Evening star., 1938-07-24
GAP
HELD WIDENING
Fundamentals Group Is
Compared With the
Progressives.
By he Associated Presa.

By IN. Associated Press.
EVANSTON. H.. July ga grow
ing antasonism between the demo-
cratic and Fascist ways Of life is
widening the gap between "funda-
mentalist' and progressive" educa-
tors in America. DR.. George Axtelle,
professor of education at Northwestern
University, said today.
when Hitler came to power in
Germany" Prof Axtelle said 'one Of
his first acts was to imprison the
leaders of the German progressive
movement In concentration camps"
Declaring that formal schools are
miniature totalitarian systems" Prof.
Axtelle asserted they could not offer a
democratic way Of thinking because
they are based on the system of in
formation handed on to the student
either by the teacher or from a book. "
The superintendent tells the princi-
pal. who tells the teacher. who tells
the student what to believe" he added.
Progressive" educators on the
other hand, he said, would have
students incorporate the spirit Of
democracy into their habits and dis
positions by having them live and
learn in an institution that is basically
democratic in all its relationships.
Scientific Msthod
I'VE try to get the children to use
the logic of the scientific method as
their own instrument of learning. As
result progressive education must
deal with contemporary problems-and
even call into question the institutions
which the conservative takes for
granted.
THE discovery OF the scientific
method and its application to technical
affairs is the most progressive and
powerfully dynamic movement in the
history Of man. Progressive educators
conceive, this method as the funda-
mental method of learning. They
therefore would incorporate the funda-
mental logic Of the scientific method
into the habits and dispositions of the
students. They would have them live
and learn experimentally in the best
sense Of that word. They, too. believe
In discipline. but 1t is the discipline
Of the experimental method"
Prof. AxtAlle was quick to add that
the experimental schools were not SO
called because they are used to ex-
pertinent on the children, but be-
cause in them the children learn by
their own experimentation"
Asked to further define the PRO.
gressives," Prof. Axtelle said they could
be distinguished by their temper and
outlook" although they naturally dis
agreed among themselves about many
things, "as do the physical scientists. -
Bearings on Education.
"They recognize" he added, that
philosophy. the arts and various
sciences have profound bearings on
education. They are eager to dis
cover these and incorporate them in
their philosophy and program. Hence,
education must be progressive, in the
same way that technology is progress
sive. Any educational system is a
function Of the culture Of which it 1.
an integral part. Hence It must re.
spond to deep-lying changes in that
culture.
Progressive educators are aware oi
these connections, and would have
education make these responses de.
liberately with open eyes.
THE fundAmentalists in education
accept traditional ideals. methods And
theories uncritically. The old-time
education is good enough for them.
Their method Of thought Is theological
and traditional. The progressive II
BY no means contemptuous Of tradi.
ton, but he scrutini1es it to discove,
its relevancy for the present.
I'm this he is like the scientist"