davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1955-05-29
Why Johnny Can't Read
Chopter THE Myth Of Readiness
By RUDOLF FLESCH

child. on his own. asks to be
taught. Let's wait until he's Z
until he's 8-until he's 9.
But our educators would
hardly say out loud that they
would postpone the teaching of
reading until the age of 10 or Is.
They know very well that people
wouldn't stand for it.
Convenient Device Used
So, the next best thing, they
use any device they can find to
postpone the teaching of read
ing one, two or three years in
the hope that by that time the
child will be a little more eager
to learn how to read. The most
convenient of these devices is
the theory that 6 or z year-old
child is unable to learn how to
read.
The idea that a 6-year-old
child can't learn to read is quite
new, and a purely American in
vention.
To be quite fair. I should ex-
plain at this point that our
educators don't actually say
that. They say-unanimouSly,
as far as I can See-that a first
grader is able to grapple with
some three or four hundred
sight words" and can memorize
those in the course of one year.
Then at the mental age Of
7"-that is, in second grade-he
will develop 'phonic readiness;
he will be able to start learning
a little something about letters
and sounds. Phonics-any kind
of phonics-before second grade
is too much for a child. the edu-
Gators say: They consider 1t an
established fact that 6-year-olds
cannot learn phonics.
Fascinated by Phonics
The truth is, Of course, that
any normal 6-year-old child
loves to learn letters and sounds.
He is fascinated by them. They
are the greatest thing he's come
up against in his life. He loves
making noises; he loves taking
things apart and seeing what
they are made of.
So here is a wonderful new
game where you take words
apart to learn what they are
made of. And you learn how to
make signs on paper that stand
for certain sounds and noises.
The child thinks this is the
greatest invention ever made.
Six-year-olds can read. They
are doing it, today, at the very
moment that you are reading
these words, in Germany, in
France, in Norway. in Spain, in
South America - all over the
civilized world. The problem of
reading readiness" or "phonic
readiness" has never for a mo-
ment troubled any of the in
habitants Of those countries.
Evening star., 1955-05-29
By the Associated Press

Defense Department officials
have infored Senators that they
are closing down all coffee roast
ing plants and scores of other
Government activities that COM
pete with private business.
The report went to Chairman
Carl Hayden, Democrat, of Ari-
zona. OF the Senate Appropria-
tions Committee yesterday.
Meantime, spokesmen for
business and industry protested
that an effort is under way on
Capitol Hill to block the drive
ito get Government out of busi-
ness"
Involved is a little-noticed
rider tackled on to the $3l bill
lion defense money bill by the
House. 1t would require defense
agencies to get permission from
congressional committees before
they close down any existing
commercial or industrial type
activities.
Opinions Cited
Representatives of private
business told the Senate Appro-
priations Committee the House
amendment was backed by leg
lslators who fear a shutdown of
Government agencies in their
district might mean a loss of
Government jobs.
Opponents of the amendment
contended it aims at keeping
the Government in business"
and defeating proposals of the
Hoover Commission for shutting
down some $500 defense ac-
tivities that compete with private
business.
A decision on the issue, keenly
watched by spokesmen for nu-
merouS trade and industrial
groups. may be reached during
the next week in the Senate
committee.
Other Activities Affected
Thomas P. Pike, Assistant
Secretary of Defense, told Chair
man Hayden that in addition to
Evening star., 1955-05-29

II you are a mother and have
a child in second or third grade
who can't read and spell you'll
sooner or later go to the school
and complain that your child
isn't taught the letters and
sounds.
You'll then be told, one way
or the other, that phonics is
utterly out of date: just wait
and your boy or girl will suddenly
catch on.
But if your child is in first
grade. the answer you'll get will
be considerably shorter. strongly
resembling a brushoff. The
teacher will tell you, with a
rather indulgent smile: "He isn't
ready, you know"
When you get to the subject
of readiness" you approach the
holy of holies, the inner sane
tum of the whole science" of
reading.
In each of the fat tones on
how to teach reading. pages and
pages are filled with profound
discussions of what makes a
child ready for reading, when
does he get ready, how to tell
whether he is or not, how to
speed him up or slow him down,
what to do with him before he
gets ready, how to instill readi-
ness, how to make to grow, how
to use it. treat it, protect it,
diagnose it, improve 1t, ripen it
and direct it. Deep mystery
covers this whole recondite sub
ject and work has been going on
for decades to explore its inner
recesses.
Book Omits Definition
One of the authorities" in
fact. went so far as to devote a
whole book to the subject of
reading readiness" I went
through that whole book in
search Of a definition Of 'readi-
ness" being sincerely curious to
know what was meant by the
word.
But there was no definition to
be found. So, since the experts
don't seem able to help us, I'll
offer my own definition. Read
ing readiness" means the readi-
ness of the teacher to let the
child start reading.
If ever there was an example
of reasoning in a vicious circle,
this is it. You take a 6-year- old
child and start to teach him
something. The child. as often
happens, doesn't take to it at
once. If you use a common
sense approach, you try again
and again. exert little patience,
and after some time the child
begins to learn.
But if you are 20th-century
American educator, equipped
with the theory of readiness, :"
you drop the whole matter
instantly and wait until the
Evening star., 1955-05-29
By JOHN A. GILES

The IS percent step-up in
the monthly production rate of
B-52 Jet bombers to keep a pace
ahead of Russian output is ex-
pected to add $500 million to
next years defense outlay. it was
learned yesterday.
That much must be added to
the total of the military appro-
priation bill. which already has
passed the House. If the speed
UP is to be attained. The sum
would have been necessary in the
1857 budget and now it is being
moved forward for inclusion in
the fiscal period beginning July 1.
A total of 500 B-52 Strato-
fortresses are reported unofici-
ally to be included in the pro-
gram. All will be on hand and
operating in II Strategic Air
Command wings a year earlier
as a result of the speed-up.
Air Force officials, who an
nounced the change in plans
Thursday after testifying before
Senators on the danger of losing
air supremacy to- the Soviet, will
present the request to the Senate
Appropriations Committee this
week.
Meanwhile. ID was noted that
in the short space of a week
Pentagon planners apparently
have changed their whole pat
tern OF thinking on the Com
munist threat.
The controversy over airpower
was touched off by the May 13
Pentagon announcement that
flights Of new heavy and medium
Jet bombers and supersonic fight
Evening star., 1955-05-29
Step-Up in B-52 Output
Due to Cost $500 Million

ers had been observed over Mos
COW. While there was no elabora-
tion at the time. it was learned
later that the significance Of the
f1yovers was that the Reds were
a year ahead Of expectations in
the production of such craft.
At first, it was indicated the
Moscow show would not bring a
change in United States PLAN
ming, but this attitude has now
been reversed.
Another development yester-
day was a demand by Senator
johnson. Democrat, of Texas, for
a personal" re-examination by
President Eisenhower of the Ma
tion's defense budget in the light
of Soviet strides in airpower.
Senator johnson, the Senate
Democratic leader. told newsnen
he believes the President should
take "a personal and very careful
look at the situation and be sat-
isfied in his own mind and on
the basis of his own experience
that we are doing enough fast
enough to maintain the security
of the Nation"
Asserting that Congress could
not force the President to in
crease military outlays, Senator
johnson said he hopes Mr.. Eisen-
hower's sound military judg-
ment will not be overridden by
other considerations"
with the life of our Nation
at stake, it is far better to be
safe than sorry" he declared.
I'VE can survive economic storms
but there are other forces in the
world that we can survive only
by strength. We cannot wait
until those forces are unleashed
to gain that strength"
Evening star., 1955-05-29
Men Get Women's S Dorm

Transfer of Lucy Diggs Slowe
Hall, an off-campus dormitory
for women for use by men stu
dents beginning in September,
was announced yesterday by DR..
Mordecai johnson, Howard Uni
versity president. The razing of
a mems dormitory as part of
the current building program has
caused the shift, he said.
Evening star., 1955-05-29
Parents Letters Show
Support for Dr.. F|esch

trained IN the use Of a half
dozen cf1itches, one of which
should provide a good guess as to
the meaning Of an unfamiliar
written word. Such training can
only lead to an inability for
precise comprehension
William Swan,
Arlington, Va,
Evening star., 1955-05-29
Former Teacher Speaks

10 UIlG GUlGUI. Il
I would like to thanksyo for
the articles by DR.. Flesch that
are being printed in The Star.
1t is about time that some one
went into the problems Of the
reading programs in the schools
thoroughly.
As a former teacher trained
about Is years ago. I felt that
! was inadequately trained in
the most important tool sub
ject-reading. I was not taught
how to teach phonics. I had one
course in how to teach reading.
by the present sight method.
When I taught we rarely had
the manuals that go with the
sets Of readers. About a third
of the children learned to read
quite well. At the bottom of
the class there were always some
that couldn't read at all.
Unless a teacher takes a course
in remedial reading and there
by learns to teach phonics. those
children are out of luck as there
are few remedial reading teach
ers.
A few schools in Montgomery
County have had remedial read
ing teachers on their faculty.
Several mothers have told me
that their children who did
poorly in first grade became good
readers with the training in
phonics by the remedial read
ing teacher.
Many parents and teachers
feel the way I do about the
deficiencies in the reading pro-
gram. My only suggestion is
that every primary teacher be-
come an expert in remedial
reading. Then we would know
that our children who need
phonics and some, perhaps, who
can only learn to read by the
phonic method, would have their
fair chance to do well in school.
Friend of the Children.
Evening star., 1955-05-29
Budd to Speak

Nelson H. Budd, Director of
the information division of the
National Gamers Association,
will be guest speaker at a meet
ing Of the National Capital
Forge, American Public Rela-
tions Association at 1915 pm.
Wednesday at the Burlington
Hotel. 1l20 Vermont Avenue
NV.
Evening star., 1955-05-29

agreeable effort, as generations
before her.
So with the others. Though
they weren't started in their al
phabet quite SO early, in any
case where they seemed to be
having difficulty in reading Tho
funnies, the children's mags. on
whatever interested them, they
were given help at home. I did
have a vague idea that school
reading wasn't quite what had
been in my day. -.
My not quite 15-yearolder
reading Mr.. Flesch's articles
now, says, Gee whiz, I couldn't
make head or tail of the way
they tried to teach us to read
in school," That was the Wash
ington school system.
Obviously Mr.. Flesch is quite
right. An Intellectually poverty
stricken, poetry-dead. psyche
logically ignorant group Of scho-
lastics has taken over primary
English instruction, at least,
Teaching future writer's of gov
ernmentese.
joel Townsley Rogers.
HCd1 Thirtiath street NV
Evening star., 1955-05-29

They decided. long ago. that in
order to educate their children,
they had to start them on the
three RS at 6. So, all over the
world, reading starts at the age
of 6.
Except and this may shock
you-in Great Britain, where it
starts at the age of S. Yes. it's
an old, time -honored British GUS
tom to teach 5-year-olds to read.
And so we have the ages Of
schooling pretty well standard
lied all over the world. Achieve
ment in the grades and at high
school and college age is pretty
much the same the world over.
U. S. Two Years Behind
In the United States the pic
ture Is entirely different. Gen.
orally speaking. students in our
schools are about two years be-
hind students of the same age
in other countries.
This is not a wild accusation
of the American educational sys-
tenn; it Is an established, gen.
orally, known fact. I know Of
innumerable cases of young Aus
trians and Germans who applied
for admission to college or uni
versity in this country. The
standard practice is to give those
students credit for two years of
college if they have finished
what corresponds to our high
school abroad. And that rule OF
thumb works: If you assume
that a foreign student is about
two years ahead of an American
his age, you are usually just
about right.
What accounts for these two
years? Usually the assumption
seems to be that in other coun-
tries children and adolescents
are forced to study harder.
Now that I have looked into
this matter of reading I think
the explanation is much simpler
and more reasonable: Americans
take two years longer to learn
how to read-and reading, of
course, is the basis for achieve
ment in all other subjects. One
of those two lost years is the
year they lose oy starting at s
instead of, like the English, at 5.
The other is the year lost
through using the word method
instead of phonics.
TOmOrrOw-Fewe and Few
er Words. How many words
does a child learn in first
grade? How many i'm the later
grades? Why is the trend
toward teaching fewer words
each year? How many words
should a child know at the
end Of third grade?
tFrom the book why Johnny Can't
Read" by Rudolf Flesch, copyright,
1855, by Harper &s Bros. Distributed
by the REGISTER and Tribune syndi-
cAtel
Evening star., 1955-05-29

Here are more letters from
The Star Aseadsss discussing
the condensation OF DR.. Rudolf
Flesch's book, why Johnny
Can't Read:
Evening star., 1955-05-29
AIR CADETS FASHION PREVIEW

DENVER Colo-Air Academy Cadets will temporarily
the uniforms prescribed for enlisted and officers
of the regular Air Force But the insignia for cadets will be
changed These include silver gray shoulder boards with
heralc cloud design cap braid of the color wing
propeller cenered in the cap front silver
dark blue braid for the sleeves The uniform will be used
until decision is made permanent one.-Air Force
Photo
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-23
COUNTRY PROPERTY Gent,

HoME-CIfY coNvEN.
FENCES. Modern s-room house, All
eonvenieuees. oil heat. fun basement.
completely insulated. ga baths. cop
per spouttnR, 2-car garage: has been
used as tourist home; "a acre land
handicapped, Taspberries. stTawber-
House built z wears ago and con-
tinuously occupied BY owner. At
Urbana, Nd. 6 mi. south Frederick,
on Route 40 Alt. TR. 4-4226.
ga
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-23
PAROCHIAL SCHOOL

In Falls Church: walking to schools,
bus and shopping. Corner brick
rambler. s bedrms,. basement with
rec. rm,, center hall; lge. family
kitchen. Fenced-in rear yard.
yrs, old, f21 SOC
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-23
BUSINESS PROPERTY WANTED

COMBINATION GROCERY STORE or
general store; gasoline pumps or sta
ton, and living quarters; within
Va. Total price and down payment.
ALBERT luck, 1925 gath ave,
Flushing. Long Island. New York.
ga
BUILDING. suitable for auto repairs:
prefer Hyattsville area; will buy or
rent. UN. 4-2706. PA
SECOND COMMERCIAL garage or
warehouse. preferably in alley, about
1000 SO. it.; sc. or s.w. section.
Call NE. S-2S43. Mon. 4 to 8 pm.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-23
LANGLEY, VA.

On large. high. wooded lot at end OF
dead-end street; view in all direc-
tions: brick rambler under construc-
ton: 3 bedrms., . baths: large liV.
rm. with fireplace: sep. dining room
opening onto large screened porch:
modern, equipped kitchen: full base
ment with recreation room and fire.
place: garage under porch. Buy now
and be your own decorator. ST.. 300.
McCAY & McCAY, INC.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-23
BUS. PRoP.-sALE tcent.I
WAREHOUSE ACREAGE
FIRST
COMMERCIAL

Located on Blair I'd. NV. in Tskoma
Park, D. c. in heart Of business
1000 square feet. Large home
which can be remodeled Tremen-
dous future possibilities. Rare bar-
gain at $4,000. See il now. For
details, call Mr.. McGinniss, To. q
FR FIdS RI k w. o BERENs SALES, INC,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-23
PINE RIDGE
VIRGINIA FOREST

Huge acre lot. Long new brick ram
bier, bedrms., ia baths, daylight
basement, garage. . f1replaceS. A
real fnd for only S21.S00.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-23
COUNTRY PROPERTY
MODERN Isl!c COUNTRY HOME

MODERN COUNTRY HOME
WITH ACREAGE
Near King George Courthouse. II
miles from DahlRren. Architect
designed s-room frame house, with
large center-entranee hall drawinl
room t1S hv - Il. with mantelec
fireplace, equally large dining room
opening TO spacious side porch
buffers pantry. large mocerr
kitchen, maids room with hall
bath. Second floor: Three bed
rooms with two tiled baths. master
bedroom is by 2S IT, stairway e
Finished third aoor. Built OF finest
materials about IS years age. insu-
lated throughout. oil hot-vater heat
with ,00O-galion storage tank, cop
per plumbine, electric hot.wateI
heater. Situated on $50 acres. 75
under cultivation. long road front.
aEe on two main highways. tenant
house and other necessary outbuild-
ines: beautifully kept grounds with
splendid shade trees and orchard
EEY Job Princess Anne street,
Erederieksburf. virginis. Phone
xssex S-e7<2. IA
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-23
LEE FOREST

S2i 1850. spotless 4-bedrm.. 2-bstt
with extra equipment.
DILLON LAND CO.
i1I< Hinvoed Ave. -Yalls Church
JE. 4-4040
Evening star., 1955-04-24

% no
o
00
A. Dress LehN Wnp phdat C. 6dy Dess
B. Gown with hdz D wpaei eiHD
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1955-05-26

A contemporary-styled shop.
ping plaza to serve the Rockville
area of Montgomery County was
announced last week in plans re-
leased by Joseph L. Geeraert,
builder of Rockville's Twinbrook
and Twinbrook Forest commune
ties.
The three million dollar center,
to be known as Twinbrook Cen
ter, is expected to occupy a mini
mum of ten acres of the recent
ly purchased Bulls Estate tract
on Viers Mill Road opposite At
lantic Avenue. Integrated park
ing for more than 1900 cars is
included. John Samperton, of
Bethesda is the architect.
Construction will start in about
three months, said Mr.. Geeraert,
on this 1900 foot long plaza. 1t
will be one of the longest COM
mercial areas in Montgomery
County. Practically unlimited
facilities for increased parking
are available in the adjacent
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1955-05-26
OAR Chapter
Installs New
Officers Slate

At the monthly meeting of the
Janet Montgomery Chapter,
OAR, held at the home of the
Misses Gilliland, 1909 Kensington
Parkway, Chevy Chase, the fol
lowing officers were installed by
the chaplain:
Regent, Mrs. Rose Mitchell;
first vice regent, Mrs. Hewitt
Robertson; second vice regent,
Mrs. Irwin Cox; recording secre-
tary, Mrs. Dunbar Stone; cor
responding secretary, Miss Lilly
Stone; treasurer, Mrs. A. D.
Lynch; historian, Mrs. Edwin
Lines; registrar, Mrs. Julian
Wallace; librarian, Mrs. Andrew
TAFT; editor, Miss Laura Gill.
land; parliamentarian, Mrs.
Adelno Gibson; directors, Mrs.
Lilly Stone, Mrs. Wilbur Nation
and Mrs. Edgar Moore.
After the installation, the chap
ter voted to participate in "Inde-
pendence Day" in September. A
social hour followed the meeting.
The June meeting of the OAR
will be held at the home of Mrs.
Lilly Stone in Bethesda.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1955-05-26
Announce New
Naval Flight
Officer Plan

The Navy recently announced
a new aviation officer procure.
ment program where college
graduates may win an ensign'S
commission in aviation after four
months. pre-flight training.
The new program is in addi-
ton to the naval aviation cadet
program, popularity known as
NAVCAD, which will continue
without change.
Recruiters throughout the ma.
ton have received instructions
governing applications by men,
ages between 10 and &c, possess
ing baccalaureate degrees or are
within three months of receiving
such degrees. Entrance require
ments closely parallel the Nays
officer candidate school program.
Scheduled flight training at
Pensacola, Fla, will be nearly
the same as that given enlistees
of the NAVCAD program. The
Navy said that in recognition of
scholastic achievement, the new
naval aviation program provides
for an ensign's commission after
four months training as COM
pared to 10 months in the
NAVCAD program which does
not require a college degree for
entrance.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1955-05-26

The Harris Lelands of LeMay
Road entertained over the past
weekend for Mr.. and Mrs. William
Callahan of New York City. On
May q the Lelands invited friends
to a patio party to meet Mr.. and
Mrs, Callahan. Guests included:
Mr.. and Mrs. Richard Settler, MIR.
and Mrs. Arthur Stuck, Mr.. and
Mrs. Jack Crandall, Mr.. and Mrs.
Jerrold Ullman, Mr.. and Mrs.
Donald Mel Ion, Mrs. Helen Smith
and Edward Gealy.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1955-05-26

selling tickets for a benefit fash
ion show and tea sponsored by the
Multiple Sclerosis Society at the
lndonesian Embassy on Massa
chusetts Ave, NV, on June II
from 2:30 to $3.50 pm. Fashions
will be from Selma'S of Connects
cut Ave, and Mrs. Earl Warren
wife of the Chief Justice, will pre-
side at the tea table. Tickets are
$3.50 and can be obtained by call.
ing Mrs. Vaughn at Whitehall
6-7353.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1955-05-26

| Rock Creek area should they be
necessary.
Mr.. Geeraert believes that
there is a shopping potential of
an estimated 10000 people which
the planned center can accommo-
date. He has received encourag-
ing response from interested mer-
chants who would like to better
serve and develop this tremend-
GUS outlet for goods and services.
The idea for this unique shop
ping center was conceived by
Mr.. Geeraert from his experience
eS in Europe as a builder, archi-
tect and engineer. He feels that
conscientious appraisal of Gus
toner comfort and convenience
will more than pay off the pos
sible added land and construc-
ton costs. Wide sidewalks ex-
tending the full length of the
plaza, no traffic within the plaza,
handicapped malls and patios, easy
access from shop to shop for all
weather protection make for an
attractive series of shopping
courts"
Basic units for the center in
clude drive-in bank, food mar
ket, contemporary restaurant and
drug store with speciality shops
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1955-05-26
Two COuntians
Will Take Part
In Library Meet

Montgomery County will be
represented at the 18th Annual
Conference of the American Lii
brary Association to be held in
Philadelphia, Pa, July 3 to 9.
In attendance from Montgom.
cry County will be Ralph D. Rem
ley, member of the Montgomery
County Library Board, and
George B. Moreland, Director of
the Department of Public Librar-
ieS.
Mr.. Moreland will act as chair
man of the luncheon meeting of
the Friends of Libraries on Tues
day, July 5th, to be addressed by
Marchette Chute, authority on
Shakespeare. Mr.. Remley will be
guest of honor at the dinner held
by the Trustees Division of the
Association on Thursday evening,
July Z.