The New Education - a Review of Progressive Educational Movements of the Day

140 Pages·2007·0.54 MB·English

by  Scott Nearing

1
CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER X.
CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER I
CHAPTER II
CHAPTER III
CHAPTER IV
CHAPTER V
CHAPTER VI
CHAPTER VII
CHAPTER VIII
CHAPTER IX
CHAPTER X
CHAPTER XI
CHAPTER XII
CHAPTER XIII
The New Education, by Scott Nearing 2
The New Education, by Scott Nearing
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Title: The New Education A Review of Progressive Educational Movements of the Day (1915)
Author: Scott Nearing
Release Date: October 14, 2008 [EBook #26919]
Language: English
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THE NEW EDUCATION
A REVIEW OF PROGRESSIVE EDUCATIONAL MOVEMENTS OF THE DAY
BY
SCOTT NEARING, Ph.D.
Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
AUTHOR OF "SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT," "THE SUPER RACE," "WAGES IN THE UNITED STATES,"
"SOCIAL SANITY," "REDUCING THE COST OF LIVING," etc.
CHICAGO NEW YORK ROW, PETERSON & COMPANY
Copyright, 1915 ROW, PETERSON & COMPANY
* * * * *
PREFACE
During 1910, 1911, and 1912, as a part of a general plan to write a book on education, I reread a great deal of
the classical educational literature, and carefully perused most of the current material in magazine and book
The New Education, by Scott Nearing 3
form. An interest aroused by undergraduate and graduate work in the department of pedagogy had been
whetted by the revolutionary activity in every field of educational endeavor. The time seemed ripe for an
effective piece of constructive educational writing, yet I could not see my way clear to begin it. Glaring faults
there were; remedies appeared ready at hand and easy of application; the will of an aroused public opinion
alone seemed to be lacking. By what method could this wheel horse of reform best be harnessed to the car of
educational progress?
I was still seeking for an answer to this riddle when the editors of "The Ladies' Home Journal" asked me to
consider the preparation of a series of articles. "We have done some sharp destructive work in our criticisms
of the schools," they said. "Now we are going to do some constructive writing. We are in search of two
things:--first, a constructive article outlining in general a possible scheme for reorganizing the course of study;
second, a series of articles describing in a readable way the most successful public school work now being
done in the United States. We want you to visit the schools, study them at first-hand, and bring back a report
of the best that they have to offer. When your investigation is completed, we shall expect you to write the
material up in such a form that each reader, after finishing an article, will exclaim,--'There is something that
we must introduce into our schools.'"
That was my opportunity. Instead of writing a book to be read by a thousand persons, I could place a number
of constructive articles before two million readers. The invitation was a godsend.
The articles, when completed, formed a natural sequence. First there was the general article (Chapter 3)
suggesting the reorganization. Then followed descriptions of the schools in which some such reorganizations
had been effected. Prepared with the same point of view, the articles constituted an acceptable series, having a
general object and a connecting idea running throughout. What more natural than to write a few words of
introduction and conclusion, and put the whole in book form? The style of the articles has been changed
somewhat, and considerable material has been added to them; but, in the main, they stand as they were
written--simple descriptions of some of the most advanced school work now being done in the United States.
Looked at from any standpoint, this study is a collection of articles rather than a book, yet there is sufficient
relation between the articles to give a measure of continuity to the thought which they convey. In no sense is
the work pedagogical or theoretical. It is, on the contrary, a record of the impressions made on a traveler by a
number of school systems and schools. The articles purported to cover the most progressive work which is
being done in the most progressive schools. Although the selection of successful schools was made only after
a careful canvass among the leading educators of the country, there are undoubtedly many instances, still at
large, which are in every sense as worthy of commendation as any here recorded. This fact does not in any
way vitiate the purpose of the original articles, which was to set down a statement of some educational
successes in such a way that the lay reader, grasping the significance of these ventures, might see in them
immediate possibilities for the schools in his locality.
Behind all of the chapters is the same idea--the idea of educating children--an idea which has taken firm hold
of the progressive educators in every section of the community. The schoolmaster is breaking away from the
traditions of his craft. He has laid aside the birch, the three "R's," the categorical imperative, and a host of
other instruments invented by ancient pedagogical inquisitors, and with an open mind is going up and down
the world seeking to reshape the schools in the interests of childhood. The task is Herculean, but the
enthusiasm and energy which inspire his labors are sufficient to overcome even those obstacles which are
apparently insurmountable.
CONTENTS
PAGE
INTRODUCTION. THE OLD EDUCATION 11
The New Education, by Scott Nearing 4
I. The Critical Spirit and the Schools 11
II. Some Harsh Words from the Inside 12
III. A Word from Huxley and Spencer 15
IV. Some Honest Facts 17
V. Have We Fulfilled the Object of Education? 22
CHAPTER I. 5
CHAPTER I.
THE NEW BASIS FOR EDUCATION 24
I. Can There Be a New Basis? 24
II. Social Change 25
III. Keeping Up With the Times 26
IV. Education in the Early Home 27
V. City Life and the New Basis for Education 28
CHAPTER II. 6
CHAPTER II.
TEACHING BOYS AND GIRLS 32
I. The New School Machinery 32
II. Rousseau Versus a Class of Forty 33
III. The Fallacious "Average" 34
IV. The Five Ages of Childhood 35
V. Age Distribution in One Grade 36
VI. Shall Child or Subject Matter Come First? 39
VII. The Vicious Practices of One "Good" School 40
VIII. Boys and Girls--The One Object of Educational Activity 42
CHAPTER III. 7
CHAPTER III.
FITTING SCHOOLS TO CHILDREN 44
I. Child Growth--A Primary Factor in Child Life 44
II. Children Need Health First 45
III. Play as a Means to Growth 46
IV. Some Things Which a Child Must Learn 48
V. What Schools Must Provide to Meet Child Needs 51
VI. The Educational Work of the Small Town 52
VII. The Educational Problems of an Industrial Community 55
VIII. Beginning With Child Needs 56
CHAPTER IV. 8
CHAPTER IV.
PROGRESSIVE NOTES IN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION 58
I. The Kindergarten 58
II. Translating the Three R's 59
III. Playing at Mathematics 60
IV. A Model English Lesson 61
V. An Original Fairy Story 65
VI. The Crow and the Scarecrow 67
VII. School and Home 68
VIII. Breaking New Ground 71
IX. The School and the Community 72
X. New Keys for Old Locks 74
XI. School and Shop 76
XII. Half a Chance to Study 79
XIII. Thwarting Satan in the Summer Time 80
XIV. Sending the Whole Child to School 81
XV. Smashing the School Machine 84
XVI. All Hands Around for an Elementary School 86
XVII. From a Blazed Trail to a Paved Highway 90
CHAPTER V. 9
CHAPTER V.
KEEPING THE HIGH SCHOOL IN STEP WITH LIFE 92
I. The Responsibility of the High School 92
II. An Experiment in Futures 92
III. The Success Habit 95
IV. The Help-out Spirit 97
V. Joining Hands With the Elementary Schools 98
VI. The Abolition of "Mass Play" 101
VII. Experimental Democracy 103
VIII. Breaching [the] Chinese Wall of High School Classicism 105
IX. An Up-to-Date High School 107
X. From School to Shop and Back Again 109
XI. Fitting the High School Graduate Into Life 110
XII. The High School as a Public Servant 114
CHAPTER VI. 10
CHAPTER VI.
HIGHER EDUCATION AT LOWVILLE 116
I. Lowville and the Neighborhood 116
II. Lowville Academy 117
III. The School's Opportunity 119
IV. Field Work as Education 120
V. Real Domestic Science 122
VI. One Instance of Success 123