In its utter thoroughness of beneficent intention, the system was truly sublime.
The only trouble was that it didn’t work.
At this point there seems to be an interruption from somebody at the back of the hall.--Louder, please! What’s that you say?
“I thought,” says the voice, “that this was to be a _discussion_ of education. It sounds to me more like a monologue. When do we get a chance to talk?”
Oh, very well! If you think you can do this thing better than I can, go ahead. Suppose _you_ tell us why the American public school system failed to work!--One at a time, please. Mr.--er--Smith has the floor. He will be followed in due order by Mr. Jones and Mr. Robinson. And then I hope everybody will be satisfied. Yes, Mr. Smith?
MR. SMITH: “I am one of the so-called victims of our American public school system. I went to grammar school, to high school, and then to college. You say that is what the system is for--to lead up to college. Well, it worked in my case. My parents were poor, but I studied hard and got a free scholarship, and I worked my way through college by tending furnaces in the morning and tutoring at night. You say college is designed to impart a gentleman’s sons’ education. Well, I got that kind of education. And what I want to know is, what’s wrong with me? I can’t say I feel particularly stultified by my educational career!”
No, no, Mr. Smith, don’t stop. Go right on!
MR. SMITH (continuing): “I will admit that I have sometimes wished I had taken some kind of technical course instead of the straight classical. But I didn’t want to be an engineer or chemist, so why should I? In fact I didn’t know exactly _what_ I wanted to be.... I suppose my education might not unreasonably have been expected to help me understand myself better. And I confess that when I came out into the world with my A.B. I did feel a bit helpless. But I managed to find a place for myself, and I get along very well. I can’t say that I make any definite use of my college education, but I rather think it’s been an advantage.”
Thank you for being so explicit. Mr. Jones next. Mr. Jones, you have just heard Mr. Smith’s splendid testimonial to the value of a college education--how it has unlocked for him the ages’ accumulated wealth of literature, of science, of art--how it has put him in vivid touch with the world in which he lives--how it has made him realize his own powers, and given him a serene confidence in his ability to use them wisely--how fully it has equipped him to live in this complex and difficult age--in a word, how it has helped him to become all that a twentieth century American citizen should be! Have you, Mr. Jones, anything to add to his account of these benefits?