
study in which the pupil can succeed.
Even if it is not true that no one is
ineducable, we shall have to act as
though it were."
On top of this general or sub
professional technical education, DR..
Hutchins would superimpose three
year curriculum leading up to mas
ter's degree. This would be offered by
the universities and institutions we
now call colleges to students who
have scholarly, professional or In
tellectual interests and the will and
ability to develop them. While no
selection would be exercised through
the Junior college, entrance to the in
stitutions of higher learning would be
strictly selective.
Students Responsibility.
mo student is entitled to proceed
at public expense beyond this point, !"
said the speaker, "unless he can DEM
onstrate that he has the interest and
ability which scholarly and profess
sional work requires. He is not en-
titled as a matter of right to residence
r,oarelu hR-
cause he does not wish to labor in
more sordid surroundings or because
his parents wish to avoid the respon-
sibility or the monotony OF having
him at home"
DR.. Hutchins' system through the
Junior college would aim at occupying
the juvenile population, for whom
there would be no place in industry,
and equipping it to become self-sup-
porting.
The higher student would be ex-
pected to step out into intellectual
leadership.
He saw the next problem as result
ing from the inability of industry to
absorb anything like the full time OF
adults. He said people will demand,
and are demanding, some kind OF
occupation which will assist them to
a more varied, stimulating, and i'm
portant brand of activity" This oc-
cupation, he explained, will be edu-
cation of adults, a movement just
blossoming out into anything ap-
preaching general popularity in this
country. He said the Exclusive pre-
Of tho American PdllcQ-
tional system with the juvenile popu-
lation is a little ridiculous. and has
been beneficial neither to the system
nor the country"
Regarding the course adult educa-
ton will take, he said:
IF current experience gives us any
linking of the future, We can be rea-
sonably confident that what adults
will insist on is not vocational in
struction-how to be a better book
keeper, for example-but what We
call general cultural education, edu-
cation which fills in the gaps left by
formal schooling. or develops artistic
and literary leanings which were sub
merged by formal schooling and the
necessities of earning living
Ill dSdlulk WILL d0ulD COdNdOlOlis VIC
must regard the school not as a place
where classes are taught. but as the
center of community life, rejecting
the community's interest. in music,
art, the drama, and current affairs,
as we'll as in what We have been ac-
customed to think of as education"
Taxation Increase.
Such an education program would
necessarily greatly increase the cost
to the taxpayers, DR.. Hutchins ad-
mitted, and suggested that the schools
would have to follow the example of
industry and business and turn to the
Federal Government for aid. He pre-
dicted that this will bring down on
our heads the wrath of the taxpayer" !"
To guard against bureaucracy and
governmental interference, he coun-
seled building up strong professional
tradition among educators.
The essence of the professional ira
dition, he asserted, is a free and in
dependent exercise of the intelli-
gence," which is now Gin dreadful