On the Firing Line in Education | Page 2

94
The University's Attitude Toward the Preparation of Teachers for the
Schools of the State 105
IV. THE EYE PROBLEM IN THE SCHOOLS 115
V. THE HOME, THE CHURCH, AND THE SCHOOL 133
The Home 134

The Church 141
The School 150
VI. NOBLESSE OBLIGE 163
VII. IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS 185
VIII. LOCAL WINTER SPORTS 203
IX. THE FUNCTION OF TEACHERS COLLEGE 217
X. CREDIT FOR QUALITY IN SECONDARY AND HIGHER
EDUCATION 243
INDEX 261

INTRODUCTION
HAVE THE SCHOOLS BEEN DISCREDITED BY THE
REVELATIONS OF THE WAR?
From School and Society, April 5, 1919
Knowing that I was about to publish a book on education in which the
Great War, now happily closed, was not taken as the point of departure,
a friend said to me one day, in substance, "Aren't you taking undue
risks just now in putting out a book on education that isn't based upon a
program of reconstruction? Haven't all our so-called educational
principles been dis-credited? Shall you get any readers if you do not
admit educational failure thus far, and proceed to discuss a change of
front, made imperative by recent revelations?" And the editor of a well
known educational journal, in asking me for an article, recently, said,
among other things, "I should be glad to have an article upon some
phase of reconstruction after the war, educational, social, philosophical,
as you may like. Here is the next great battlefield of the future, and if
the educational forces do not redeem themselves here, it is my opinion

that we shall become a greater laughing stock than we have ever been
before."
To both of these statements I desire to take exception. To be sure, the
war has taught us many lessons bearing upon education; to be sure, it
has revealed shortcomings, limitations, and weaknesses. But it seems to
me that it has also made clear that we have been working along right
lines. Our fundamental educational principles have not been
dis-credited. There is no far-reaching educational failure to admit, nor
is there any serious shortcoming from which the educational forces of
the country have to redeem themselves. "Laughing stock," does the
gentleman say? Oh no! Far from it! Let us not get panicky! Some
weaknesses brought to light? Certainly. But in the analysis, later to be
made, let us see if, for the most part, they do not but demonstrate the
soundness of our educational principles and the far-sightedness of our
educational leaders together with the short-sightedness of the present
critics, in that had suggested recommendations been followed these
weaknesses would not have existed. Let us give here but one
illustration, and that briefly. We all admit that the medical
examinations for the war found too many physical defects, and too
many men thereby incapacitated for efficient military service. But
would not the results have been very different if, during the last
generation, the suggestions and strong recommendations of educators
relative to physical education in our schools been acted upon by the
public? Ah! The fault was not with educational principles; they were
sound. The educational forces of the country knew what was needed,
but a parsimonious public would not follow intelligent leadership. We
could say, all along the line, "I told you so," if we felt so inclined.
Instead of being the "laughing stock" we could--if the matter were not
too serious--throw the laugh upon the other fellow. The purpose of our
schools has never been to produce soldiers at the drop of the hat, and so
they have never been blighted by military training. (May it never come!)
Their task has been to produce men and women of character and
purpose and ideals--men and women of initiative who could become
anything called for by an emergency. And nobly have they succeeded,
as evidenced by the successful prosecution of the war.

In view of all that the United States has done to assist in bringing the
war to its successful close, from the adoption of the selective draft
down thru the management of the training camps, the operation of the
railroads, conservation of food and fuel, to the knitting of a pair of
socks and the sale of a thrift stamp, what shall be said of the success or
failure of our schools? Every man, woman, and child in this gigantic
work, from President Wilson down to the colored bootblack who saved
his nickels to buy a stamp, or to the little girl who voluntarily went
without her sugar, has been a product of the schools. Thru the
instruction, the discipline, and the training given in those schools, they
became the men and women who could rise to the emergency and do
the things needed. And they did.
No college or university or professional school ever taught Mr. Wilson
how to be President