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THE DAILY NEBRASKAN
Thursday, April 24, 1947
Horse and Buggy Education
(Editor's Note: This is the first of a series of two
editorials on education and teaching: methods by Paul
Keller, junior student in the college of engineering-.)
A sage once said that at college, we learn less and
less about more and more until finally, when we know
nothing about everything, we graduate. This may be
a rather severe criticism of our present educational sys
tem, but it is generally admitted, even among prominent
educators, that our present methods of education are
grossly inadequate for the job that they have to do. It
requires very little foresight on the part of anyone
to see that if the present teaching methods continue in
existence, in the light of recent scientific and tech
nological advances, our children will have to go to
school half of their lives in order to make a decent liv
ing for the rest of it.
This resentment against inadequate teaching
methods is being expressed most forcibly by returning
veterans. Former lieutenant Gaynor Pearson of the
USNR made this typical comment in a national educa
tional periodical. "The veteran returning to school
discloses distrust and criticism of authority and unyield
ing dogmatism. He is an outspoken critic of outmoded
lecture notes, antiquated teaching methods, and time
consuming curriculla".
This outspoken criticism and resentment is caus
ing many a sleepless night for our "Hoosier schoolmast
ers". It is fostered by two forces. First, the veteran
is not a pink-cheeked juvenile who looks on all pro
fessors as God's own little chickens. He is a mature
person whose sense of value is keen, sharpened by hav
ing seen more of life in a few years than many see
in a life time.
Secondly, most veterans have been exposed in
some way or another to the best type of education avail
able. I refer to the many G. I. training courses, parti
cularly in the technical branches. The most scientific
methods of teaching, including visual and audio aids,
were combined to teach the most men in the least
time. All non-essential time-consuming material was
eliminated.
These teaching methods have been condemned by
many educators. They are right in many respects. It is
not a panacea. J. D. Messick, dean of instruction.
Montclair Teachers College, has said, "Regardless of
the criticisms that can be made of the service educa
tional program, it has impressed the public with the
necessity for many changes." Many of our dyed-in-the-wool
educators have criticized it on the basis oi
its speed. "You can't cram ideas into the human mind
at that rate!'.' they cried, "All minds cannot accept
them".
How perfectly true they are. You can't cram ideas
into all minds at that rate. Why, then, must our entire
educational system from primary to Phd. be bogged
down so that a few dullards can keep up with the
most brilliant minds in the class? Not until a student
reaches a graduate status is his mind really allowed
to develop at its own speed. The University of Chi
cago's plan which allows students to advance by ex
aminations alone is a step in the right direction. How
ever, in those courses which the brilliant student must
take, he is still hamstrung by lesser minds.
Examine your own classes. Isn't it true that most
of your classes are taught in about the same manner
that classes were taught 50 years ago? It is the same
old dull routine of lectures, notes, assigned reading and
tests. Admittedly, some classes can not be taught in
any other manner and a few courses make use of visual
and audioaids to some extent, but, in most courses you
sit in a class room while some professor lectures, often
in a half-whisper, on a subject, elementary to him and,
consequently, boring. The result is that if you stayed
awake and if you sat in the first two rows (A thru D)
you might have a general idea of what the subject is
about. Your only other chance to learn anything about
the subject is to go home and read an impersonal book
(Chapt. 6, sections 1 to 7) and hope that the author
had not left out the minor points which will help you
to realize the important points.
Possibly one reason why such a situation exists is
expressed by Cyril F. Richards, the Dean of Dennison
University, when he said: "He (the college professor)
frequently embarks upon his career on the basis of his
knowledge of his subject as demonstrated by, his grad
uate work, or general reputation in his field. It is too
often the case that college teachers receive little or no
instructions in the arts of education".
I think all of us students will admit that most of
our professors are brilliant economists, linquists, medics,
mathematicians, or engineers. On the other hand, how
many of us will admit that most of them are even
good educators? Some of them are, fortunately.
I doubt if Mr. Richards' above reference to the
'arts of education" referred to present educational meth
ods as taught in our normal schools and colleges. One
graduate student now serving as an instructor, upon see
ing the above quotation, exclaimed! "Cripes, don't
tell me you think every instructor should take 20 hours
of education."
I certainly do not! Teaching methods as taught to
day are as antiquated and outmoded as the bustle. In
our own library the card index shows the most of the
referrences listed under education were copyrighted
around the turn of the century, a surprising number be
fore. Out of several hundred listed, only a baker's
dozen were written after 1 930. Yet many great im
provements have taken place within the last ten years.
A few improvements have mannaged to creep into
teaching, yet that old stigma "human inertia" or resist
ance to change is consistantly opposing these new
methods. Only grudgingly is their adoption permitted
and then only under pressure of public opinion. The
reluctant educator will admit that new teaching
methods "have some value" but various excuses such
as insufficient funds, further training of teachers (often
as much as 30 minutes to teach them to run a motion
picture machine) and other equally lame attempts to
disguise their own dogmatism.
P. K.
J '
1
UUH CHUM DUZ UH.
THIS UH, BELONG TO VOU?..
Block-Bridle
Club to Honor
Col. Thompson
The contributions of Col. Art
Thompson of Lincoln to the live
stock industry, not only in Ne
braska but the nation, will be
told tonight when he is honored
at the annual Block and Bridle
Honor's Banquet in the Student
Union ballroom at 6:30 p. m.
Willard Visek, president of the
club, will preside. Short talks are
scheduled to be given by S. R.
McKelvie of Valentine, Don Case
ment of Manhattan, Kas., Ross
Miller of Lincoln, John T. Caine,
III, of Denver. Col. lhompson
will respond.
Calvin Dahlke, vice-president of
Block and Bridle, will present a
portrait of Col. Thompson to Prof.
William J. Loeffel, chairman of
the animal husbandry department.
It will later hang in the honor
gallery in the Animal Husbandry
Building at Ag Campus.
MOTHER'S DAY CARDS
A grand telection for
your approval
Goldenrod Stationery Store
215 North 14th St.
J3atltj -NVbraakau
Mrmhfr
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tober t, 1911, authorised September 30, 1922.
Ag Union Begins
Advanced Dancing
Classes Tonight
Ag Union will sponsor a series
cf advanced dancing classes be
ginning tonight at 7:30 p. m. ac
cording to Mrs. Richard Hiatt,
Union director.
Miss Donna McCandless will in
struct the series of five classes
which will include advanced steps
of the rhumba, samba and tango.
Johnny Cox and his orchestra
will furnish music for a dance
in the Ag Union ballroom Fri
day, April 25, from 9 to 12 p. m.
Tickets are priced at 44 cents per
person. .
WITH
POTATO CHIPS
DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR FROM
7:00 P. M. TO 12:00 P. M.
BULL MERIDITIPS CAFE
Just Phone 2-4470
AftlCEfflT DEADLINE
FRIDAY, APRIL 25th
Senior $ order your official
graduation announcements today
NEBRASKA. BOOK STOf
1135 R
Lincoln
Let Mrs. Harding
help you with your teacher
placement questions.
Cornhusker Teachers' Bureau
Trust Bldff. 10th & O Sts.
Personal service. Mrs. W. C. Hsrdinr
Hosiery Section First Floor
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Shr's thicollegt man's toast.
7 dizzying btights sbt will soar-al
HER FAVORITE HOSIERY IS
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