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]
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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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]
Chapter VII. A Great City School System[125]
I.“[Co-operation]” and “Progressivism”[125]
II.An Educational Creed[127]
III.Vitalizing the Kindergarten[129]
IV.Regenerating the Grades[132]
V.Popularizing High School Education[137]
VI.A City University[140]
VII.Special Schools for Special Classes[141]
VIII.Special Schools for Special Children[144]
IX.Playground and Summer Schools[145]
X.Mr. Dyer and the Men Who Stood With Him[147]
Chapter VIII. The Oyler School of Cincinnati[153]
I.An Experiment in Social Education[153]
II.An Appeal for Applied Education[156]
III.Solving a Local Problem[157]
IV.Domestic Science Which Domesticates[159]
V.Making Commercial Products in the Grades[161]
VI.A Real Interest in School[162]
VII.The Mothers’ Club[163]
VIII.The Disappearance of “Discipline”[165]
IX.The Spirit of Oyler[167]
Chapter IX. Vitalizing Rural Education[170]
I.The Call of the Country[170]
II.Making Bricks With Straw[171]
III.Making the One-Room Country School Worth While[182]
IV.Repainting the Little Red Schoolhouse[187]
V.A Fairyland of Rural Education[188]
VI.The Task of the Country School[193]
Chapter X. Out of the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings[195]
I.Miss Belle[195]
II.Going to Work Through the Children[196]
III.Beginning on Muffins[197]
IV.Taking the Boys in Hand[200]
V.“Busy Work” as an Asset[201]
VI.Marguerite[203]
VII.Winning Over the Families[204]
Chapter XI. Wide-Awake Sleepy Eye[207]
I.Fitting Schools to Needs[207]
II.Getting the Janitor in Line[208]
III.The Department of Agriculture[209]
IV.A Short Course for Busy People[212]
V.Letting the Boys Do It[214]
VI.A Look at the Domestic Science[214]
VII.How It Works Out[216]
VIII.Theoretical and Practical[217]
Chapter XII. The South for the New Education[220]
I.A Dream of Empire[220]
II.Finding the Way[222]
III.Jem’s Father[224]
IV.Club Life Militant[228]
V.Canning Clubs[234]
VI.Recognition Day for Boys and Girls[235]
VII.Teaching Grown-Ups to Read[236]
VIII.George Washington, Junior[237]
IX.A Step Toward Good Health[239]
X.Theory and Practice[242]
XI.A People Coming to Its Own[249]
Chapter XIII. The Spirit of the New Education[251]
I.The Standard of Education[251]
II.Standardization Was a Failure[252]
III.Education as Growth[254]
IV.Child Needs and Community Needs[255]
V.The Final Test of Education[257]