Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-05-27

XVI cCFC1dl ulU1t1l6, washing.
tonians interested in schoo
problems have been engaged in 6
running controversy on the sub.
ject Of progressive education. The
opening gun of the current Local
debate seems to have been a letter
to the Editor Of The Star. fea.
tured on March under the head
ing: 1.-THE Case for Progressive
Education" This must have been
an unusually provocative COM
munication, for it has evoked
a remarkable series of individual
responses, pro and con, which
still shows no signs of abatement.
These letters, by their vary ma
ture, raise and leave unanswered
a wholly basic question: What are
we talking about when we speak
of progressive education? Another
way of stating it might be: What
are the issues which separate pro-
gressive education from other ed
ucational systems or plans?
One approach to this matter of
definition is a negative one. It
seeks to define progressive educa-
ton by stating what it is not, rath-
er than by stating what it is. Such
an approach does have value for
it helps set boundaries within
which we later can use a positive
approach.
Has Long History
l. Progressive education, is not
new. 1t has a long history back of
1.-THE history of that kind of
educational experience which has
been practical and useful, rather
than formal and traditional. Mod
ern mans prehistoric ancestors,
for instance, must have been
practical in their methods Of edu-
cation for their children.
2. Progressive education is not
q process of letting the child do
just what he wants to do. Such
a procedure would be far from
realistic. Children can help to
plan their own educational activi-
ties, but they do this planning
with adult assistance and under
guidance.
8. Progressive education is not
ichild-centered education. The
teacher continues to be a vital
element in a progressive school.
Textbooks, furniture, supplies and
equipment are important, too. Fact
knowledge, general and specific
aims, definite methods of proce-
dure and the measurements Of
achievement are just as important
in progressive schools as they are
In formal schools.
4. Progressive education does
not abandon the teaching of the
"three Rs" Reading. writing and
arithmetic are as essential in a
progressive school as they are in a
traditional school. They may be
taught by different methods, but
they continue to be taught.
S. Progressive education is not a
disease. 1t is not a sort of mental
astigmatism. 1t does not need to
use any form of gobbledygook to
disguise its nature or to confuse
its opponents. 1t has definite posi-
tive bases in philosophy, psychol-
ogy and sociology.
1t is time now to consider the
positive side of our definition.
Progressive education may be de-
fined reasonably well by present.
ing seven of its basic concepts:
Three from philosophy, three from
psychology and one from sociology
l. Perhaps the most fundamen-
tai question in education is this:
How much freedom shall the STU
dent experience? At best. we
can be only relatively free
because human beings are finite
creatures. But within the. limits
of that freedom which can be
ours, there are wide variations
These variations are quite evident
in the field of education.
In one school, the principal is
an autocrat, practically a dicta-
tor. In another school, demo-
cratic procedures are put into
practice. In one classroom, the
adopted textbook is regarded as
an infallible authority. In an
other classroom, the textbook
serves chiefly as a point of de-
parture for questions which must
be answered from other sources
One system tells children what
to think, while another gives them
experience in how to think
Every school practices some de-
gree of indoctrination-the tradi-
&c., ~ss LIZ