Bridgewater Review

Volume 23 | Issue 2 Article 8

Dec-2004 The oS cialist Roots of American Education John Michael Bodi Bridgewater State College, [email protected]

Recommended Citation Bodi, John Michael (2004). The ocS ialist Roots of American Education. Bridgewater Review, 23(2), 13-14. Available at: http://vc.bridgew.edu/br_rev/vol23/iss2/8

This item is available as part of Virtual Commons, the open-access institutional repository of Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

The Socialist Roots of American Education by John Michael Bodi

In 1889, President appointed As Commissioner of Education, Harris increased the William Torrey Harris as U.S. Commissioner of Ed- importance of the position and advocated uniformity ucation, a position he held until 1906. Today, Harris among all the nation’s schools. In 1891, he lobbied for a is virtually unknown outside the profession of educa- bill that would provide federal monies for an “educa- tion administration, and few teachers have heard of tional fund to aid in the support of public schools in the him. Yet Harris’ educa- several states and territories;” in 1900 he proposed the tional exert- idea of giving Civil Service Examinations to teachers; ed a powerful influence and in 1905 he suggested Presidential action regarding over the American pub- the issuing of bogus credentials to teachers. Harris thus lic school system, one laid the groundwork for the credentialing process, that is still very much which is in place today. in evidence today. Harris supported the kindergarten movement, which Harris was a follower of had been inaugurated in Germany by Friedrich Froebel. the German Socialist In 1873, with Susan Blow, another American Hegelian, philosopher George W.F. he established the first permanent kindergarten in the Hegel and one of the U.S. He advocated free universities (so that many more founders of the students might have access to higher education) and Hegelian movement communal schools, created the graded school, and William Torrey Harris. in the , broadened the curriculum to include the arts and mod- known as the St. Louis ern history. He was instrumental in shortening the Movement. Along with Henry C. Brokmeyer, he estab- school day and year while at the same time providing lished the St. Louis Philosophical Society in the early more time per subject to be taught. His biggest pedagog- 1860s, and Harris began publishing and editing the first ical battle, one that he lost, was the movement to teach philosophical journal in America, The Journal of the “manual arts” (vocational education) in the schools. Speculative Philosophy, in 1867. Many of his philosoph- In addition to funding the Philosophical Society, Harris ical and pedagogical ideas were explained and elaborated became President and eventually Life Director of the in the pages of this journal. National Educational Association (the most influential The aim of the St. Louis Movement was to rationalize teachers’ union then and now) from 1875 until his every field of activity using Hegelian philosophy as a death in 1909, and also became President of the principle of interpretation. Its founders sought to dis- National Association of School Superintendents. As cover how Hegel’s ideas applied and what form they President of the NEA, Harris was a permanent member might signify when translated into their own experi- and chairman of what was called “The Committee of ence. These American Hegelians were effective in Ten.” This group, later expanded to fifteen, provided using the school as a means for molding the young educational leadership for the country at the turn of to their ideas. the century. Through the work of William Torrey Harris, Hegelian As Harris stated, “Ninety-nine out of a hundred people ideas influenced the American educational system. in every civilized nation are automata, careful to walk Inherent in is the ideal, the idea that the in the prescribed paths, careful to follow prescribed cus- perfect is knowable if not attainable. Socialism is a nat- tom. This is the result of substantial education, which, ural offshoot of Hegelianism because it gives hope for scientifically defined, is the subsumption of the individ- such an ideal to be realized. An educational system ual under his species. The other educational principle is predicated on these principles strives to provide equal the emancipation from this subsumption.” chances for all students.

BRIDGEWATER REVIEW DECEMBER 2004 13

THE SOCIALIST ROOTS OF AMERICAN EDUCATION JOHN MICHAEL BODI to beconsideredinclude: views aboutpublicschooling.Someessentialquestions important, inmyview, torevisitandquestionlong-held teacher unionsandstate-mandatedtests.Itisfarmore that matterthesizeofschoolbudgets,power views on,“silence,punctuality, orfor andregularity” Schooling inAmericashouldnotjustbeaboutHarris’ potential. playing field”andallowchildrentorealizetheirfull also believedthatAmericanschoolsshould“levelthe begun tounderstandhowfitintothesociety. Buthe exposed toacertainbodyofknowledge,andwhohave who knowhowtofollowdirections,havebeen Torrey believedthatweshouldproduce citizens Harris Williamteachers andstudentswanttoteachlearn. nized, taxpayersandparentswantaccountability, and Today schoolsystemsareregimentedandtightlyorga- of the“educationinsight.” isapart mathematics, literature,science,andhistory stantial education,’asmuchthecriticalstudyof arefundamentalcomponentsofa‘sub- and industry According “silence,punctuality, toHarris, regularity education ofauthority.” foundations ofwhathasbeendescribedasthe method ofeducationmustbebuilt“on thesafe “drift towardemptyagnosticism;”thereforethis the assistanceofateacher. Thiscauses thestudentto onhis/herownwithout notion thathe/shehaslearned the studentmaybecome“self-conceited” duetothe the criticalproblemwithindividualeducationisthat authority-based view “substantialeducation.”InHarris’ acquired, however, theindividualmaygobeyond Once an“individualorscientificeducation”hasbeen its beingso.” question itorseektoobtaininsightintothereasonfor ofwhatheistold,anddoesnot teacher forthetruth edge. Thestudentisto“accepttheauthorityof toacquirethefundamentalsofknowl- habits necessary andgivestheindividual the methodsand memory A “substantialeducation”isattainedthroughtheuseof hownottobelimitedbyit.” [then] learn “must firstavailhimselfofthewisdomrace,and fronts inhis/herlifetime.Thestudent,writesHarris, through education,tosolvetheproblemshe/shecon- The emancipatedindividualisthepersonsetfree, •How does(andwill)the globalizationoftrade •How dowewantforourchildrenand •What shouldweeducatechildrentolive •How should bethepurposesforeducating •What and technology affectournext generations? our societyinthe future? in arepublicwithcapitalisteconomy? our youthtoday? about learning. andmoreimportantlybeenthusiastic how tolearn prepare ourchildrento:thinkforthemselves,learn experiencewill neverevolveintoalearning that worldviewisaliveandwell,ourschools Harris’ understand one’splaceinsociety?Ifyouagree,then aspecificbodyofknowledge?Isitto Isittolearn rules? howtofollowthe Is thepurposeofeducationtolearn positive andproductiveways. measure themselves(againstandothers)in and teenagersshouldproblemsolve,compete, beyond reading,writingandcomputation.Children jects sothateachofourcitizenswouldbecomeliterate basis ofallwedo.Artshouldbeintegratedintosub- Theartsshouldbetheunderlying drive thecurriculum. gy perhaps)acrossschools,districts,andstatescould where individualscompeteinteractively(viatechnolo- to experience democracyinaction.Realcompetition and Students shouldbegivenmoreautonomytolearn That iswhyittimetoradicallyalter“thesystem.” that mayneverbesolvedwithouttakingdrasticaction. Public educationtodayfacesmanyseriousproblems —John MichaelBodiisAssistantProfessor of Secondary Education of Secondary