xt7bk35md311 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7bk35md311/data/mets.xml Kentucky. Department of Education. Kentucky Kentucky. Department of Education. 1959-02 bulletins  English Frankford, Ky. : Dept. of Education  This digital resource may be freely searched and displayed in accordance with U. S. copyright laws. Educational Bulletin (Frankfort, Ky.) Education -- Kentucky Educational Bulletin (Frankfort, Ky.), "Curriculum in the Space Age", vol. XXVII, no. 2, February 1959 text 
volumes: illustrations 23-28 cm. call numbers 17-ED83 2 and L152 .B35. Educational Bulletin (Frankfort, Ky.), "Curriculum in the Space Age", vol. XXVII, no. 2, February 1959 1959 1959-02 2022 true xt7bk35md311 section xt7bk35md311 0 Commonwealth of Kentucky 0

EDUCATIONAL BULLETIN

 

 

 

 

 

 

CURRICULUM IN THE SPACE AGE

A REPORT OF
A CONFERENCE HELD
DECEMBER “-13, I958
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY

 

Published by

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
ROBERT R. MARTIN

Superintendent of Public Instruction
Frankfort, Kentucky

 

 

 

 

 

 

ISSUED MONTHLY

Entered as second-class matter March 21, 1933, at the post office at
Frankfort, Kentucky, under the Act of August 24, 1912.

VOL. XXVII FEBRUARY, I959 NO 2

:1“

II
IIIIN ILIIBII‘I III “III

 

  

 

BLANK
PAGES
THROUGHOUT

 

 

     

    

FOREWORD

The annual meeting of the Kentucky Association of School
Administrators and the Third Annual Conference of the Advisory
Council on Public Education in Kentucky was held 011 December 11,
12, and 13, 1958, at the Sheraton Hotel in Louisville. The joint meet—
ing was devoted to a conference on “Curriculum in the Space Age.”
This bulletin is a report of the conference.

We were most fortunate in obtaining the consultant services
of Dr. Charles R. Spain, Superintendent of the Albuquerque, New
Mexico, Public Schools; Dr. Harold J. McNally, Teachers College,
Columbia University, New York City; and Dr. Henry H. Hill, Presi-
dent, George Peabody College for Teachers, Nashville, Tennessee.
Dr. Lyman V. Ginger, Dean, College of Education, University of
Kentucky, delivered the address at the annual banquet.

This was, indeed, an outstanding conference. The splendid par-
ticipation and cooperation of the various speakers, discussion group
leaders, consultants, recorders, officers of the Kentucky Association
of School Administrators, and staff members of the Department of
Education assured its success.

Many of the participants in the conference have expressed a
desire to have copies of the addresses delivered by the consultants
and Dr. Ginger. \Ve have included these in this bulletin. We are
unable to include the excellent panel discussions because of the in-
formal manner in which they were presented; however, this bulletin
does contain an excellent summary of the group discussions.

We sincerely believe the activities of this conference will stim-
ulate renewed interest and strong action on the part of our Kentucky
1 school administrators in the improvement of the curricula of the
public schools of the Commonwealth.

Robert R. Martin
Superintendent of Public Instruction

  

 

 

3%

DR. CHARLES R. SPAIN
Superintendent, Albuquerque Public Schools, Albuquerque, New Mexico

 

 THE ROLE OF THE SECONDARY SCHOOL
IN THE SPACE AGE

AN ADDRESS BY CHARLES R. SPAIN

Any acute observer of the current educational scene knows that
more discussion is currently occurring with respect to the high
school than any other unit of publicly—supported education. During
the past year many commentators, columnists, and citizens in gen-
eral have levelled their blasts at the secondary school. These blasts
have been motivated in many instances by sincere desire to improve
education, whereas other blasts have at least been based upon con-
siderable misinformation. In order to see the secondary school in
proper perspective, it is imperative that the purposes American sec—
ondary schools serve be examined.

One of the first considerations in this examination is the place
occupied by the high school in the public school system. Until this
century, certainly few claimed the high school should be a part of
the “common school” concept. Today, however, there is general
recognition that the high school should be viewed as an integral unit
of a twelve or thirteen year school program. Approximately 83 or
84 percent of youth of high school age are actually in secondary
school. This is truly a remarkable accomplishment. The American
high school has become a unique institution—a genuinely American
accomplishment.

In the emergence of the high school as a part of a unified edu-
cational program, certain purposes have come to be associated with
its missions. Historically the major purpose was preparation for
college. This purpose is still a dominant and important one, although
only about one—third of high school graduates go into institutions of
higher learning. Much of the criticism of high schools centers about
this purpose of college preparation. Yet as a general picture, evi-
dence clearly shows a good job is being done.

An analysis of College Entrance Board Examinations adminis-
tered in 1957 to 35,000 public and non-public school graduates dis-
closed public high school graduates to have done as well or better in
most of these tests than non—public school graduates. Such analyses
should not discourage us from seeking improvement with regard to

49

 

  

 

college preparation, but they at least provide refutation of m
informed assertions regarding college preparation.

Another vital purpose the high school serves is that of adju
ment of divergent races, nationalities, and social and econon
groups to our way of life. An important means of accomplishingil
purpose is by transmission of a common set of 'alues to adolesca
This purpose has been exceedingly important in continuation andi
provement of our democratic way of life. A unity within divers.
has been created whereby our society could advance and expand
potentialities for all citizens.

Another fundamental purpose of the American high schooll
been provision of a “ladder of opportunity” for youth and a cone
quent fluidity of social groups. \Vithout the public high scho
economic and social advancement for millions of youth would
virtually impossible. Likewise, this possibility of advancementl
maintained a relative fluidity among social and economic groups
our society. Various studies suggest that class structure is not “i.
dening,” but may in fact be more fluid than was true three orfi
decades ago.

A final purpose to be discussed is that of caring for a prolong
adolescence created by social and technological changes. Considt
tions of safety, scope of technical and 1')1'0fessional skills requii
for economic success, laws pertaining to age of beginning empl
ment, and the productivity of American industry have combined
exclude adolescents generally from gainful employment. This'
clusion has consequently prolonged adolescence socially and theri
created a more urgent need for formal education. The high sch
has generally assumed this function of providing for the social
tension of the adolescent years.

This brief review of some purposes of the American high sci‘
is not intended as a definitive description of the comprehensive it
school. These purposes are merely illustrative of the need for Vii
ing the high school in broad scope. Any evaluation of the pI‘Ot’r
of the secondary school must, if it is valid, be undertaken in ii?
of the purposes the particular secondary school serves.

Public criticism of and interest in high schools have greatll
creased in the past year. This apparent interest has been manifei‘
by all media of communication. Casual analysis of this intel
would suggest that Russian scientific advances may be the prim
causative factors with respect to this overt interest. Although if

50

adv;
prm
goir.
thre
drai
add

app:
sucl
eral
sire
a te
0the
to r
prai

us f
are
gar(

broz
seco

grez

seco
pres
inte:
will
for

ciati
serv

edut
cert.

 in of r

of adji

ecouu
ishingll
:lolesca
on andi
1 divers.
expand

schooll
.d a cone
gh SCllt
would
‘(‘Dl(‘,11ll
groups
s not “11.
‘ee 0r ll:

prolong
Conside
s requi
1g empl
)mbined

This
nd their
1igh sch
, soeial‘

nigh scl
ensivell
d for \‘lé
1c pl‘Ot"
en in lla

greatl)’
manifei
1is intel
he pl'lfll‘
rough ll

advances are undoubtedly related to our concern for educational im—
provement, a general reappraisal of education appears to have been
going on for some time. The great scientific advances of the past
three centuries, increasing public recognition of these advances, and
dramatic “space age” advances in recent months have certainly
added to a concern for the purposes of education.

In the immediate period various criticisms of education would
appear also to have other motivations. These motivations include
such considerations as a feeling of defeat in a scientific race, a gen-
eral feeling of insecurity often leading to nostalgic reflection, a de—
sire in many instances for simple solutions to complex problems, and
a tendency to be non—scientific in appraising many problems. An-
other rather common situation currently confronted is the tendency
to rely on half—truths or an incomplete picture as a basis for ap-
praisal of schools.

Perhaps one of the most Significant errors into which many of
us fall is a naive assumption that all schools are alike. In fact, there
are excellent, average, and poor schools. Any generalization re—
garding quality would probably apply somewhere in the country.

As we look to the future, it is therefore important to keep a
broad perspective relative to purposes and accomplishments of the
secondary school. There is no doubt that improvement in quality and
greater challenges are called for in the next decade.

During the past two years one of the greatest contributions to
secondary education has been. made by Dr. James B. Conant, former
president of Harvard University. Dr. Conant has been making an
intensive study of selected American public secondary schools and
will shortly present a comprehensive report with recommendations
for future directions. In a speech at the National Education Asso—
ciation meeting in Cleveland in the summer of 1958 Dr. Conant ob-
served as follows:

“I feel sure of only one thing as a result of my intensive
study of a small sampling of comprehensive public high
schools. No radical changes are required in the pattern of
American public education in order to make our schools
adequate for the tasks which now confront them.”

,, . . . .

lhere are many changes which Will probably occur in secondary
education in the years immediately ahead. Educational leaders must
certainly be alert to needed changes and should exercise forceful in—

51

 

  

 

fluence toward improvement of secondary education. The followi
changes and directions are illustrative of the probable emphapre
emerging in American high schools: val

1. The comprehensive high school will probably be moreaCO1
more the pattern of organization. This type of high school represei
the most satisfactory institutional arrangement for education of; big

American youth. a g

2. Guidance and counseling services will be expanded great
For each 300 to 400 students a full—time counselor is desirable. H1 ter
ever, mere assignment of titles does not assure adequacy of servi 001
Expansion of these services should certainly be contingent ulshc
availability of well qualified personnel.

3. Considerable expansion of science programs will pi‘obal be
occur. Generally requirement of two units for graduation can
defended. General science will probably be a requirement for.
students. It is quite important that science as a basic part of g
eral education be upgraded and made meaningful to all students. mc

611'

4. Substantial changes are likely to occur in content, orga ed:
zation, and sequence of mathematics instruction. Introduction ad
algebra at the eighth grade level offering advanced courses in $611
high school, and introduction of modern content into high schi
courses are illustrative of changes which will probably take plac

5. Strengthening foreign language instruction will recs:C 1m
great emphasis in the years immediately ahead. Introduction f0]
Russian and return of German will occur in many large high schot of
More intensive study of languages taken by students, creation p0
language laboratories, and introduction of foreign language sit
at earlier grade levels are also probable. A small high school WOI
probably render more service by teaching one language well than ar

trying to offer too many courses. ev

6. Many efforts will be made to increase opportunities’ ro'
academically talented students. Accelerated courses, seminar-13th
courses, credit by examination, and additional attention to abll

grouping will be explored by many secondary schools. th

7. Advanced placement courses Will receive increasing ail' Tl
tion, especially in large high schools. These courses will be desit’D di;
for academically talented students and will permit advanced p1?
ment or credit, or both, at the college level. This approach Willa . ‘
lessen pressures on some secondary schools for early admission th
college.

52

 1e followi 8. Advanced courses for gifted students Will also become more
le emphi prevalent. These courses may become common in many fields. Ad-

vanced biology, chemistry, world history, and many other such
re niorea courses will help step up the challenge to able students.

’1 Ewes€I 9. Graduation requirements Will likely be increased in many
33351011 0f: high schools. Completion of 20 units Will likely be fairly common as
a graduation requirement in numerous high schools.

ded great 10. Student programs will increasingly be differentiated in
table. El] terms of the vocational or professional goals of students. A basic

7 Of sem core will undoubtedly remain for all students, but careful guidance
ngeiit up should result in more realistically planned programs for each student.

11. Increased parental participation in program planning Will
become common. Most secondary schools Will probably require par-
ental approval of student programs as a part of the guidance process.

ill pi‘obal
tion can

cent for
part of g, 12. Special classes in both junior and senior high schools for

students. mentally retarded students will be necessary. High schools will
definitely recognize that if such students are to secure an appropriate
education, their needs Will usually have to be met by programs

oduction adapted to their abilities.
ses in sen

high schi
take pla

ent, orgi

13. Expansion of the standardized testing programs Will occur
in practically all high schools. Passage of the National Defense Edu-
. cation Act will contribute materially to this expansion. It is quite
V111 recs: important that careful plans be made to use test results realistically
oduction for individual guidance and curriculum improvement. Mere giving
Ugh 50'1““ of tests can become a goal in itself unless attention is given to pur-
creation poses of a testing program.
guage sti'
chool W0[
vell than

14. Larger high schools will be a necessity in many school
districts if a truly comprehensive high school is to be realized. N0
arbitrary minimum size can be postulated in all communities. How-

. . ; ever, it can be safely said that a high school with less than 500 en-
tunities. rollment is usually offering a very limited program, or a program
eminar-ff that is very expensive.

n to abll , ,
The Size of high schools is a major problem in Kentucky since

. tt the average enrollment during the past year was slightly above 300.
asmg a This problem of size must be tackled both Within a specific school

be ddefilm district and in terms of elimination of many small districts.
nice p3

oh Willa
dmissiou

. 15. The principal Will become more and more important as an
instructional leader. If instructional improvement is to be effected,
the individual school will have to be the focal point of beginning such

53

 

  

 

  

 

improvement. Vigorous efforts must therefore be exerted to pm;
the services necessary to free the principal for instructional lead
ship and he must then assume these responsibilities.

16. Finally, there should be greater emphasis on effectiveei
cation for citizenship. The most crucial responsibility high scho
assume is development of effective citizens. Failure in this reg:
would be disastrous. Greater attention will probably be given
geography, world affairs, and other aspects of citizenship educati
I11 our zeal for high school improvement, citizenship education in
receive the attention its importance merits.

This review of possible directions of change suggests the A111!
can public secondary school will experience very great attentiondl
ing the immediate future. There appears little doubt 110w thatl
high school will remain in the limelight for the foreseeable felt
The public high school in the United States is the embodiment
certain basic dreams, hopes, and aspirations of the American peoi
In our efforts at general improvement of high school programal
urgently important that we keep in the forefront this conceptol
high school for all young people. I11 other words, our positionlm
embody a determination to advance education for all young peep

 

 to prod
.nal lead

fectived
igh sell
this regi
)e givea'
) educa'
3ati011

the Am
:ention

m7 that
11319 in
)odimen
iean pen?
grams}
Oncept '
)sition ,
1mg p60}

. m PM w,“ “basal“..-w

 

DR. HAROLD J. McNALLY

Professor of Education, Teachers College, Columbia University,
New York, N. Y.

55

 

 THE ROLE OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
IN THE SPACE AGE

AN ADDRESS BY DR. HAROLD J. McNALLY

Professor of Education, Teachers College, Columbia University,
New York

We hear a great deal today about the new Space Age into which
we have been propelled. There are those who claim that the launch-
ing of earth satellites and moon probes marks the first really world-
changing achievement since Columbus raised a landfall in 1492.
While I challenge this, there is no doubt that the world we live in is
startlingly different then it was in Columbus’ day, or even than it
was but a few years ago. What are some of the characteristics of this
age which have implications for education?

SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SPACE AGE

First, it is a period of rapid and accelerating change. George
Washington could travel no faster than Julius Caesar, but today man
can travel far in excess of the speed of sound. Much of the high
school physics most of us learned is obsolete; and the job one trains
for today may not even exist tomorrow, or exist in so changed a form
as to require extensive retraining. Norman Cousins has stated the
case well. In prior generations, he said,

. . . the time span of important change was considerably

longer than that of a single human life. Thus mankind was

trained to adapt itself to fixed conditions. Today this time
span is considerably shorter than that of a human life, and
accordingly, our training must prepare individuals to face

a novelty of conditions. . . . (We are suffering from the)

vicious assumption that each generation will substantially

live among the conditions governing the lives of its fathers

and wlll transmit those conditions to mould with equal force

the lives of its children. We are living in the first period of

human history for which this assumption is false.1
Undoubtedly, this has extremely important implications for the
educational program in our schools.

Second, we are in a period of a veritable explosion of population.
The population of the United States has more than doubled since

1 Norman Cousins, Modern Man Is Obsolete. New York, Viking Press,
1945, p. 16

57

 

  

. l
l
i
l
l
l
t,
r
l
l

 

 

 

 

  

 

1900, and is now increasing at the rate of about three million a year,
Not only have we become an urban nation; sociologists point to the
growth of vast urban concentrations (each of which they term a
“megalopolis”), such as that along our eastern seaboard, from Boston
to Norfolk. As though this were not enough, Lawrence S. Kubie7
eminent physician, predicted in a recent article that in the not too
distant future “. . . men and women will except for murders, sui-
cides and accidents—stop dying.”1 What implications are there
here?

 

A third startling characteristic of our times is the restless n10-
bility of our people. \Ve are literally a people on wheels and wings.
It once took days to travel from New York to Philadelphia; today
Kansas City, Kalamazoo, Kharkov, Katmandu, Kabul and Khartoum
are all but a few hours apart. \Vithin the United States, between
five and ten million people change their county or state of residence
yearly. Automobiles have become so common that we almost wear
them, like clothes. Many of us can remember when the only diffi-
culty one had in parking a car was getting the girl to agree to it.
Today, Los Angeles County alone has more cars than all the nations
of Asia and South America together.

Our improved means of transportation and connnunication have
brought us into close relationship with all other nations on earth.
Yet, in our enforced proximity on this rapidly shrinking globe, we
find the “diplomats” busily shaking their fists under one another’s
noses, like belligerent adolescent boys. Surely, education for the
years ahead must help us do better than that.

Furthermore, as a result of the communications revolution, news
of international events travels over our country and around the
world with the speed of light. However, our improved mass (30111-
munications hold both a promise and a threat. They can help 115
become a more accurately informed, discriminating and critically
thinking public; or they can spread the untruths and half truths of
demogogues and unscrupulous advertisers, and debase our tastes
and dull our critical faculties with a diet of quiz panels, soap opeI‘BS‘
cow-voiced rock ’n roll wailers, quasi-sensational “horror programs,”
insipid western and mystery stories, third—rate drama, slanted and
unimportant news, and pitiful humor. \Vhat can and should 0111'
schools be doing with respect to this?

1 Lawrence S. Kubie, “Hidden Brain Power,” Saturday Review, vol. 39;
October 13, 1956, p. 26.

58

  

 rear.
. the
'm a
iston
ubie,
; too

sui-
;here

: mo-
ings.
oday
toum
ween
lence
wear
diffi-
to it.
Ltions

have
earth.
ye, we
ther’s
yr the

Ynews
.d the
; com—
elp llS
ticalll'
Lths of
tastes
)peras:
ramS,”
3d and
.1d 011r

V01. 39)

In the United States, this is also an age of abundance (in con—
trast with the hunger and malnutrition of many other countries),
and of increasing leisure. Instead of the ten-to—fourteen hour work-
ing day which once was common, most laborers today work less
than one-third of their waking hours during a year. This in itself
is a cultural revolution. But what will be done With this leisure?

Finally, the fantastic explosion of knowledge, the key to all
these changes, in itself taxes our adaptability. New finding succeeds
new finding with disconcerting speed, making obsolescent or ob-
solete that which we “knew” to be so only yesterday. This knowl-
edge, however, has no morality in and of itself; good men may use
it for good, and unprincipled men may use it for evil. Hence, the
kinds of persons our schools help our children become will de-
termine in large measure whether mankind will realize the promise
of its vast and rapidly increasing knowledge for a fabulous and
delightful life, or whether we shall bring about the complete de-
struction depicted in Nevil Shute’s 0n the Beach.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OBJECTIVES FOR THE SPACE AGE

What, then should be the nature of elementary education in this
science-fiction world of ours? Toward what objectives should it be
directed? Without attempting to be exhaustive of all possible ob-
jectives, I believe that there are five which are important beyond
argument for today’s kaleidoscopic society.

1. Emotional Security. It is debatable whether this should be
termed the Age of Science or the Age of Anxiety. The growth of
urban concentrations, of vocational specialization, and of huge
business enterprises contribute to personal and economic insecurity,
feellngs of individual insignificance, and to the feeling of peOple
that each is merely a cog in a vast machine over which he has no
control. International tensions and the threat of imminent nuclear
warfare compound the stresses contributing to personal insecurity.

School conditions presently do all too little to counteract these
tens1ons. Over-crowded schools and classroomS, competitive teaching,
marking and promotion practices do quite the opposite. Schools for
Such an age should be helping children learn how to live with change.
Children need to have satisfying experiences of success to develop
feelings of personal worth and confidence. Psychologists tell us that
success breeds success, and that the confidence bred of success helps
us to meet failure in constructive fashion and without undue dis-
couragement. Science can stress the great strides we have made in

59

 

 

 

  
 
 
  
 

 

 

 

  

prediction and control, and well-taught history (which goes far be
yond simply learning the “facts”) can help develop the security thn‘
stems from seeing events in the long perspective.

2. Understanding of the World We Live in. To cope with life re
quires some understanding of it. Science can help explain naturn
phenomena: the mystery of growing things, the great cycles of tin
seasons and the weather, the properties of matter, the nature an:
uses of the forces of electricity, fire, water, and air, and the relation
ship of man to his environment. History can help develop under
standings of the development of the social arrangements withi:
which we live, the great currents of history which have led upn
and which help explain today’s societies. Literature can abet then
learnings, and add the dimension of insight into human passions an
relationships, and, if well handled, can lead to important person
insights on the part of the learners. All too often, science, histon
and literature are not taught with such objectives clearly in mind

 

3. Command of the Tools of Learning and of Life. Certainly it
schools of today and tomorrow should continue to address themselve
to the learning of the essential skills of communication: reading
writing, listening and speaking; and to development of adequate ski
in quantitative thinking and computation. But to prepare our learn
ers for the demands of the Space Age, the usual teaching of the
skills and concepts is quite inadequate. \Ve need to help youngster
to do numerical thinking as well as to develop computational skil
They should be helped to learn how to understand quantitative rein
tionships, and to catch some of the excitement of the romaneet
number in human life and history. They should learn that propf
listening is as important as speaking, and sometimes more so, an
that reading is not only a mechanical skill, but can be a trill
creative act.

Furthermore, in all school activities, we must be helping chi
dren learn the intellectual tool of critical and reflective thinkifli
This will not be achieved through the usual assign-study—recite pn
cedure that has characterized most of our teaching. It can be accofl
plished only by having children think critically and reflectively’
with the guidance of the teacher—about controversial issues Ell
critical problems of life. Children in the primary grades are 110“!"
young to address themselves to questions of morality and ethics. N
are elementary school children too young to begin to develop respt
for evidence, and skill in identifying the half—truths of unscrupultl

60

  

 far ht
ty tha‘

life re
iatura
of it
.re an:
elation
under
withi
l upl
5t the:
me an:
ersonz
histoi
1 mini

nly it
mselve
ceding
ate ski
r lean
)f the:
ingster
al skil
ve reli
ancel
prope
so, an
a trlll

ng chi
hinkifll
zite pt
3 210ch
tively-
ues at
a not if
llCS. N
) respt
:upulot

advertising, and the specious reasoning of the demagogue. There is
much we can do to improve our school programs in relation to these
objectives.

4. Development of Creativity and Individuality. There are many
forces today leading toward mass conformity. These forces, and
some of their results and the problems they pose, are well dealt with
in The Lonely Crowd,1 The Organization Man2 and, in popular fic-
tional form, in The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit. In the face of
these pressures, should not our schools redouble their efforts to
develop individuality and to educate for creativity? Should we con—
tinue to seat children in straight rows, require them all to study the
same lesson from the same text in order to answer the same ques-
tions at the same time and in the same way? Should we concentrate
on helping each to develop to his maximum potential, instead of con-
centrating on getting them all “up to norm,” which by definition is
only mediocrity? Recent research by Lowenfeld and Guilfordl indi-
cates that creativeness in the arts and in science has common at-
tributes. In these and other learning areas, we should be helping
children to learn how to identify problems, to develop originality in
problem solution, to learn how to rearrange and redefine, and to
analyze and abstract, all of which are components of the creative
process. We need to find ways of encouraging children to do dif-
ferent things in unique ways as they learn how to learn. In a study
of transportation, or of American colonization, why should all chil-
dren be reading the same books to find the same answers to the

same questions for the same purpose? Creative teachers do not work
that way.

5. Development of Abiding Life Values. Finally, our schools have
a job to do in helping children develop values by which to live. How
can we help them best to develop dynamic concepts of what con-
stitutes a good life? In what ways can we help them avoid the se-
duction of materialism, and learn the satisfaction of personal ac-
complishment, and the personal rewards of altruistic service? What
can we do that will result in children’s understanding and respect
for others of all races, creeds and nationalities? The magnificent
1 David Riesman and others, The Lonely Crowd. New Haven, Yale Uni—
versity Press, 1950.

2 William H. Whyte, The Organization Man. New York, Simon 8:
Schuster, 1956.

1 Viktor Lowenfeld, “Current Research in Creativity,” N .E.A. Journal,
v01. 47, November 1958, pp. 538-540.

61

 

  
 
 
  
 

  

achievement of Dr. Carmichael and his staff in Louisville has beet
an inspiration in this respect. In a practical sense, it will behoovet
to give close attention to this matter, for it will not be long before
the awakening peoples of Asia and Africa will have universal edu
cation, technological know—how, and great world power. Our sur
vival is likely to depend upOn our ability to live with them 0:
friendly, understanding, respectful and cooperative terms.

\VHAT KINDS OF SCHOOLS, THEN, DO \VE NEED;Z

If we accept the validity of these objectives, what are the impl»
cations for our schools? Is the major need for “toughening up” Oil
academic standards, as some critics propose"? \Vill more departmen
talization, more homogeneous herding, more rigorous drilling on tl
facts of “essential” subjects usher in the millennium? In the face 0:
pressures to do these things, all too many schoolmen look about that
take stock, and then in the name of progress march resolutely ball
into the past, reinstating “gimmick” practices and organization
forms that fifty years of research have thoroughly discredited.

While it is well beyond the scope of this paper to describe i
detail what I would conceive to be the kind of elementary schoo
appropriate to the Space Age, several of the most important charai
teristics of such schools may be mentioned. I propose nothing thati
startlingly new, nothing that has not been tried successfully in publi
schools. Yet, these proposals are likely to seem new in many sohot
districts.

1. In good schools of today (and of the future), much—not all—0'
children’s learning experiences are centered around integratin.
problems, or centers of interest, requiring much more than rot
memorization and skill drill. Such an approach provides far 1110i
opportunity for teachers to guide children in learning how to p131
to identify and analyze real problems, to gather and apply pertinei
facts from many sources, to practice to increase command of aft
demic skills revealed to be inadequate, and to learn how to wor}
together with their fellows productively and efficiently. In suclt
program, not all children necessarily are found doing the same thin:
at the same time, although there will be some occasions when ‘ihi
will be so.

2. Tod