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Transcript

George S. Counts

Dare the School Build a New Social Order?

Written in 1932 with The Great Depression well underway, Counts begins to see the results of the Industrial Revolution on society.

I feel when this was written is extremely relevant to how and why it was written (in some ways very similar to today). See this link for a brief history refresher:

http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1932.html

What you see in the book is only an excerpt. There are 3 parts to the original publication, it appears 2 are included in our text:

1.) A Teacher's call to arms

and

2.) His views of Democracy and the "American Dream"

(my titles, as they have none)

Message to Teachers

(Part 1)

Counts calls all teachers to "reach for power" unapologetically, both as an organized group and as individuals. As the most educated, most prolific, most intellectually advanced members of society, they have a responsibility to use their power "fully and wisely to act in the interests of the great masses of people. He instructs teachers to remember that they must "throw off the slave pedagogue," to work for this power (as it will not be given easily), and to bridge the gap between school and society.

Statements on Societal Conditions and the Role of Teachers and "Progressive Schools" (Part 2)

Counts goes on with the question of "the kind of imposition in which teachers should engage, if they have the power." He rails against the "extraordinary contradictions" in society a the time, much as we hear today. These include:

  • extreme poverty vs. extreme wealth
  • treatment of workers vs. factory owners getting rich of them and closing factories
  • machines replacing humans
  • government officials wanting to deny unemployment
  • starving children walking by full shops

...and many, many more.

But he starts anew with there is also "hope and promise" and that "the age is pregnant with possibilities.” He continues to say that Progressive schools should not only teach children to contemplate their world, but to re envision it and rebuild a new civilization. He speaks of unifying all schools with new enthusiasm, with a "new central purpose," and which will "unify and guide all intellectual plans."

Statements on Democracy

(Part 3)

At this point, it is important to note that when this was written, Counts had become fascinated with Communism. While some of his points are rooted in American traditions, such as "her revolutionary temper" and how our way of life was a "land of hope and opportunity" to the "oppressed classes of all lands," he undertones in the purpose of education become decidedly Marxist in nature.

Examples of philosophy are evident in the following statements about the purposes of democracy and education:

  • to "combat all forces tending to produce social distinctions and classes"
  • to "reform every form of privilege and economic parasitism
  • to "destroy all convention, institutions, and special groups inimical to the underlying principles of democracy
  • that we should do away with "industrial feudalism"that "natural resources and all forms of capital will have to be collectively owned

He finishes with "...our democratic tradition must of necessity evolve and gradually assume an essentially collectivist pattern."

I believe it is important to note that Counts was only a Communist for a very short period of time, and eventually rejected the Communist Party. He came to these beliefs listed above after a visit to Russia in 1929 and was shown a way of life that appeared to be "working."

Why Is This Important to Know?

I think this chapter was important to read because as educators and as students we are often given large amounts of information to learn, digest, interpret, and implement. It can be easy to forget to ask ourselves; who is giving us this information and what is their motivation in doing so? Counts eventually rejects many of his ideas published in this pamphlet, and yet if I knew nothing about education, politics, or history, I might think they were all wonderful ideas.

Also, it is important to remember much of what he wrote lead to the organization of our unions and greatly improved working conditions for teachers across the nation. The political machine he preaches against and belittles is now setting our pay, curriculum, standards, tests, and evaluations. It now dictates what we teach, how we teach it, who we teach it to, where we teach, when we teach, and in the process many teachers forget why they teach.

I suppose, taking all of this in consideration, the moral of the story is not to throw the baby out with the bath water. Continue to read, to study, and to most importantly evaluate what we read and study for validity and consequences of use.

And Finally

In the spirit of democracy, you can decided for yourself. This link will download an scanned copy of the entire pamphlet "Dare the School Build a New Social Order?";

Thank you for your attention.

I hoped you enjoyed this presentation.

~Jennifer Canacci

Photo based on: 'horizon' by pierreyves @ flickr

Avaliable for download at educateforlife.com

http://search-ebooks.eu/d/dare-the-school-build-a-new-social-order

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