This subject finds no place upon the program. No elaborate argument
should be required to convince the authorities in charge of the school
system of a modern city like Cleveland that in this ultra-scientific
age the children who do not go beyond the elementary school--and they
constitute a majority--need to possess a working knowledge of the
rudiments of science if they are to make their lives effective.
The future citizens of Cleveland need to know something about
electricity, heat, expansion and contraction of gases and solids, the
mechanics of machines, distillation, common chemical reactions and a
host of other things about science that are bound to come up in the
day's work in their various activities.
Considered from the practical standpoint of actual human needs, the
present almost complete neglect of elementary science is indefensible.
The minute amount of such teaching now introduced in the language
lessons for composition purposes is so small as to be almost
negligible. The topics are not chosen for their bearing upon human
needs. There is no laboratory work.
Naturally much of the elementary science to be taught should be
introduced in connection with practical situations in kitchen, school
garden, shop, sanitation, etc. Certainly the applied science should
be as full as possible. But preliminary to this there ought to be
systematic presentation of the elements of various sciences in rapid
ways for overview and perspective.
To try to teach the elements only "incidentally" as they are applied
is to fail to see them in their relations, and therefore to fail in
understanding them. Intensive studies by way of filling in the
details may well be in part incidental. But systematic superficial
introductory work is needed by way of giving pupils their bearings
in the various fields of science. The term "superficial" is used
advisedly. There is an introductory stage in the teaching of every
such subject when the work should be superficial and extensive. This
stage paves the way for depth and intensity, which must be reached
before education is accomplished.