Evening star., 1937-03-06

Roosevelt and Dunbar High Schools.
In these classes young men and wom-
en- eager TO learn to drive car will be
taught in a sound and practical way
how TO 90 so with the greatest degree
of efficiency and consequent safety
for themselves and others. This plan
has worked wonders in other cities
and was the original idea Of young
professor of Pennsylvania State Col
lege. Amos E. Nayhart. who. appalled,
at the mounting fatality and injury
list among motorists. took it upon
himself TO train group of high school
students to drive safely.
HIS work, carried on among high
school students in State college,
has attracted Nationwide attention.
Developing his own classroom and
road-training methods. Prof. Neyhart
taught scores of youths to drive so
well that to date not one OF his STU
dents has so much as dented fen
der. Prof Neyhart. on leave of ab-
sence from his college, has been re-
tanned by the A A. A. to prepare
driver training materials and assist
in preparation of the lessons for high
school students. The course as
result is a complete and thorough
training in what might be termed
higher education for drivers"
As such. 1t deals. in the finest peda-
gogical manner, with the sportsman
ship" of driving. for an attempt is
being made to correct first the view
point of the coming generation with
regard to the rights of himself and
others on the high road.
We were brought UP to learn TO
drive in manner that was all wrong
Mr.. Ham points out. We grew into
thinking of the other fellow as a
natural enemy the minute he got be-
hind a wheel Curious psychological
changes occurred in the personalities
Of individuals in the drivers seat The
other fellow was a road hog a Sun
day driver or another one of them
women drivers The attitude OF mind
was antagonistic and truculent on the
high road. In the courses now about
to be introduced in the District schools
this attitude will be changed. Sports
manShip in driving will be stressed
just as it is stressed on the foot ball
field or in any other sport"
THE lessons will cover such subjects
as sportsmanlike driving, the
driver, driver and pedestrian response
bilities, sound driving practices. high
way traffic. development and problems.
the automobile and how to drive 1t
and allied relevant subjects. They
have been prepared by psychology ex-
perts from our finest universities. en-
gineering and sociology professors and
specialists.
1t was the A. A. A. also that inaugu-
rated the school safety patrols in Chi
cago in 1921, wherein trained and
responsible schoolboys are placed in
authority to protect their school,
mates at the curbs and to direct other
wise pedestrian but not vehicular
traffic.
1t is estimated that 100000 chill
dren are protected every school day
of the year by patrol members. and
statistics prove that thousands of
child lives are being saved annually by
these wide-awake guardians Of the
curb.
With the combined efforts of safety
education, driving instruction. study
of traffic regulations, cooperative en-
gineering effort and an awakened pub
lie concern, much should be accom-
plished to wipe out the terrible de-
struction of life that has gone on with
mounting casualties for decade In
our motorized land. But the Anal
solution TO the problem lies. as al.
ways, with the individual himself.