The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1939-11-25
DO Our Schools
Make Good
Americans
Contributed,

Mel What is a good America' .
rs hs the man who cheers when
me flsg r. passing hys Bui so does
ihs German Nazi cheer when his
Nag passes. Is he the man Who
SAYS. a love America" Bur 50
does ne italian fascist proclaim his
love OF Italy What then character
zes good American one peculi-
arity has marked Americans Tor
ire as' 80 wears THIS peculsrily
) a Ove oi democracy. Lcl ~ say.
fis man Who loves AID practices
democracy j.. a good American. The
schools snow TINS and are not sat-
sized 10 teach only hind alleg-
iante 10 me American hac Our
modern hoois helieye thai 70 teach
democracy is 20 make good Ameri-
cans
The question is do our schools
teach democtscye
Modern edpea'innsl philosophy
demo, ra'ic Ia pfin i9le The clild
must learn 20 GEI ALONG with
other people and ~ the same time
rs LEARN 70 THINK ndcpeud-
entity re mirt learn 10 ask Why"
and Whsi fo \ PERSON mus
rAned iss sa { in a democrac,
Bur he makes iSerable fascist.
ne doesn't know how 10 take or
defs h.ndly he is used 20 asking
fessons frs re csnno, hate blind
p he used 20 cooperating with
orner people Modern philosophers
~ education have laid down some
good ales 'or schools in a democ-
rsey o apply
And our schools 30 Try 70 APP
nv those rules The teacher watch
es tors'sntlv Tor situations in
which she can make democracy
cal io me children She wants 10
ne'p We rhl'l work coopefatiyely
win his classmates. 10 subordi-
nate his own interests 10 that OF the
= mn and ,si NOT 10 ] Sc his OH
Z naiity and Independence. when a
class elects one ~ NJ members for
some honor the children learn fair
play by submitting 10 the VIII OF the
majority ia The auditorium. in he
af' room In msnv other classes
The children are often divided into
small groups which work indie
penden'ly aid cooperaiiyely on
q project without he direction Of
the teacher The iescher knows that
wren The child learns cooperation
fair PLAY and independent ihirk-
ing he is learning 10 live democrs-
ficsl'v
Yes she knows that And she Is
honest IN her Struggle 10 make good
Americans Bur iet ne he honest
and see how hard that struggle g..
The teachcr labors 10 ieach dcmoc-
racv in an overcrowded class room
She herself has l,ilc time 10 he any
thing bur 2 dictator. She must often
rule with an iron hand where. In
she had time she would settle dis
cipline problems IT, an understand
ing and democratic fashion And
often The teacher iOfes chance
90 lei the children vote on a de-
cision because OF that sa m .
lack of lime II is hard. too. 10 d.
vide large class into small. indie
pendenily working groups because
there aro ~ many personality prob
lens 70 iron out. and RI time 10 do
70 so many groups and No place To
put them
Our school. have good intentions
They honestly try 70 teach democ-
ract. But teacher canrot teach
democracy In The abstract She can
not hold no q piece of democracy
10 show The children az che does
good spelling paper Nor can she
describe democracy 10 the children
and say This Is democracy. We
should all love It," Children do not
understand this kind Of teaching
They must learn BY their owr ex-
perience. guided hv a wise teach
er The schools are irving very
hard under poor conditions. 10
show tho children how IN practice
democracy A. FAR a. they succeed
IN ini-. =, - - :hcr saccecd -
making good Americans