The Miami times. [volume] (Miami, Fla.) 1923-current, 1951-11-17

and pupils work and plan to-
gether, setting up their detectives
and working to achieve those OBJ
jective, are providing valuable
real experience, and practice, in
citizenship; they are helping to
develop the understandings and
skillS which are NEEDED for demo-
cratic cooperation, for working
together to achieve a common
goal. Our rapidly expanding vo-
cational program is helping to de-
velop the skills which our fu-
ture citizens will need to be eff
cient citizens. Our very fine pro-
gram of health, safety, and ply
steal education is contributing its
share toward developing a healthy
citizenship for the future.
Recently, the schools of Dade
County, along with schools in
other parts of the nation, have
been criticized because they do
not place enough emphasis on the
three RS and that they place too
much emphasis on extra-curric-
ular activities. There is no ques-
ton that we need to re-examine
our program and our curriculum
to determine exactly how much
justification there is in the state
ment that we have neglected the
three RS. Dade County school
people are now working on pro-
gram to evaluate our progress in
these fundamental skills. In the
meantime, however, it must be
recognized that some of the Skills
needed for good citizenship in a
democracy can best be develop
ed in those activities which we
commonly refer to as extra-cur
ricular. For example, the foot
ball coach, or the band director
has many more opportunities to
teach, and have children practice
the skills needed for cooperative
work, the chief element of dem
ocratic citizenship, than does this
algebra teacher. 1t has been also
fairly we'll established, through
scientific study, that children
learn much more efficiently if
the subject matter is related TO
life situations than if they learn
isolated facts and skills from a
book. Dade County, therefore, in
its curriculum planning, has at
tempted to provide ample oppor-
tunities TO make what boys and
girls learn function in their daily
lives.
In some respects, Dade County
schools are more fortunate than
those in other parts of the country.
We do not have a serious teacher
shortage in Dade County above
the primary levels. Our building
program is moving ahead, in
spite of difficulties, to provide
ample facilities for educating
boys and girls. We must recog-
nize in this respect, however, that
our present building program,
based on the recent bond issue,
will not provide sufficient build
ings for all time. Indications are
that our enrolment will continue
to increase by leaps and bounds.
Our present building program is
probably just about taking care
of the increasing enrolment.
When it is finished, we will need
TO look ahead again to the future
TO see what our needs will be in
he way of school buildings.
All this presents a real chal-
lenge to the schools of America,
and specifically TO the schools of
Dade County. The schools can do
the Job, if they have enough help
If they have the tools and the
equipment and the support.
To teach citizenship, we need
good teachers and good schools.
There must be teachers and
schools enough to reach every
boy and girl. The people Of
America, of Florida, and Dade
County, must decide whether ed
ucation is a luxury or necessity
in the present crisis.