MODERN EDUCATORS (_Continued_)
HERBART (1776-1841)
=Literature.=--_De Garmo_, Herbart and the Herbartians; _Felkin_,
Introduction to Herbart; _Van Liew_, Life of Herbart and Development of
his Pedagogical Doctrines; Yearbooks of the Herbart Society; _Lange_,
Apperception; _Rein_, Outlines of Pedagogics; also, Encyklopaedisches
Handbuch der Paedagogik; _Willmann_, Herbart's paedagogische Schriften.
It is probable that no system of pedagogy is attracting so much
attention and awakening so much interest at the present time as that of
Herbart. Professor Rein says, "He who nowadays will aspire to the
highest pedagogical knowledge, cannot neglect to make a thorough study
of Herbart's pedagogy." Johann Friedrich Herbart was born at Oldenburg,
May 4, 1776. His grandfather was rector of the _Gymnasium_ at Oldenburg
for thirty-four years; his father was a high official under the
government; but his mother seems to have wielded the most influence over
him. She watched over his studies with greatest care, and, indeed,
studied Greek herself to spur him on. Though gentle and mild, she was
firm in discipline. The father was satisfied to leave the direction of
the education of his son to her. There was, however, little sympathy
between the father and mother, and there were frequent family
dissensions, that must have had a bad influence on the lad. These
disagreements finally led to a separation. A tutor employed for Herbart
at this period developed in him a speculative tendency and taught him
the power of forcible expression. Herbart learned to play on several
musical instruments, and at the age of eleven displayed considerable
talent as a pianist.
When twelve years of age he entered the _Gymnasium_ at Oldenburg, and
six years later completed the course. He entered the university of Jena
in 1794 and became a student of Fichte, who was sure to inspire a young
man of Herbart's philosophical bent. His attention seems to have been
directed to educational questions, though he had not yet decided to be a
teacher.[155]
=As Teacher.=--After three years at Jena, Herbart became tutor
(Hauslehrer) in the family of Herr von Steiger, governor of Interlaken.
This was his only experience in teaching children. "Herbart's experience
as a teacher," says De Garmo, "would seem too small a thing to
mention--some two or three years in a private family in Switzerland with
three children aged respectively eight, twelve, and fourteen. Yet to a
man who can see an oak tree in an acorn, who can understand all minds
from the study of a few, such an experience may be most fruitful." It is
certain that Herbart often drew upon this experience in his later
writings. While in Switzerland he visited Pestalozzi, with whom he was
deeply impressed. Opinions differ as to the harmony of theory between
Pestalozzi and Herbart. Professor Rein thinks that, "In the ideas of
Pestalozzi are found the outlines of Herbart's pedagogical structure."
Having decided to devote himself to academic teaching, he gave up his
position in Switzerland and went to Bremen for further study. During the
two years spent there, he wrote several essays on educational subjects,
but gave his chief attention to the study of Greek and mathematics.
=As Professor.=--In 1802 he took the first step in his academic career
as _Privat Docent_ at the university of Goettingen. This with him was a
period of great literary activity.[156] In 1809, he was called to the
chair of philosophy at Koenigsberg once occupied by Kant. He calls this
"the most renowned chair of philosophy, the place which when a boy I
longed for in reverential dreams, as I studied the works of the sage of
Koenigsberg."[157]
=His Practice School.=--Here he established a pedagogical seminary,
having a practice school in which the students instructed children under
the criticism of Herbart himself. Concerning his pedagogical activity at
Koenigsberg, Herbart says, "Among my many duties, the consideration of
educational questions is of especial interest to me. But it is not
enough to theorize merely; there must be experiment and practice.
Furthermore, I desire to extend the range of my own experience (already
covering ten years) in this field. Therefore, I have long had in mind to
teach daily for one hour a few selected boys in the presence of such of
my students as are familiar with my pedagogical theory. After a little,
these students are to take up the work I have begun, and give
instruction under my observation. In time, in this way, teachers would
be trained, whose method by means of reciprocal observation and
discussion must be perfected. As a plan of teaching is valueless without
a teacher, and indeed a teacher that is in sympathy with that plan, and
is master of the method,--so perhaps a small experimental school, such
as I have in mind, would prepare the way for future greater
undertakings. There is a word from Kant, 'first experimental schools and
then normal schools!'"[158]
This was the first practice school in connection with the chair of
pedagogy in a university; the idea, however, does not seem to have taken
very deep root, as, with the exception of the celebrated practice school
at Jena, under Professor Rein, there is not one now in Germany. Most
professors of pedagogy conduct a _Seminar_, in which some practice work
with children is done, but none of them maintain a practice school.
=Literary Activity.=--Herbart's literary activity at Koenigsberg was
great. He worked out his psychological system, and wrote also on
philosophy, history, and pedagogy. But his greatest works in the latter
field are his "A B C der Anschauung,"[159] and his "Allgemeine
Paedagogik,"[160] both of which appeared while he was still at
Goettingen.[161] In 1833, after twenty-four years in Koenigsberg, he
returned to Goettingen, where his lifework was completed in 1841. Upon
his retirement from Koenigsberg, the practice school was closed. Ten
years later, a pupil of Herbart, Karl Volkmar Stoy, established the
practice school at Jena, of which mention has already been made. Two
schools of Herbartians exist in Germany, the Stoy school, which attempts
to follow Herbart very closely, and the Ziller school, which is freer in
its interpretation of him. The chief exponent of the latter is Professor
Wilhelm Rein of Jena, the place which is at present the center of
Herbartian activity. In America this movement is under the direction of
the National Herbart Society.
=His Pedagogical Work.=--Aside from the educational movements organized
by Herbart and his followers, the credit is due to him of being the
_first to elevate pedagogy to the dignity of a science_. Professor Rein
says, "Herbart has rendered an undisputed service in that he has
elevated pedagogics to the rank of a science. No one has ever repented
of having become familiar with Herbart's teachings, for, in any case, he
has thereby added richly to his own attainments. The development of our
people will be fortunate if the education of the youth shall be
intrusted more and more to those who stand and work upon the lines laid
down by Comenius, Pestalozzi, Herbart.
"The pedagogic thinking of Herbart has indeed borne rich fruit in
Germany. Other peoples, also, have been blessed by his teachings. Thus
Herbart, whose span of life did not reach to the middle of this century,
lives in the present. He created the basis of a science of education,
which furnishes a safe starting point for all pedagogical theories, and
which bears in itself the most fruitful germs for future
development."[162]
=Modern Herbartians= have carried forward that development far beyond
its original outline. The terms "many-sided interest," "apperception,"
"concentration," "culture-epochs," "the formal steps of instruction,"
"correlation," and "harmonious development," are phrases that have
become common in educational literature. The limits of this volume do
not permit a discussion of these subjects. Indeed, many of them belong
more properly to the disciples of Herbart, rather than to Herbart
himself.[163] Herbart's ideal was that education should aim to produce
well-rounded men, fit for all the duties of life; men well developed
physically, intellectually, morally, and spiritually. He himself was not
one-sided, being an enthusiastic teacher as well as psychologist and
philosopher.
FOOTNOTES:
[155] Professor Rein indicates that Herbart discussed educational
questions at this period. See "Encyklopaedisches Handbuch," Vol. III, p.
468.
[156] For list of works produced, see De Garmo's "Herbart and the
Herbartians," p. 17.
[157] Felkin's translation of "Science of Education," p. 16.
[158] Willmann's "Herbart," Vol. II, p. 3.
[159] "The A B C of Observation."
[160] "General Pedagogy."
[161] The best collection of his works is that by Willmann, "Herbart's
Paedagogische Schriften," which has not been translated into English.
[162] "Encyklopaedisches Handbuch der Paedagogik," Vol. III, p. 485.
[163] For discussion of these subjects see the Yearbooks of the
Herbartian Society, and other works referred to on page 278. For the
completest list of references to Herbartian literature, see
"Encyklopaedisches Handbuch," Vol. III, p. 485.