Evening star., 1936-04-26

case, in a complex industrial society
such as our own, with the public
school organized as vast and COM
plicated enterprise, for the overwhelm-
ing majority of educational questions
the teaching profession can receive
from the people no clear-cut and def
mite mandates, and in the few in
stances when it does receive such
mandates. their authenticity should
be carefully examined.
Bold Program Needed.
1.-THE great need in the situation Is
for a school program. particularly in
the sphere Of the social studies, which
will deal boldly and firmly with the
problem of the age-neither giving
way to hysteria on the one hand, nor
clinging blindly to tradition on the
other, but proceeding steadily and
with confidence toward the reallza-
ton of the ideals of American democ-
racy under the conditions of industrial
civilization. The best guarantee of
this solution Of the problem lies in
the development of the power and
prestige the general competence and
sense Of social responsibility, of the
educational profession-the total body
of workers in the schools Of the coun-
try, embra cling both teachers and ad-
ministrators from kindergarten to
university.
while rejecting completely the idea
Of autonomy, the school teachers
should be able to withstand the at
tacks Of selfish and ignorant minori-
ties, weather the turbulent storms OF
popular passion and provide far
sighted and professional educational
leadership for community and State
and for the Nation in its domestic and
/ international relations.
"The elevation of the profession as
a whole to position Of larger inf1u-
ence in the shaping Of educational
policy also provides the best guarantee
for freedom and elasticity in the edu-
cational program. Perhaps the great
est threat to education in the world
| today is the establishment Of narrow
political control over the schools and
the severe RECOMMENDATION Of the minds
Of a whole generation of children.
The safest check on this tendency Is
to be found in the strengthening Of
the profession. With a membership
| Of a million men and women, widely
distributed over the country and pos
Sessing most diverse backgrounds and
outlooks, it never could be persuaded
to formulate and administer q pro-
gram of severe indoctrination. At the
same time, while holding in its ranks
representatives of extreme right and
left positions. it could be expected to
move steadily forward and in close
step with the developing social situa-
ton. Thus would be preserved a
democratic spirit in the schools
which in turn might help to preserve
that spirit in society at large"
Term Is Not Relished.
The superintendents do not relish
the term "indoctrination," which. Of
late, has been hurled SO often at their
teachers. 1t has come to mean, In
the minds of the general public, max
ing bomb throwing Bolsheviks out OF
the pupils.
When the term is used, they stress
in the report, to mean the inculcation
of series of absolute articles of faith
which must be taken blindly and not
questioned, "indoctrination" Is de-
cidedly out of place in the public
schools. But in the true meaning Of
the term the practice cannot be
avoided and those who protest most
loudly over it simply want teachers tc
practice "indoctrination" in another
direction.
No subject. especially in the realm
of the social sciences, can be pre-.
sented completely. 1t would require
lifetime and then some. There must
always be a selection of facts-to be
made by the teacher, the superinten.
dert or the author of the text book
Any such selection may, and usually