He could do no more, thus trained, than go
forward in the direction he is pushed and in the direction determined
before he was born. This is not our idea of a progressive life.
It has been understood generally in America that Germany's preparation
and classification of her future workers and their placement in
industry, was more responsible than any other policy for Germany's
place in the world market. British and American manufacturers before
the war urged the emulation of German methods of education and a
reorganization of school systems more in conformity with the German.
The demand of the manufacturers for reorganization came at a time
when intelligent educators in America were recognizing that some
reorganization was necessary to bring the school experience of
children into relation with their environment and with the actualities
of life. The industrial education movement in this country was based
on the German, and the German idea was the dominating one. The
movement here has shown little-imagination as it adopted a system
foreign to America, instead of initiating schemes which represented
the aspirations of a free people.
Herman Schneider, of the University of Cincinnati, has made one of the
most intelligent contributions in the adaptation of the German scheme
of education. He divides trades into two classes, which he calls
energizing and enervating. In those which are energizing there is an
element of individual expression and opportunity for self-direction.
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