Education Its Data And First Principles PDF Download

From the AUTHOR'S PREFACE. This book is addressed to two classes of readers. It offers to professional students a preliminary survey of the whole field of educational theory and practice; while the wider public, whose enlightened interest is the mainspring of social progress, may, I hope, find in its pages something to stimulate reflection upon those larger issues which must be determined, if at all, by the consensus of their opinion. In outlining such a survey, in collecting materials for such reflection, I am aware that I have attempted what has often been done before. But as knowledge and experience grow, and as the spiritual atmosphere of an age changes, there is always room for another attempt-especially, perhaps, for one that presents the data of education, as they are presented here, from a definite point of view. In short, an author need apologize not for doing the thing again, but only for not doing it better. Before a reader commits himself to following an argument, he is entitled to know in a general way whither it seeks to lead him. I may say, then, that my purpose is to reassert the claim of Individuality to be regarded as the supreme educational end, and to protect that ideal against both the misprision of its critics and the incautious advocacy of some of its friends. I believe that a sane and courageous pursuit of the principle of individuality in education is above all things necessary, if our civilization is to strengthen its now precarious foothold between the tyranny of the few and the tyranny of the many....