Milford chronicle., 1934-03-30
WHAT SHALL THEY TEACH

Educators are stumped to decide
what they shall teach the coming
up generation. Nearly all the old
textbooks are now obsolete. The
schools can't afford to buy new ones
and they wouldn't know what
ones to buy il they had the money.
Who is there who is wise enough to
say what should be taught to the
crop of boys and girls now growing
up? We don't know of anybody
whose word or judgment VIC would
accept. for the future is so uncer-
tain. And yet. here is a generation
coming OF the scene who are de-
stined TO face problems perhaps
more difficult than any which the
human race have ever had to cope
with before, and who will have to
manage things.
Literature used to be an mex
haUstible and harmless subject to
which any amount of time could be
devOted-but nobody has any use for
sDch things now. History was an
other mainstay Teachers could al
ways dip back into histOry-history
Of this country. history of the world
and ancient history. But history has
also been thrown on the scrap-heap.
You can't find anybody nowadays
who wants to hear what the lessons
OF history" teach. The present gem
Grafton wants to make history" not
to study il anu gain wisdom IIOm IT,
Scientific agriculture for time
offered an outlet for the younger
generation who wanted to know more
than their parents. Millions upon
millions of money have been spent
on educating Scientific farmers
aud the only result has been that
they have produced three times as
many things as they can sell. Scicn-
tific and engineering courses also
came along TO absorb the ambitious
younger set. But here we have the
same stOry-prOductiOn multiplied
by shortcut methods. but with no
accompanying measures to sell the
goods.
Economics. psychology and a lot /
of modern ''isms" then came on the
scene Students were told that il
they learned these new sciences they
could become the supreme masters
of their own fates as well as shape
the destinies of others for their own
benefit This too was a delusion and
snare. for when the other fellow
knows more than you do of this same
subject. you are at his mercy. Any
way. all dOctOrines in these rapid
days are apt to be thrown overheard
any night-hence they are nothing
that can be safely tied to-
II is not surprising therefore that
The colleges are casting about for
new things to teach. Some of them
favor Establishing a chair in hu-
NOR" This sounds good least
he students will get something for
heir time and money HumOr is a
positive asset in real life-sOmething
much more solid in fact than many
| bank account. Most of the college
professors in the past have been
wholly devoid of humOr-aud that Is
me of the things that has been
wrong with education The fifth
ate humOr which is palmed OF on
he radio from such great centers of
as New York show
hat II is time for humor to be taken
Up seriOusly-if you will pardon a
Oke.
Some of the colleagues also are
low proposing to teach students how
o be happy-and the professors even
lave a name for it-"euthenics."
'assar College already has a sum
ner school Of this sort-caIled the
institute of Euthenics. That school
5 intended for parents as well as
If parents can be
aught that they are entitled to en-
Oy a little happiness in this world
1T will be a great gain. They're
ding to need It.