Evening star., 1951-12-16

five students. leaving three still un-
touched.
THE schools are then faced with
the choice" he said. They can per-
form an educational function for q
few. and custodial function for the
rest up to the legal school-leaving
age. Or. they can perform an edu-
cational function for all. regardless
of the legal compulsions which. up
to certain point, bring the children
into the schools"
Expansion Advocated
DR.. Gallagher. Mr.. Fuller and Mr..
Flicker all feel the high school pro-
gram should be expanded to meet
the needs of all the students.
Mr.. Flicker declared:
Leaders in education cannot ac-
cept the proposal that youth who are
not as educable as those who have
the intellectual competence to be
educated readily in traditional
subjects and by the traditional pat
terms should be denied the privilege
and opportunity of education beyond
the seventh grade at public expense"
Education for all, so that each
youth may explore and develop his
interests and abilities to the fullest
degree commensurate with his
capacity and endowment, is the
accepted goal Of American educa-
ton"
Mr.. Fuller said:
1T appears that educational aris-
tocracy is vigorous in Virginia, though
worried about public funds for its
perpetuation. It's spokesmen support
their contentious by referring to what
Jefferson favored in Colonial times.
THE truth is that Jefferson be-
lieved in more education for more
people than almost any one of his
time. II he were alive today. he would
doubtless recognize the needs of to-
day and be shocked by the reaction
airy attitude of DR.. Darden."
Jefferson on Education
Thomas Jefferson said quite q bit
about education.
One of his letters outlining his
views on public education, written
to Peter Carr September 7. 1914.
gives something of his general views.
'"It is highly interesting to our
country, and it is the duty Of its
functionaries. to provide that every
citizen in it should receive an edu-
cation proportioned to the conditions
and pursuits Of his life," Jefferson
wrote.
1.-The mass of our citizens may
be divided into two classes@the
laboring and the learned" he de-
clared.
His outline for education then said
that all should go through what he
described as the first grade of edu-
cation (meaning primary stage,
not just the first year of school. the
laboring to qualify them for their
pursuits and duties" and the learned
"as foundation for further require
ments'
After the first grade of education,
which Jefferson said should cover
reading, writing. arithmetic and
geography, geueral SCuuleS SIlOulu De
pursued. These included language
and history, both ancient and mod
ern; mathematics, including physics.
chemistry, anatomy. theory of medi-
cine, zoology, botany and mineralogy.
and philosophy.
After the general studies, another
separation would take place with
those qualified going on to the pro-
fessional studies of law. medicine, etc.
Jefferson felt this general diffu-
sion Of learning" was needed for the
development Of the United States.
He declared:
Worth and genius would thus
have been sought out from every con-
dition Of life, and completely pre-
pared by education for defeating the
competition of wealth and birth for
public trusts"
Educators today still appear headed
toward the very modern ideas Of
schooling set forth by Thomas JEFF
ferson, with some slight difference
In the application.