Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-08-12
BEHIND
The NEWS
By Paul
MoIlon

~ have not written lately
about progressive education and
IFS share IN the responsibility
for juvenile delinquency because
every one else seems 10 be
doing and saying the right
things about II.
Every man in the street to-
DAY knows what is wrong with
education. That question was
asked of 10 persons along the
street in Toledo by the Blades
inquiring reporter. The answers
were practically all the same:
~ don't believe the young
people are getting a good start
in arithmetic and spelling; too
much stress on extraeurricular
activities"
~ believe my son IL getting
a better general education than
I, hut more emphasis should he
placed on the three RS and
on discipline"
Graduates do not seem In
know about simple, necessary
things like mathematics and
spelling" ;,
These words from p railroad
man. barber and housewife are
practically the same As have
been arising from my type
writer since last January.
WHAT we need for a we'll
w educated. intelligent, demo-
cratic nation land a cure for
juvenile delinquency is disci-
pline in home, school and
church. discipline by all
methods. particularly the de-
velopment of mental discipline
and reasoning powers by edu-
cation which stimulates the
thought processes.
A professor friend of mine
has n notion. novel TO me, as TO
how we got into this modern
messs. II shows the broader
scope of the trouble beyond edu-
cation and Juvenile delinquency.
His theory is that this century
has witnessed a decline in re-
spect for reason.
Our leading philosophers
gradually pushed down the the
orv Of common sense reasoning
as way of living and promoted
the theory of living by intuition
living has value only as ~
satisfies mems appetites' and
such stuff
Thus have developed such
monstrouS ogreS of unreasonlng
civilization as faSclsm and COM
munlSm.
Instead OF each man reason
ing things out for himself,
weighing the factors as he sees
them on both sides, and impoS-
ING this mass will on our GUS
toms and government; we have
come into what Hitler in his ex-
trementies calls guidance by
emotional fanaticism. Every
where we worship instinct in
stead of thought.
THIS has been an eaSy-selllng
l. doctrine to the average man.
Human nature has made him a
creature desiring comfort, ease,
luxury. Reasoning things out is
hard work. Study requires men,
tai discipline. The average man
will not do IT. unless education
requires it, and unless the whole
way Of life of the country de-
mands IT.
Where YOU get by intuition is
well shown by where Hitler has
taken himself and his entire ma
ton.
Our people still have the right
10 reason for themselves. But
in our country, we have been
leading up To the intultional
way Of life by allowing some
fools among our modern phlloso-
pliers 10 tell us that we should
individually live by the method
following instinct on sex. for
instance, instead of reason.
IN POLITICS also. we have en-
Il couraged emotional leader
ship, the Indictment of hatreds,
but. most dangerous of all. we
have promoted the herding in
Stinct in government by wor-
Shipping totalitarian ways with
government control of every
phase Of life Of the individual.
Intuition? That is what guides
dog or horse. Man was
made with brain, capable of
reasoning. capable Of develop
ing intelligence. He does not
have it when he is born. He will
never develop it except by dis
ciplined training which will
force him to use his mind.
Education by the method OF
movie shows and sightseeing
will not add 10 an individual S
ability to think a fraction as
much As working out one single
difficult problem in arithmetic.
Learn by doing" was what
the philosopher James taught II
L L.. u