'Cbe Conservative *
nu uncompromising opponent of all vul
garity nud false scholasticism.
Constructive Criticism.
Leaving this destructive criticism be
hind , there is a certain line of construc
tive criticism , if the term may bo used ,
which the schools must bear if they
would be true to their most binding ob
ligations.
Perhaps the most important change ,
which the times demand , is to be found
in a reconstruction of educational ideals ,
so that they shall be less exclusively
scholastic and more humantarian in
their character. In the past the schools
have given too much attention to mere
scholasticism. Lessons from books and
recitations upon them have too often
made up the sum total of school exer
cises. Intellectual power and informa
tion may thus be obtained , but the pupil
cannot thereby be brought into full ac
quaintance or harmony with his social
surroundings , or be put into complete
possession of all his powers. This is
one of the two serious criticisms which
may be justly made against the public
school of today , and it is worthy of
most careful consideration.
Under the old regime the pupil went
out into the world with a fairly good
Itnowledge of arithmetic , geography ,
grammar , and kindred subjects. He
sometimes increased his knowledge and
mental power by pursuing an advanced
course in the academy and college. The
high school , which is today offering as
broad and thorough instruction as did
the colleges of twenty-five years ago , is
a comparatively recent institution. But
in spite of all the educational advan
tages at his command , he went out into
the world without a specific loud of
training , which American citizenship
might reasonably expect him to have.
His hands were not trained to give fit
ting expression to the conceptions of his
brain. A common humanity demands
that this be done. Of the constitution
and political methods of his native land
he hod learned but little , and that little
had been gleaned from books and not
from an actual study of the life con
ditions by which he was surrounded.
He had read of elections , courts , legis
lative bodies , etc. , but as far as the
school was concerned , they still re
mained unfamiliar abstractions , for he
had never studied their actual work
ings. He might have read of strikes
and labor agitations in the papers , but
the schools had never taught him to in
vestigate the delicate relations of capi
tal and labor , and to arrive at a fair un
derstanding of them. Aud this , in
spite of the fact that he might sometime
be called upon to play an important
part in the final adjustment of this
great economic question.
Education Upon Current Subjects.
Surely if the youth of the land were
educated into a correct understanding
of the vital questions of the day , or
were oven inspired with a candid spirit
of investigation , many of the demons
of unrest , which so sorely afflict society ,
would find their occupation gone , and
distrust and discontent would yield to
confidence and peace. Not only is this
true , but it is safe to say that the grave
problems , which are pressing for solu
tion , will never be finally and satis
factorily settled , until the public school
recognizes its responsibility in this di
rection and rises to meet it.
Public Schools Independent of Colleges.
In order to render effective service
here two things seem to be necessary.
The first is that all public schools cease
to regard themselves specifically as
feeders for higher institutions. No pub
lic school has the right to make itself a
college , preparatory school. Such a
standard narrows its field of work , re
stricts its life , and destroys its inde
pendence. It becomes at once the crea
ture of the college , dependent upon its
regulations , and loses sight of its broad
er and nobler mission. The legitimate
work which the peculiar mission of the
public school sets before it , is precisely
the work which should best fit its stu
dents for more advanced studies , and
the colleges themselves will come out
into a larger life when they recognize
the essential unity of educational aims
and processes , as they surely will if the
public school asserts its independence.
Economic Training.
Having divorced themselves from the
preparatory idea the schools must next
remodel their programs so as to include
an adequate training in the great politi
cal , social , and economic subjects , which
make up BO large a part of the interest
and concern of the American citizen of
today.
This is not a place to exploit methods
and theories. It is therefore enough to
say that these subjects cannot be taught
entirely or mainly from text-books. The
laboratory method which has been so
successfully applied in modern science
work , must also be used here. In these
broad fields of research there is the most
magnificent opportunity for the effective
application of laboratory methods that
is to be found in the whole range of sci
entific investigation. Such work will
not only produce a larger and more
practical knowledge than can be drawn
from books , but it will bring children
into living , energizing contact with the
affairs of real life , which will awaken
their interest and quicken their mental
powers as no book study can possibly do.
Any one who has attempted to describe
the functions of a city council to a class ,
and then has taken them to sit through
one of its sessions knows how vastly
more effective the latter method proved
to be. This is but an illustration of a
great principle , which is familiar to
every educator , yet which , strangely
enough , has been generally neglected in
school work in the past.
Commercial and Manual Training.
In addition to the expansions already
indicated , there must also be a fitting
recognition of the necessity of manual
training in its various phases and appli
cations. In all such training the spe
cific purpose must be kept constantly in
view of cultivating and perfecting the
manual powers so that they may become
capable of giviug expressiou to the
conceptions of the mind and may work
in complete harmony with it. It is
doubtful if the public school ever has a
right to give technical training with the
avowed purpose of fitting young people
to earn a living , that is to assume the
functions of trade and professional
schools.
The present demand for commercial
courses may be justified so far as it con
templates a general commercial educa
tion , which shall comprise the study of
the great principles which inspire and
underlie commercial activity , and the
natural phenomena which make such
activity possible. But when business
men turn to the public schools for stenog
raphers , " skilled accountants , or men
specifically trained for any branch of
business life , it is well to stop and in
quire whether we are not transcending
the just and legitimate functions of the
free school.
It may be asserted with authority that
the charge which is echoing through
the country today that the schools unfit
boys for business life , is not well
founded. In some specific instances it
may be true , but the work of the school
in general cannot unfit a boy for any
place ill life , unless it places before
him unworthy ideals , and causes him to
look upon honest labor with contempt.
This has not been done. But it must
also be said that the schools have never
yet attempted to fit boys specifically for
business life , and they probably never
will.
will.This
This first general criticism of the pub-
lie schools is being more and more
widely studied , and strenuous efforts are
being put forth to meet its demands.
The next ten years will no doubt wit
ness a revolution along these lines ,
which will bring the schools more per
fectly into harmony with their life en-
vironment'
Moral Training.
The second general criticism is diffi
cult to formulate , and more uncertain
in its deductions , yet none the less fun
damental in its nature. In the reaction
against religious teaching in the
public schools , the process of seculariza
tion has gone so far as practically to
elmiuate all systematic moral training ,
and no intellectual training , however
complete and thorough , can take the
place of moral training. Knowledge
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