Politics, Efficiency, and Retardation
- Author:
Felix Arnold, Pd.D., Ph.D.,
New York, N. Y.
After all the statistics on retardation and repeating have been gathered, after the most complete schemes of organization, classification, and promotion have been devised, in the final analysis all will be of little avail unless we have the following,?(1) scientific supervision of class work, (2) proper methods of instruction and discipline, (3) graded and standardised courses of study, (4) selection, appointment, and promotion of school officials on the basis of merit, and (5) sufficient money to equip and supply schools and classrooms. In factory management scientific supervision has become an estab; lished fact, of which the value is now measured in terms of dollars and cents,1 but in the schools, supervision hangs like a yellow cloud over the classroom and shuts out many of the sources of sweetness and light. Where education stalks along the dark and crooked ways of political preferment, nothing else can be expected. If all the officials were scholars, less harm would be done, but too often the officials are not scholars, and the scholars are not officials. Efficiency then is not the title to preferment, and even if in the lower strata civil service is in force and is flaunted before the public, at the top the augurs smile and perhaps drown comment in the flowing bowl.
There are one or two notions which animate retarded school officials who owe their positions to political preferment. One such notion is, “Run things quietly and smoothly;” the other is a misguided paternalism which neglects the children entirely, and looks upon the school system as a place which is to provide easy berths for young ladies and gentlemen who are properly connected. The political appointee does not want any fuss. So long as there is no agitation, there will be no investigation, there will be no sharp call for standards, progress, results, and efficiency. It is better to let things go as they are than to present and to uphold standards. A standard implies definite knowledge, definite acquaintance with lSee, among others, Emerson, H., Efficiency, and The Principles of Efficiency, Taylor, F. W., The Principles of Scientific Management, Parkhurst, F. A., Methods of Scientific Management, Diemer, H., Factory Organization and Administration, (This book has an excellent bibliography), Arnold, H. 2 he Complete Cost Keeper, and The Factory Manager and Accountant research here and abroad, wide knowledge of the literature of the subject, ability to collect facts and interpret them, stamina enough to enforce proper classroom methods and humane treatment of children. Now the political appointee has no such standards, in fact, he looks with contempt upon anything which smells of the university, the laboratory, or the library, grandiloquently stigmatises the student as a theoriser spinning webs in cloud-cuckoo-land, and loudly ridicules any suggestions which would tend to stir things up. Moreover, good living and drinking usually give the political appointee a ‘presence,’ and enable him to swell majestically before lay boards who are duly impressed with any statements which such an imposing figure may offer.
A misguided paternalism is a second idol which tends to produce retarded teachers and so retarded children. Your politician likes to pose as a deity who is able to ‘fix things up,’ who is able to make the teacher ‘happy,’ and who can promise his friends that Miss So-and-so will not be bothered. The questions which are put to the teacher are not, ‘What work are you asked to do,’ or, ‘What methods are you asked to follow,’ or ‘What results are you asked to attain,’ or, ‘How are you supervised,’ or, ‘What instructions are you given;’ but instead, in a benevolent manner are asked, ‘Are you happy?’ and, ‘Do you like your school?’ No doubt such hedonistic tendencies should have a place in the school, but they should not be the sole criterion of efficiency. Your political appointee hates work, and is never so happy as when he or she is doing nothing, and is not ‘ bothered’ in so doing.
In many towns and cities the teachers and the principals of the schools are selected by competitive examination, and appointed from an eligible list. Their appointment is the result of merit. But when the retention of their positions, and their periodical increases in salary depend upon the approval of a superintendent who is directly appointed by a political Board of Education, civil service has somewhat the sound of a tinkling cymbal. Ambition to improve is smothered at the outset. Study becomes the handmaid to politics, and the political club replaces the library, the laboratory, and the lecture room. A principal has little to rouse him to improve the condition of the children. Plans of organisation which he may devise, improved methods which he may outline, and schemes to advance children more rapidly and secure individual attention to them will cause a stir among the teachers, may result in their being ‘unhappy,’ and will at once receive stern disapproval from the superintendent, who wants things to run smoothly. It is easier to let the class sit quietly while the ‘next boy’ reads, than to classify the children in groups and prepare sufficient busy work to keep the rest of the class busy. The teacher will be ‘happier’ the old way, and ‘things will run smoothly.’ The principal who does not stir things up is the ‘successful manager,’ and becomes the model, which sooner or later the newcomer is bound to follow if he wishes to get ahead.
The idea of paternalism also tends to handicap the principal who wishes to improve the condition of the children. Your young lady who is well connected, who wishes to attend dances and parties, who has little time to prepare charts, lists, drawings, busy work, and the like,?such a one is bothered exceedingly if these are asked for. She does not’ like her prinicpal’ and lets every one know this. Again the higher deity steps in to ‘fix’ matters. The principal is held in check. The school again runs smoothly, but at the same time there is no thorough group work, individual attention to the children is not attempted, and about a third or a half of the class receive any sort of instruction. The rest are ‘so stupid,’ (said rather coquettishly), ‘some may get ahead,’ and ‘really everything (a word which is seldom worked out in detail) has been tried to get them ahead.’ What holds for this aspect of instruction, holds in other lines. Graded work, check tests, careful classification of pupils in the classroom, etc., if these require extra effort, are sure to make teacher unhappy, cause her not to like to teach, and must go to the scrap heap with other ideas and ideals.
When the superintendent is directly elected by a board of education it is a question whether he is really in a position which will enable him to make a scientific course of study. At the outset of his career he may be animated by high ideals, and may be determined to secure high standards, but his environment is against it. His origin is a political one. If he was a student, he must become a ‘good mixer,’ he must be able to hold pleasant converse with leaders of the church, the club, and society, he has little time to study, to do research work, or to apply modern standards. He can not afford to be looked upon as an agitator, or perhaps as a socialist or anarchist (and this would happen if he attempted things which are considered axiomatic in the academic world), he must run things smoothly, and so he slowly degenerates. Among his own kind, in his political’ crowd’ he usually is looked upon as a shining light; but the light is that which academic analysis will show to come from decaying ideals. The course of study, like other things which relate to the welfare of the children, must not be disturbed. Things must go on in the old way. No stir must be made, for this would demand an intensive knowledge, which the political appointee has not. One who might attempt to establish modern standards and progressive methods would be subjected to a spiritual auto da fe which would effect results much like the inquisition of old.
Until the superintendent is selected solely according to merit, determined by fixed standards, until the top of the school system is freed from even the most remote kind of political control, retarded school officials will interfere with effective classroom work, and will in great measure produce retarded courses of study, and retarded children. Furthermore, the superintendent should hold office during good behavior. Until we can read announcements like those given out by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,?”A public examination of persons wishing to obtain the certificate of approval of the Massachusetts Board of Education for the position of superintendent of schools,”?until such notices become a part of the civil service system there is little hope for a progress sufficient to meet the advance of the times. Education must continue to hobble along, losing ground continually, a reproach to the community, and a scorn and a derision to the bystanders.
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