OF EDUCATION BY WILLIAM CARL RUEDIGER, PH. D. ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHO- GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY PREFACE THE aim of this book is to present an outline of the Principles of Education for use in college and normal school classes, in reading circles, and in the teacher's private professional reading. After an introductory chapter which aims to orientate the student in the field of education, the book attempts to bring together and organize the leading tendencies in modern educational thought pertaining to the bases, aims, values, and essential content of education; to discuss the principles underlying the administration of the curriculum; to inquire into the agencies that educate; and to review the fundamental psychological principles that underly the teaching process. The standpoint of no particular philosophical system is adopted, but the material is presented from the point of view of inductive science. Because footnotes are distracting to many readers, a definite attempt has been made to reduce their number to the minimum. All explanatory material has been woven into the text, while the sources of quotations and most of the references to educational literature have been indicated within the text by means of key numbers, placed in parentheses, that refer to the Bibliography on pages 297-300. The first of these numbers is the number assigned to the reference, while the second gives the page within the reference. Thus, (50:85) would refer to McMurry's "How to Study," page 85. 225231 In the Bibliography only those titles are included that are referred to in the text, and those that are given in the collateral reading at the close of the chapters. The titles are arranged in alphabetical order and are numbered consecutively. At the close of nearly every chapter have been placed exercises for study and discussion. These exercises do not consist of questions on the text, but they aim rather to give problems that call for the application of the principles developed in the text. It is obvious that, for want of space, principles cannot be applied very extensively within a text itself, but as their application forms one of the most valuable parts of any theoretical course, this should be provided for by means of exercises. These exercises bring in the element of concreteness and should receive no less conscientious attention than the text itself. The book was read in manuscript by Professor Ezra Allen, of the School of Pedagogy, Philadelphia; by Miss Frances Jenkins, Supervisor of Elementary Grades, Decatur, Illinois; by Miss Alice Sinclair Botkin, of the Central High School, Washington, D. C.; and by my wife, Hazel Pietsch Ruediger, to each of whom I cheerfully express my thanks for valuable suggestions. To my wife I am further indebted for assistance in proofreading. THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, W. C. R. |