012004 2.5. PREFACE THE present work is intended mainly for students of pedagogy in colleges or normal schools, teachers and other practical workers in educational fields, and those parents who take a special interest in the problems of education. It aims to give a general idea of the educational views of great philosophers and reformers in modern times, which form the basis of the present-day education in its ideals and practice. The author's endeavor has been to present the fundamental ideas of these thinkers and epoch makers in a concise and coherent form, and with a sympathetic interpretation. An academic criticism or amplification of any theories is purposely avoided; and very little is added to what each writer has said for himself, beyond that which was found necessary to make the connection of thought clearer and its significance more comprehensible to the reader. Thus the book practically consists of excerpts from the main works of the thinkers here chosen, which are either put in their original form or modified by the author so as to meet the extent and intent of the book. And he believes that, though not always agree 197789 ing with their ideas, he has made himself a faithful mouthpiece for each of them. The bibliographies attached are by no means meant to be exhaustive. They include only those references specially consulted by the author as well as those which were judged to be easily accessible and worthy of recommendation to the reader. The author wishes to express his sense of great indebtedness to President G. Stanley Hall for inspiration and help in many ways, to Professor William H. Burnham for suggestions and encouragement, to Dr. Arnold L. Gesell for aid in correcting his English, and to Dr. Theodate L. Smith for assistance in revising the manuscript and putting the book through the press. |