Resumo de Historical Foundations Of Modern Education (1927)

WRITING a bookthat centers on the theory of education is a project not to be undertaken lightly these days. The difficulty arises not so much from a lack of interest asfrom the fact that so many people in so many walks of life already have assumeda position so positive in the matter that they are no longer able to entertaina different point of view in a friendly manner. We need only listen to thestatements of men and women active in public life and to read the plansproposed by this group or that to become fully aware of the fact that educationhas become for many individuals an emotionally charged word. All too frequentlyparticipants in the current discussions set them- selves up as authorities andproclaim their opinions with the assurance of a prophet of old. Fortunately forthe cause of education so many of these state- ments and plans are in directconflict that, for the most part, teachers and pupils are able to get along with the work at hand as best they know how. It seemedappropriate under these circumstances to write a book that tells the story ofthe several conflicting views on education in the light of their philosophicalorigins and historical development. The issues which agitated the people of thepast have already been resolved, whether for good or for bad, and no necessity canarise from the circumstances which created them to force us to return to themagainst our will. Unlike the roads that lead out of the past to our presentpoint in time, the roads ahead are never clearly visible for any considerabledistance. It is the inability to see and to know what lies ahead that makes thepresent moment of decision so difficult for us. Very often they have marked theemergence of an entirely new way of life with numerous and extensive changes inthe social, economic, and political life of the people who were persuaded toaccept one or another of them as their guide. The history of the origin andnature of these conflicts is in a very real sense the story of the evolution ofciviliza- tion itself. THE story of the educational changes growing out of the theory that knowledge of the good is nei- ther received nor discoveredbut is constructed out of the material gathered in experience remains to bewritten. Even now the changes called for are still in the process of beingworked out. We are justified in assuming that only a beginning hasTHE story ofthe educational changes growing out of the theory that knowledge of the good isnei- ther received nor discovered but is constructed out of the materialgathered in experience remains to be written. Even now the changes called forare still in the process of being worked out.

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