The Wrangell sentinel., 1934-08-03
EDUCATION TRENDS

The 72nd annual meeting of the National Education Association con vened at Washington, D. O., in it's first general session the evening of June 30, 1884. Before an audience of more than 4,000 educators from all parts of the country Dr. Robert M. Hutchins, president of the Uni versity of Chicago, in the opening address, outlined a sweeping reor- ganization of Americas educational system adapted to a period now being ushered in when the great mass of the nations people will development He urged that the leaders in education and the social order look with him beyond "the current phase of depression to the economies, political and social situa tion in which life will be carried on when the crisis is past or when we will have grown used to it."
 He saw an imperative need for education of the mass of people in proportion as the working day, the working week and working life grow shorter, and in a period, too, when the superannuated and ado lescent would be definitely with drawn from the labor market.
 Advocating a sharp departure from the present institutional di vision of educational systems to meet the needs of developing civ ilization, pr. Hutchins suggested a siX-year primary school, three or four-year secondary school and three or four-year junior college or technical institute. Most of the countrys youth, he said, would be brought up through the junior col lege or technical institute or be given courses of training evolved from the curricula of both adapted to the needs and the individual pu- pills ability to learn. Because of the importance of Education to each in- dividual and the social order of the immediate future, the responsibility would rest upon the educator to find the course of study in which the pupil would succeed.
 Instead of demanding that pu- pills adjust themselves to us we should have to adjust our institu- tions to them" Dr. Hutchins de- clared. ''In the past, when a pupil has failed, we have commanly in- dulged in slurs on his intelligence and character. In the future, this al ha iaI
 "The pupil" the speaker said, must be taught to earn a living in the society that exists, not in one that ought to exist some time. Ha must be made a good citizen of this commonwealth, not of another, no matter how much better that other may be-"
 Following the completion of general or subprofessional technical education, Dr. Hutchins' Outline includes a three-year curriculum leading to a masters degree which would be available at our colleges and universities to students who possess scholarly, professional or other intellectual capacities with the will to go on developing them.
 Addressing himself to the stu dents responsibilities to society, Dr. Hutchins stated that the stu dents would be expected to assume intellectual leadership and mo student" he declared, "is entitled to proceed at public expense in this field unless he can demonstrate that he has the interest and ability which scholarly and professional work requires. He is not entitled as matter of right to residence in the academic shade merely because he does not wish to labor in more sor- did surroundings or because his parents wish to avoid the responsi- bility or the monotony of having him at home"