Evening star., 1942-05-03
Material Collected
For Aviation Courses
In Secondary Schools
Teacher Troinine Planned
This Summer, With Gloss
Work in September
BY NEWBOLD MOVES. Jr.

line new subject cannot evolve
gradually, as did the other thing.
they teach in schools. 1t must b.
created almost overnight.
Since October, 1885, German
school children have been studying
aviation. Hitler has decreed that il
shall be taught to them from kin
dergarten through college, and that
they shall read, mark, learn and in
wardly digest.
To catch up with this program
which has paid dividends to oul
enemies, to surpass it and finally tc
redirect it from military to social
uses-that is the aim of those who
today are fighting to get aviation
education into our schools.
$500 Pilots Month.
Those who should know say that
in our colleges we are doing the job
of air-conditioning our youth as
we'll as any nation in the world. The
work there of the Civil Aeronautics
Administration. under Robert H
Hinkley. Assistant Secretary OF
Commerce for Air, is matter of
public record. 1t is now produc-
ing $500 pilots every month in the
year.
But civil aeronautics officials,
members of the Office of Education
and Army and Navy experts are in
general agreement that because Of
the fact that we started our pro-
gram late we have been forced to
attack it from the wrong end. Hav-
ing built the top of the structure.
they say, we must now fill in the
foundation. We must get aviation
education into our high schools and
elementary schools. And we must
do it in hurry.
Much has already been accom-
plished toward establishing aviation
education in the lower levels of our
school system. It is estimated that
approximately 10000 of our 25,467
high schools are presenting at least
one course connected, however re-
motely. with aviation. But at the
mement the principle is that OF the
grab bag, and the effect that Of
a crazy quilt Educational experts
are aware that much remains to be
done.
Several States and many isolated
schools have pioneered with courses.
Foremost among States which have
recognized the need and have struck
out for themselves are Nebraska.
Tennessee, New Jersey and New
York. And the District of Columbia
has been active in this respect.
Secondary Schools Handicapped.
But all secondary schools trying
to teach aviation are handicapped
today, according to authorities. by
the fact that there has been no
well-planned development of edu-
cational materials in the field of
aviation education at the secondary
school level.
Last March, therefore, an avia-
ton education research project was
established In Columbia Uniyersity's
Teachers College at the instigation
of the C. A. A. Members of the Re-
search Committee, which is under
the technical direction of Dr.. N. l..
Englehardt, include DR.. Paul Mort,
DR.. George T. Renner and DR., Ben
D. Wood. The committee is aided by
q staff of educational consultants.
Among educational institutions
rate with the Columbia group in
aviation education research are the
Universities of Nebraska and Min
nesota, Harvard University and the
Colorado State College of Educa-
ton.
Workers in these institutions are
preparing the tools with which, it
is hoped, high schools all over the
country will work next year.
Tools Under Preparation.
Specifically, the tools under prepa-
ration are:
/. Teachers manuals and syllable
Considered of most immediate i'm
portance is basic manual for teach
ers designed to acquaint them with
the necessity for the study of avia-
ton in the war and postwar areas
and to present them with the basic
concepts and strategic implications
of present and prospective develop
ments in aviation.
2. Materials for an "orientation
course" in aviation for ninth grade
pupils. The purpose of this course,
according to the planners, is to lift
the young pupils interest in avia-
ton from the "glamor" stage into
the work stage, and to enable the
pupil to determine in what field his
interest in aviation lies. 1t will
present a diversified history of avia-
tion in its relation to various asso-
ciated fields of study 1t will also
seek to develop the students in
terest and ability in the fields Of
mathematic and physics.
3. Materials for a science course
In aeronautics for eleventh or
twelfth grade pupils Conceived
along the lines of specialized
physics course. this course will in
clude units in aerodynamics. theory
OF fight, meteorology. navigation
safety and civil air regulations.
4. Materials for laboratory
course for work in various fields
related to aviation.
Annotated File Of Books.
5. An annotated photographed
file of books, periodicals. free publ
cations, films, mans and other class
room materials of value to teachers
dealing with subjects related tc
aviation. The annotations are tC
be provided by workers in each OF
the subject matter fields as we'll as
In aviation.
6. Supplementary material to al
ready existing courses showing their
relation to aviation. Courses to be
supplemental include physics, T,lys-
iology. mathematics, literature
geography. industrial arts and gen.
eral science.
According to the present sched-
ule preparation of the materia
should be completed early in July
IT will then be made available tx
teacher training institutions. Train
ing of teachers in the new fielc
will be accomplished during the
summer and the courses, it is hoped