Improvement Era, 1922 by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Religion

Development of the Common Public School

In the beginnings of the settlements of all pioneers, an institution that they early established was the common public school. Even though often they could not read and write themselves, they regarded a school for their children next to the necessities of life. As the life of the people was simple, so was the school. The three R's were the maximum, and often fewer subjects were taught. The equipment was simple indeed. One small log room, a slab stool, no desk, no blackboard, a reader, a speller, and a slate constituted the entire equipment and supplies for the first summer season. The same books were used the second season, but a tracing copy book was added to the list. For six hours a day pupils were supposed to apply themselves to reading, writing and spelling. The teachers were usually devoted souls, who sacrificed themselves at a very low wage to the children. Educationally, however, they were frequently no better equipped than the school room. It should be readily observed, that as regards simplicity, these schools were typical of the pioneer life itself. For a long period of time, there was little change, either in the life of the people or in the curricula of the schools. However, as new industries arose and as new fields of knowledge were developed, the communities felt that the information so gained should be organized and introduced as studies into some part of the school system. In the last half of the nineteenth century, the industrial development was rapid, and the pressure for the expansion of the school program was great; so that the introduction of new subject matter has gone along at a rapid pace. As a matter of fact, a study of the history of this movement for half a century leaves the impression that the introduction of new material has been of increasing interest, regardless of whether the material had been properly organized for the mind of the child or the youth, or whether the instructors were qualified to teach it or not. If the so-called "non-progressive school officers" would not listen to "reason" and find a place in the curricula for the new studies, resort was frequently had to the legislature, and laws were passed compelling the teacher in many instances to give instruction in subjects which they themselves did not understand. The nation was determined to have the schools cover every field of human knowledge as rapidly as it had expanded over the continent. Unfortunately, and too often, the methods of cultivation and of teaching were equally superficial.

From what I have said, I would not have my hearers believe that I am opposed to new subjects or to new material, for, on the contrary, I am strongly in favor of it and of making education serve the people, but I am here attempting to show the development of a spirit that has gradually influenced school policies and that it was similar to industrial policies.

The process of adding subjects continually and with a tendency toward superficiality appeared inevitable.

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