Evening star., 1954-06-06
lcontinued From First PAGE,

education laws and other meas
ures. These have kept in school
youngsters who have little or no
interest in or capacity for the
traditional academic subjects or
even some of the newer subjects.
New courses have been devised
to meet their capacities and
to interest them. This is what
is meant by the vehemently
stated criticism that the cur
riculum has been watered down.
1T is true. How could the capaci-
ties. of the student body be
watered down without leading
to a watering down Of the cur
riculum?
OF criticisms there are myriads.
Some critics go in for sensational
stories about youngsters who
can't spell. can't read. don't
even know the alphabet" Such
examples can be found, but
finding the Recommendation to
support charges that these con-
ditions are generally true is an
other matter. There are data
on the other side.
Progressive Education"
Here are some other subjects
to be considered:
College preparation-The alert
and determined youngster can
get as good a preparation for
college in the public schools as
he ever could.
Progressive @ education - This
has become an epithet in many
sections of the country. Some
persons equate it with socialism.
or worse. They consider it syn
onymous with the hack of dis
cipline. In the 1920's and 1930's
many private schools and some
public schools went hog-wild for
progressive education" There
has since been a retreat. The
movement made some contribu-
tions which have affected all
schools. .... .
The report card-This is a
knotty problem and. in some
areas. a red-hot one. In the
Washington area, at least, it ap-
pears to be on the way to a
satisfactory solution.
Discipline in the Schools.
Discipline-You can hear hor-
rendous stories about lack of dis
cipline. But drop in on the near
est school and you probably will
see work going on in an orderly
fashion. Perhaps a better case
can be made for a decline in in
tellectual discipline. Whether it
should be blamed on the home or
the school is a hard question.
This lack makes youngsters shy
away from a hard" course.
They always did, but some
schools make it easier to do so
now.
Teachers-This is one of the
biggest problems which the
schools have to face. The problem
Of getting enough competent
teachers probably will get even
harder to solve.
One logical question is, Why
all the criticisms at this time?
Here are some answers:
l. The schools do have short
comings and they should be crit
icized. There is no reason for
complacency. There never was;
there never should be.
2. Lack Of understanding of
the deprecated value Of the di-
ploma. The employer who learns
the deficiencies of some of the
high school graduates he hires
does not realize that in his day
some Of these youngsters prob
ably would not have completed
grammar school.
Sitter College Requirements.
3. It is harder to get into
many independent colleges. The
father whose college won't ac-
cept his son may not realize that
increased numbers applying for
admission have led the college
to stiffen entrance requirements.
He blames his sons rejection on
the high school. It is conventional
nowadays for college presidents
to twit gatherings Of old grads
with the statement, I'VE prob
ably would not accept half of
you for college now"
4. What is called the "old-
)aken bucket" or good old
lays" attitude is characterized by
;he phrase, Things now aren't
ike they were in my day" Many
people are inclined to over-rate
The discipline they were sub
ected to. the rigors Of the
courses they took and their stern
to their tasks.
5. There are many frustra-
ions. They have been engen-
lered by the fact we won a war
out do not have peace: by the
problems of the atomic bomb and
he hydrogen sbomb; Korea, and
low Indo-C China. Illustrations
cad to criticisms. The schools