Building a feeling of security among Negro students as citizens of a democracy

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BUILDING A FEELING OF SECURITY AMONG NEGRO STUDENTS AS CITIZENS OF A DEMOCRACY

A P ro je c t P r e s e n te d t o t h e F a c u lty o f t h e s c h o o l o f E d u c a tio n The U n i v e r s i t y o f S o u th e rn C a l i f o r n i a

m P a r t i a l F u lfillm e n t o f t h e R e q u ire m e n ts f o r th e D e g re e M a ste r o f s c i e n c e i n E d u c a tio n

by E s t e l l e J o r d a n H ig g in s A u g u st 1950

UMI Number: EP46359

All rights re se rv e d INFORMATION TO ALL U S E R S T he quality of this reproduction is d e p e n d e n t upon th e quality of th e copy subm itted. In th e unlikely e v e n t th a t th e a u th o r did not s e n d a co m p lete m an u sc rip t a n d th e re a re m issing p a g e s , th e s e will b e noted. Also, if m aterial had to b e rem oved, a n o te will indicate th e deletion.

Dissertation Publishing

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P ro Q u e st LLC. 7 8 9 E a s t E isen h o w e r P ark w ay P.O . Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 4 8 1 0 6 - 1 3 4 6

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Th is pr o je c t r ep or t, w ri tt en under the direction of the candidate’s a d v is e r a n d a p p r o v e d by him, has been p r es e nt e d to a n d a c c e p te d by the F ac u lt y of the S c h o o l of E d u c a ti o n in p a r ti a l fu lfillment of the requirements f o r the de gre e of M a s t e r of Science in E ducation.

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Adviser

Dean

TABLE OP CONTENTS CHAPTER I.

PAGE

INTRODUCTION............................................................ The p ro b le m

1

.................................

2

S ta te m e n t o f t h e p r o b l e m ........................ .... .

2

D e f i n i t i o n o f te rm s u se d . . . . . . . . . ............................

S e c u rity

3

D e m o c r a c y .......................

3

C i t i z e n s ........................................................................

3

E d u c a tio n

.

3

.....................................................

4

................... ....

Community

Im p o rta n c e o f t h e p ro b le m

II.

3

.............................

4

M ethod o f p r o c e d u r e and s o u r c e o f d a t a • .

5

O r g a n iz a tio n o f r e m a in in g c h a p t e r s . . . .

5

DEVELOPING A FEELING OF RECOGNITION THROUGH COMMUNITY E X PE R IE N C E S.............

7

The s c h o o l c o u n c il* s H a llo w e 'e n cam p aig n

...................................................................

The t r a f f i c p a t r o l

9

................................................

11

The b o y s ' c h o i r The Boy S c o u t tr o o p Summary III.

13 ...........................................

14

.................... . . . . . . . . . . . .

17

DEVELOPING A FEELING OF WORTH BY HELPING OTHERS...................................................

18

ii CHAPTER

PAGE O r ig in o f t h e p ro g ra m

IV .

.

......................................

18

The p ro g ram a t w o r k ................................................. .

19

Summary

21

. . . . . . .

. . .

BUILDING ASSURANCE THROUGH EXAMPLES OF NEGROES....................................................

23

The p r o g r a m ..........................................

23

The s t o r y

........................

. . . . .

. . . . . .

24

S tu d e n t a c t i v i t i e s ............................

32

D i s c u s s i o n ..............................................

32

The s c r a p b o o k ..............................................................

32

D r a m a tiz a tio n

32

The m odel

. . . . . . .

. . . . . . . .

The b o o k c lu b

...................

. .

..................................

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S u m m a r y ................................ V.

33 34

.

35

BUILDING A FEELING OF ADEQUACY THROUGH CLASSROOM TEACHER ACTIVITIES . . . . . . . . . Group l i v i n g

. . . . . . . . . .

36 .

36

The c la s s r o o m r e s p o n s i b i l i t y .................................

36

C itiz e n s h ip c lu b s

38

.

................................

The c l a s s p r o j e c t ................................................... .... .

39

C r i t i c a l th in k in g

40

............................. . . . . . .

In te r-c la s s ro o m v i s i t a t i o n V is u a l a i d s Summary

.

......................................

41

..............................................................

42

..............................................................

43

iii CHAPTER V I.

EAGE

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS..............................................

BIBLIOGRAPHY

..............................................................

44 46

LIST OF TABLES PAGE

TABLE I.

E f f e c t o f S c h o o l C o u n c i l 's H a llo w e 'e n C a m p a i g n ............................................................................

10

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION I t h a s become m ore a p p a r e n t d u r in g t h e l a s t d e c a d e t h a t p a r t i c u l a r s t r e s s be p la c e d u p o n t e a c h i n g c h i l d r e n t o liv e .

I n s p i t e o f t h e f a c t t h a t t h i s c o u n tr y h a s p r a c t i c e d

u n i v e r s a l e d u c a ti o n m ore th a n any o th e r n a t i o n , t h e k in d o f t r a i n i n g t h a t o u r s c h o o ls h av e b e e n g iv i n g h a s n o t p r e p a r e d a l l you n g p e o p le a d e q u a te ly f o r i n t e l l i g e n t p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n t h e a f f a i r s o f a d e m o c r a tic g o v e rn m e n t.

T h e re h a s b e e n s p e ­

c i f i c n e e d f o r c i t i z e n s who c o u ld co p e m ore e f f e c t i v e l y w i t h s i t u a t i o n s an d p ro b le m s p r e s e n te d by a h ig h ly com plex and e v e r / c h a n g in g m odern s o c i e t y . E very a u x i l i a r y o f th e B la c k s h e a r E le m e n ta ry S ch o o l i s f a c e d w ith t h e p ro b le m o f b u i l d i n g s e c u r i t y among i t s s tu d e n ts .

D u rin g t h e p a s t s c h o o l y e a r , f o u r t e e n h u n d red

s e v e n s t u d e n t s an d t h i r t y - s e v e n f a c u l t y m em bers, i n t h e m e t r o p o l i t a n a r e a , w orked t o g e t h e r on t h i s i s s u e . The f a c u l t y f e l t t h a t e m o tio n a l s e c u r i t y was b a s i c t o good c i t i z e n s h i p an d o n ly a p e r s o n who i s e m o tio n a lly s e c u r e c a n e x p o s e h i s ju d g m en t t o d e m o c r a tic p r o c e s s e s ; o n ly su c h a p e r s o n c a n a d m it t h e n ee d an d p o s s i b i l i t y o f l e a r n i n g fro m o t h e r s .

They a l s o f e l t t h a t i t i s o n ly a

s e c u r e , w e l l - b a l a n c e d p e r s o n who c a n s h a r e w ith members o f

s o c i e t y ; o n ly s u c h p e r s o n s c a n s u p p ly t h e u n i f y i n g i n f l u e n c e n e c e s s a r y t o th e b e s t t y p e s o f d e m o c r a tic g ro u p e n d e a v o r . F a i t h i n o n e ’ s s e l f i s one o f t h e r e q u i s i t e s o f t h a t f a i t h i n o t h e r s w h ic h i s so fu n d a m e n ta l t o d e m o c r a tic p r o ­ ce d u re . I.

THE PROBLEM

S ta te m e n t o f t h e p ro b le m .

In s p it e o f w hat has been

w r i t t e n an d s a i d c o n c e r n in g t h e f u t i l i t y

o f t h e c la s s r o o m a s

a n em bryo s o c i e t y , t h e b a t t l e f o r d em o cracy m u st b e won i f i t s f r u i t s a re to fu n c tio n in th e a d u lt i n s t i t u t i o n s o f so ­ c ie ty .

Nowhere e l s e i s t h e r e t h e t i m e , t h e i n t e r e s t , o r t h e

p o t e n t i a l g u id a n c e f o r t e a c h i n g c i t i z e n s t h e m eth o d s o f s o l ­ v in g p ro b le m s o f c o n f l i c t i n g s o c i a l , e c o n o m ic , a n d p o l i t i c a l i n t e r e s t s w h ich a r e e s s e n t i a l i n t r a n s l a t i n g A m eric an i n s t i ­ tu tio n s . I t i s t h e p u r p o s e o f t h i s s tu d y t o p r e s e n t t o o th e r N egro e le m e n ta r y s c h o o ls o f t h e T ex as M e tr o p o l i t a n a r e a s a g u id e f o r d e v e lo p in g c i t i z e n s h i p by b u i l d i n g a f e e l i n g o f s e c u r i t y among i t s

s t u d e n t s th r o u g h t h e w h o le s c h o o l p ro g ra m .

T h is g u id e w i l l b e a v a i l a b l e i n t h e c i t y l i b r a r i e s t o a l l s c h o o ls . The f i r s t p ro b le m i s t o t r a i n c h i l d r e n t o p a r t i c i p a t e in s o c ia l change.

Young c h i l d r e n c a n be h e lp e d t o u n d e r s ta n d

g ro u p p r o c e s s e s th r o u g h g ro u p p la n n i n g .

B e g in n in g i n th e

lo w e r g r a d e s , s c h o o l c o u n c i l s t h a t p r o v id e g e n u in e o p p o r tu n ­ i t i e s f o r c h ild r e n to s h a re in d e c is io n s a f f e c t in g sch o o l p o l i c y h o ld a b r i g h t p ro m ise f o r g ro w th to w a rd i n t e l l i g e n t a d u lt c itiz e n s h ip . The n e x t im p o r ta n t jo b o f t h e s c h o o l i s t o m o d ify t h e g e n e r a l a t t i t u d e to w a rd s e d u c a ti o n , f o r to o many A m erican s reg ard ^ t h e s c h o o l a s m e re ly a n e c e s s a r y e v i l , a p l a c e w h e re one m u st m ark tim e u n t i l one i s o ld en o u g h t o e a r n a l i v e l i ­ hood. The l a s t p ro b le m i s t o h e l p c h i l d r e n f e e l p e r s o n a l l y s i g n i f i c a n t ; th e y m u st h a v e r e c o g n i t i o n i n an d o u t o f s c h o o l. II. S e c u rity .

DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED S e c u r i t y was i n t e r p r e t e d a s m ean in g a s s u r ­

a n c e ; a f e e l i n g o f s a f e t y ; f r e e fro m t i m i d i t y ; c o m f o r ta b le ; s o m e th in g d o n e t o s e c u r e good b e h a v i o r . D em ocracy.

D em ocracy i s a n i d e a l to w a rd s w h ic h t h e

N egro s t u d e n t s o f B la c k s h e a r S c h o o l s t r o v e t o a t t a i n .

I t is

a p r i n c i p l e o f l i v i n g an d w o rk in g t o g e t h e r s u c c e s s f u l l y . C itiz e n s .

C i t i z e n s w ere i n t e r p r e t e d by t h e w r i t e r a s

m eaning a member o f a n a t i o n who e n jo y s r i g h t s and p r i v i l e g e s . E d u c a tio n .

E d u c a tio n i s a te rm m ean in g l i v i n g ; i t i s

4 l i f e its e lf* Com m unity.

Community i s a p la c e w h ere p e o p le o f com­

mon i n t e r e s t l i v e ; t h e s e p e o p le h av e common r i g h t s an d p r i v i ­ le g e s . III.

IMPORTANCE OF THE PROBLEM

The b ac k b o n e o f o u r s y ste m o f u n i v e r s a l f r e e p u b l i c e d u c a tio n i s t h e e le m e n ta r y s c h o o l .

I t i s h e r e t h a t th e s t u ­

d en t re c e iv e s h is f i r s t in s t r u c tio n in c itiz e n s h ip .

Much

s t r e s s i s p la c e d u p o n t h e i n d i v i d u a l s p r i v i l e g e s a s a c i t i z e n . I t i s h e r e t h a t e f f o r t s a r e made t o g e t t h e p u p i l s t o t h i n k t o g e t h e r a b o u t common p ro b le m s ; t o d e v e lo p t h e q u a l i t i e s d e ­ s i r e d i n good c i t i z e n s ; t o f o s t e r p a t r i o t i s m an d l o y a l t y .

It

m u st be a d m itte d t h a t t h e e le m e n ta r y s c h o o l h a s b e e n and co n ­ t i n u e s t o b e a g r e a t i n f l u e n c e f o r d e m o c ra c y , b r i n g i n g t o ­ g e th e r a s i t does in d a ily a s s o c ia tio n , th e c h ild r e n o f a l l t h e p e o p le o f t h e g ro u p # Two e le m e n ts i n o u r c r i t e r i o n p o i n t t o d e m o c ra c y .

The

f i r s t s i g n i f i e s n o t o n ly m ore num erous and m ore v a r i e d p o i n t s o f s h a r e d common i n t e r e s t , b u t g r e a t e r r e l i a n c e u p o n t h e r e ­ c o g n i t i o n o f m u tu a l i n t e r e s t s a s a f a c t o r i n s o c i a l c o n t r o l . I t i s t h e t a s k o f e d u c a tio n t o c o n t r i g u t e to w a rd s th e d e v e lo p m e n t o f i n d i v i d u a l s who c a n f u n c t i o n c o n s t r u c t i v e l y i n t h e m odern a g e .

They m u st h av e s o u r c e s o f s e c u r i t y w h ich

w i l l e n a b le them t o w i t h s t a n d t h e i n s e c u r i t i e s o f t h e m odern w o r ld . IV .

METHOD OF PROCEDURE AND SOURCE OF DATA

Much o f t h e i n f o r m a t i o n u s e d w as s e c u r e d fro m t h e w r i t e r ' s e x p e r ie n c e w i t h t h e p ro g ra m a s a n e x p e rim e n t and o b s e rv e d by h e r a t B la c k s h e a r E le m e n ta ry s c h o o l w h ic h h a s a n e n r o llm e n t o f f o u r t e e n h u n d red s e v e n s tu d e n ts #

Some m a t e r i a l

w as s e c u r e d fro m t h e N a t i o n a l E d u c a tio n A s s o c i a t i o n o f t h e U n ite d S t a t e s .

O th e r m a t e r i a l s w e re f u r n i s h e d by t h e Doheny

L ib r a r y a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f S o u th e r n C a l i f o r n i a , t h e Los A n g e le s P u b lic L i b r a r i e s . V.

ORGANIZATION OF REMAINING CHAPTERS

The o r g a n i z a t i o n o f t h e f o llo w in g c h a p t e r s i s a s f o llo w s *

I n c h a p t e r I I t h e r e i s a d i s c u s s i o n on d e v e lo p in g

a f e e l i n g o f r e c o g n i t i o n th r o u g h com m unity e x p e r ie n c e s su c h a s t h e c o u n c i l 's c a m p a ig n , t h e t r a f f i c p a t r o l , t h e b o y s ' c h o i r and Boy S c o u t T ro o p .

C h a p te r I I I d e a l s w i t h p r o c e d u r e s

f o r b u i l d i n g a f e e l i n g o f w o rth by h e l p in g o t h e r s .

I n Chap­

t e r IV t h e a u t h o r shows how a s s u r a n c e c a n b e b u i l t among s t u d e n t s th r o u g h a s tu d y o f N egro l e a d e r s i n v a r i o u s f i e l d s . I n C h a p te r V i s d i s c u s s e d t h e b u i l d i n g o f a f e e l i n g o f a d e ­ qu acy th r o u g h c la s s r o o m e x p e r i e n c e s su c h a s c l a s s p r o j e c t , g ro u p l i v i n g e x p e r i e n c e s , an d i n t e r - c l a s s r o o m v i s i t a t i o n .

C h a p te r VI g iv e s a summary.

CHAPTER I I DEVELOPING A FEELING OF RECOGNITION THROUGH COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES I n B la c k s h e a r E le m e n ta ry S c h o o l, c i t i z e n s h i p e d u c a tio n w as a n im p o r ta n t a s p e c t o f th e t o t a l p ro g ra m r a t h e r th a n a s e p a ra te p a r t o f in s t r u c tio n .

I n many w ay s, t h e f a c u l t y

s o u g h t to d e v e lo p a n u n d e r s ta n d in g and a p p r e c i a t i o n o f democ­ ra c y . I n t h i s d e m o c r a tic e n v iro n m e n t, c h i l d r e n had a n o p p o r­ t u n i t y t o grow to w a rd s o c i a l m a t u r i t y a s th e y eng ag ed i n a v a r i e t y o f e x p e r i e n c e s s u i t e d t o t h e i r i n t e r e s t s and n e e d s w h ile th e y w ere g u id e d i n m e e tin g p ro b le m s w h ic h w ere s i g ­ n i f i c a n t t o th em . The s c h o o l t a u g h t t h e c h i l d r e n a f e e l i n g o f b r o t h e r ­ ho o d , t h e s p i r i t o f human e q u a l i t y , an d t h e lo v e o f a l l man­ k in d .

w h e th e r we l i k e i t o r n o t , th e f u t u r e o f d em o cracy i s

now i n t h e h an d s o f th e hum ble c la s s r o o m t e a c h e r .

She w i l l

t r a i n t h e l e a d e r s o f t h e f u t u r e ; b u t sh e w i l l a l s o t r a i n th e f o l l o w e r s who w i l l c h o o s e t h e i r g u id e s u n s e l f i s h l y and w i s e l y . To do t h i s s u c c e s s f u l l y , th e y w i l l h av e t o t e a c h th e c h i l d r e n t o c o o p e r a te and s h a r e w h ich i s a g u id in g p r i n c i p l e in e d u c a tio n .

Bode s a y s t h a t i n a d e m o c ra c y , i t s members

n eed t o g r a s p t h e im p o r ta n c e o f w o rk in g t o g e t h e r f o r t h e

common g o o d , t o s e e t h e b e a r i n g o f t h e i r a c t s o r t h e w e l f a r e o f t h e g ro u p an d r e a l i z e t h a t r e s p o n s i b i l i t y a lw a y s accom p­ a n i e s p r i v i l e g e o r a d v a n ta g e .* 1C o n s id e r w h at e a c h p e r s o n c a n c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e g ro u p , r e a l i z i n g t h a t h e i s d e p e n d e n t u p o n t h e g ro u p f o r th e s a t i s f a c t i o n o f til s own b a s i c n e e d s an d d e s i r e s .

The s t r u g ­

g l e t o u s h e r i n t h e a g e o f d e m o c r a tic c o o p e r a t i o n d e p e n d s t o a l a r g e e x t e n t upon w h at i s d o n e i n t h e many c la s s r o o m s th r o u g h o u t t h e n a t i o n .

We m u st e n v i s i o n a new s o c i e t y , n o t

a s b e in g p e r f e c t , b u t a s g r a d u a l l y a p p r o a c h in g a s t a t e i n w h ich t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e tw e e n t h e i n d i v i d u a l an d t h e g ro u p becom es m ore h a rm o n io u s . D em ocracy i s n o t and p e r h a p s c a n n e v e r b e p e r f e c t , b u t i t h o ld s t h e g r e a t e s t p ro m is e f o r s e c u r i t y an d h a p p in e s s f o r a l l , an d i s w o rth w h a te v e r f i g h t i s n e c e s s a r y t o a c h ie v e it. P r o g r e s s to w a rd s d em o cracy i s l i k e l e a r n i n g t o swim . One l e a r n s t o swim n o t by t a l k i n g a b o u t i t b u t by p lu n g in g i n t o t h e w a te r ap d g o in g th r o u g h t h e p r o c e s s .

I t w as fo u n d

t h a t t h e c la s s r o o m i s t h e b e s t p l a c e t o p r a c t i c e d e m o c ra c y . The com m unity s e r v e d a s a l a b o r a t o r y f o r t h e c la s s r o o m .

The

-1- Boyd H. B o d e, P r o g r e s s iv e E d u c a tio n a t t h e C r o s s ­ r o a d s (Hew Y o rk : Newsome and Company, 1 9 3 8 ) , p . T(75.

■ u t i l i z a t i o n o f t h e com m unity r e s o u r c e s h a s become t h e w a tc h w ard o f t h e l e a d e r s th r o u g h o u t t h e c i t y . I n t h e f o l l o w i n g , t h e a u t h o r show s how t h i s f e e l i n g o f p e r s o n a l s i g n i f i c a n c e c o u ld be d e v e lo p e d th r o u g h p r a c t i c a l e x p e r ie n c e i n t h e s o l u t i o n o f some im m e d ia te p ro b le m s o f t h e com m unity. I.

THE SCHOOL COUNCIL’S HALLOWE’ EN CAMPAIGN

C h ild r e n e n jo y d o in g , e s p e c i a l l y , when th e y f e e l t h a t o t h e r s n o t i c e and co m p lim e n t them on w h a t th e y do w e l l .

The

g ro u p d e c id e d t o v e n t u r e i n t o t h e s o l u t i o n o f a p ro b le m w h ich c o n c e rn e d e v e ry o n e i n t h e com m unity.

Much dam age had b e e n

done t o p r o p e r t y d u r in g p r e v io u s H a llo w e 'e n c e l e b r a t i o n s . The e n t i r e s c h o o l w as o r g a n iz e d i n t o c o m m itte e s t o w ork o u t p la n s f o r p r e v e n t i n g t h e d e s t r u c t i o n o f p r o p e r t y . The s c h o o l c o u n c i l s e n t r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s t o e a c h s c h o o l i n t h e c i t y t o t e l l a b o u t t h e dam age t h a t h ad b e e n do n e i n fo rm e r y e a r s t o hom es, s t o r e s , a u to m o b ile s , an d p o s s i b l e d i s ­ a s te rs .

T h is was f o llo w e d by r a d i o t a l k s i n w h ic h p e o p le

w ere u rg e d t o c o o p e r a te i n th e e f f o r t t o im p ro v e t h e s i t u a ­ tio n s .

Such c o o p e r a t i v e a c t i v i t i e s f o r im p ro v in g t h e com­

m u n ity o f f e r e d tre m e n d o u s e d u c a t i o n a l o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o t h e e n t i r e g ro u p . I n T a b le I i s

shown th e r e s u l t s o f t h e cam p aig n com­

p i l e d by th e P o l i c e D e p a rtm e n t o f H o u sto n , T e x a s .

10

TABLE I EFFECT OF SCHOOL COUNCIL'S HALLOWE'EN CAMPAIGN

V a n d a lism

B r e a k in g s t r e e t l i g h t s B re a k in g w indow s I n t e r f e r e n c e w i t h an d damage t o b u s s e s T hrow ing e g g s , r o c k s , e t c . Damage t o s i g n s , f e n c e s F i r e h y d r a n ts tu r n e d on M is c e lla n e o u s F a l s e f i r e a la r m s T r a f f i c s ig n s t o r n down T o t a l dam ages

Number b e fo re

.

Number a fte r

19 30

3 20

10 30 20 150 50 125

2 10 5 3 75 15 20 )

434

153

—

11 II.

THE TRAFFIC PATROL

B la c k s h e a r s c h o o l i s l o c a t e d on a v e r y b u sy s t r e e t b e ­ yond w h ic h a r e fo u n d two u n i v e r s i t i e s .

T h e re a r e no t r a f f i c

l i g h t s , no s c h o o l p o l i c e , no f e n c e f o r t h e p r o t e c t i o n o f t h e c h ild re n .

B u s s e s , on t h r e e d i f f e r e n t r o u t e s , e n c i r c l e t h e

cam pus. The f a c u l t y d e c id e d t o fo rm a g ro u p t o b e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e good c o n d u c t a ro u n d t h e s c h o o l an d t o make i t m ore s a f e f o r g o in g t o an d fro m s c h o o l . th e t r a f f i c p a tr o l.

T h is g ro u p w as known a s

They d e c id e d t h a t t h e g ro u p w ould b e

boys fro m t h e f i f t h an d s i x t h g r a d e s who r a n k e d v e r y h ig h i n c e rta in t r a i t s .

Some o f t h e s e t r a i t s w e re : h o n e s ty , p ro m p t­

n e s s , p o l i t e n e s s , n e a t n e s s , s i n c e r i t y , an d d e p e n d a b i l i t y .. T h e re w e re tw e lv e su c h b o y s s e l e c t e d . T h e se b o y s m et e v e ry d a y a t 8 a .m . f o r a m onth w ith a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e fro m t h e p o l i c e d e p a rtm e n t who g a v e them i n ­ s t r u c t i o n s i n h a n d lin g t r a f f i c .

A f t e r tw o w eeks o f t h e o r e t ­

i c a l i n s t r u c t i o n , t h e s e b o y s w e re ta k e n t o t h e s t r e e t s and p r a c t i c e d w h at th e y had b e e n t a u g h t .

The o f f i c e r s an d t e a c h ­

e r s s u p e r v is e d t h e i r a c t i v i t i e s so a s t o be o f r e a l h e l p . A t t h e end o f s i x w e e k s, t h e i s s u e o f u n if o r m s w as d is c u s s e d .

The u n if o r m s w ere p u r c h a s e d by t h e b o y s ’ p a r e n t s .

They w e re g r a y i s h - b l u e g a b e r d in e trim m ed i n w h ite w i t h b la c k s h o e s an d b e l t s .

E v e ry o n e o f t h e boys p u r c h a s e d them f o r

th e y w an ted t h e d i s t i n c t i o n . E ach m o rn in g a t 8 o * c lo c k t h e s e b o y s to o k t h e i r p l a c e s w ith d i g n i t y an d e f f i c i e n c y .

When t h e d i s m i s s a l p e r io d s came

d u r in g t h e d a y , th e y w e re on d u ty a g a i n .

They re m a in e d t h e r e

u n t i l a l l t h e g ro u n d s w ere c l e a r e d o f c h i l d r e n .

As a r e s u l t ,

no one was i n j u r e d d u r in g t h e s c h o o l y e a r , an d t h e boys had r e c e i v e d h ig h e d u c a t i o n a l an d s o c i a l e x p e r ie n c e s u n e x c e ll e d by any o t h e r k in d o f i n s t r u c t i o n . A t t h e c l o s e o f t h e y e a r , t h e f a c u l t y s p o n s o re d a p r o ­ gram i n t h e i r h o n o r.

The p a r e n t s la u d e d them ; t h e c i v i c c lu b

p a id t r i b u t e t o them th r o u g h n e w s p a p e r s , an d t h e m ayor o f t h e c i t y aw ard ed them m e d a ls a s j u n i o r A m erican c i t i z e n s .

The

boys w e re h ig h ly e l a t e d an d a r e l o o k i n g fo rw a rd t o a v e ry f r u i t f u l y e a r b e g in n in g t h i s f a l l . Jam es L . E&rmes, J r . s a y s we know w h a t h ap p e n s when a c h i l d c a n come th ro u g h when t h e s p o t l i g h t i s on him and he c a n s ta n d o u t . b e tte r.

H is w h o le a t t i t u d e to w ard u s an d o t h e r s i s

A good f e e l i n g comes w i t h s u c c e s s , an d n o o n e

t e a c h e r c a n e v e r m is s i t .

" S u c c e s s i s o n e t h i n g t h a t p e o p le

t h r i v e o n ; i t m akes l i v i n g m ore f u n f o r t h e p e r s o n and f r e e s him t o make l i v i n g f u n f o r . o t h e r s . " 2

p

Jam es L . Hymes, " I n t e r p r e t i n g C h i l d r e n ’ s N e e d s," D em ocracy i n E d u c a tio n (W a s h in g to n , D .C .: A s s o c i a t i o n f o r C h ild h o o d E d u c a tio n , May, 1 9 4 9 ) , p . 9 .

13 III.

THE BOYS' CHOIR

The f a c u l t y fo u n d t h a t t h e r e w as much m u s ic a l t a l e n t e x i s t i n g among s t u d e n t s a t t h e s c h o o l.

A s e l e c t e d g ro u p o f

b o y s , h ig h ly t a l e n t e d , w e re s e n t fro m e a c h room o f t h e s c h o o l t o fo rm t h e B o y s' C h o i r . The f i r s t p ro g ra m t h a t th e y p r e p a r e d f o r w as v e ry s im p le an d hum orous.

T h is p ro g ra m was p la n n e d by them t o

g iv e them c o n f id e n c e i n th e m s e lv e s a s a r e s u l t o f i t s They p r a c t i c e d o n ly t h i r t y m in u te s e a c h d a y .

su ccess.

L a te r th e y d e ­

c id e d t o i n v i t e t h e p a r e n t s an d e n t e r t a i n them i n a n e f f e c t i v e w ay. D em anding a l i t t l e tie s ,

d i s t i n c t i o n fro m t h e o t h e r a c t i v i ­

th e y w a n te d c o s tu m e s .

T h e s e , t o o , w ere p a id f o r by th e

p a r e n t s , an d t h e s c h o o l'a s s u m e d t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f h a v in g t h e r o b e s m ad e.

T h e ir c o stu m e s w e re t o p p e r - c o a t - l e n g t h w h ite

r o b e s , d a r k t r o u s e r s , b la c k s h o e s , and bow t i e s . They p r a c t i c e d d i l i g e n t l y an d made p r e p a r a t i o n f o r a r a d i o p ro g ra m w h ic h th e y s p o n s o r e d f o r t h e b e n e f i t o f t h e e n t i r e s c h o o l s y s te m . many o th e r p e o p le .

T h ese so n g s h e lp e d them u n d e r s ta n d

As th e y e n t e r e d i n t o t h e s p i r i t o f t h e

s o n g s , th e y fo u n d t h a t so n g s made a l l t h e w o rld a k i n . When t h e p ro g ra m w as r e n d e r e d , i t was th o u g h t t h a t i t w as t h e b e s t m u s ic a l p ro g ra m e v e r s p o n s o re d by s t u d e n t s i n th e s y s te m .

As a m eans o f e n c o u ra g e m e n t, t h e s u p e r i n t e n d e n t

14 w ro te a l e t t e r c o n g r a t u l a t i n g them .

T he’ s u p e r v i s o r , who

a s s i s t e d i n d i r e c t i n g th em , s t a t e d t h a t t h e g ro u p had d o n e a m a g n if i c e n t jo b an d c o n d u c te d th e m s e lv e s s u p e r b l y . IV .

THE BOY SCOUT TROOP

The s c o u t p ro g ra m made no a t t e m p t t o s u p e r s e d e t h e w ork o f t h e s c h o o l b u t t o su p p le m e n t i t an d c o o p e r a te w i t h i t i n d e v e lo p in g a l l - a r o u n d A m erican y o u th .

The p r i n c i p l e s o f

s c o u tin g p e rm e a te e v e ry p h a s e o f t h e boys* l i v e s , d e v e lo p m e n t i s t h e k e y n o te o f s c o u t i n g .

c h a ra c te r

By p r e c e p t and p r a c ­

t i c e , i t i n s t i l l s i d e a l s o f c o u ra g e and h o n o r , c h e e r f u l n e s s and k i n d n e s s , l o y a l t y an d o b e d ie n c e , c l e a n l i n e s s o f m ind and body, f a i t h f u l n e s s t o d u t y , an d d e v o t io n t o o u r c o u n t r y . Boys a t t h e s c h o o l who had r e a c h e d t h e a g e s o f e le v e n th r o u g h t h i r t e e n w e re g iv e n t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o becom e members i f th e y w ere i n t e r e s t e d .

A p u b l i c an n o u n cem en t o f t h i s op­

p o r t u n i t y was made a s w e l l a s t h e g e n e r a l r e q u ir e m e n ts f o r j o i n i n g su c h a s t h e f e e , u n if o r m s , an d o t h e r e x p e n s e s .

Then

t h e b oy s f i l e d a n a p p l i c a t i o n f o r a d m itta n c e a t t h e p r i n c i ­ p a l 's o f f i c e . An o u t s t a n d i n g c i t i z e n o f th e com m unity v o lu n te e r e d t o s e rv e a s th e s c o u tm a s te r. and was i n t e r e s t e d i n b o y s .

He w as q u i t e y o u n g an d e n e r g e t i c The boys m et e v e ry W ednesday

m o rn in g b e f o r e s c h o o l i n th e gymnasium w ith much e n th u s ia s m . I t was d u r in g t h i s tim e t h a t th e y w e re i n s t r u c t e d i n

15 p r i n c i p l e s o f s c o u t i n g and t h e e d u c a t i o n a l f a c t o r s o f th e p ro g ra m .

T h ese a r e some o f t h e t h i n g s th e y w e re t a u g h t :

1.

How t o t a k e c a r e o f th e m s e lv e s an d fe llo w m e n .

2.

How t o p r e v e n t a c c i d e n t s and w h at t o do i n t h e c a s e one o c c u rre d .

3.

How t o p i t c h a t e n t and how t o make h im s e lf c o m f o r ta b le u n d e r t h e o p en s k y .

4.

How t o f i g h t f i r e s and how t o p r e v e n t th em .

5.

How t o f i n d h i s way by n i g h t w i t h o u t a co m p ass.

M e r it b a d g e s w e re g iv e n t h e f i v e b o y s o f h i g h e s t r a n k i n a c c o m p lis h in g g o a l s i n p e r s o n a l h e a l t h .

The r e q u ir e m e n ts

w e re a s f o l l o w s : 1.

S t a t e a p r i n c i p l e t o g o v e rn i n e a t i n g , an d s t a t e i n t h e o r d e r o f t h e i r im p o r ta n c e f i v e r u l e s t o g o v e rn t h e c a r e o f h i s h e a l t h .

2.

P r e s e n t e v id e n c e t h a t h e was n o t o u t o f s c h o o l o r o f f w ork f o r a p e r io d o f a t l e a s t s i x w eeks a s a r e s u l t o f h is f a i l u r e to o b se rv e th e s e r u l e s .

3.

T e l l t h e d i f f e r e n c e i n t h e e f f e c t o f a c o ld and h o t b a th .

4.

D e s c r ib e t h e e f f e c t o f a l c o h o l and to b a c c o on t h e g ro w in g b o y .

5.

How t o c a r e f o r t h e f e e t on a m arch .

6.

D e s c r ib e a good h e a l t h f u l game and g iv e i t s m e r i t s .

7.

D e s c r ib e t h e e f f e c t s o f w a lk in g a s a n e x e r c i s e .

16 I n o r d e r t h a t th e y m ig h t e a r n a m e r i t b a d g e fo r p u b l i c h e a l t h , t h e r e w e re a few t h i n g s t h a t th e y had t o do su c h a s : 1.

Know an d s t a t e how d i s e a s e s l i k e t u b e r c u l o s i s , ty p h o id , and m a l a r i a w e re t r a n s m i t t e d .

2.

Know and t e l l how t o p la n t h e s a n i t a r y c a r e

o f th e

camp. 3.

T e l l how he m ig h t c o o p e r a te w ith t h e h e a l t h a u t h ­ o r i t i e s i n p r e v e n t in g d i s e a s e s .

F i r s t a i d was a n o t h e r a c t i v i t y i n w h ich th e y to o k a n a c tiv e p a r t.

T h e re w e re many t h i n g s t h a t th e y w e re p la n n in g

t o l e a r n , b u t t h e r e w e re some t h i n g s t h a t a l l had t o know t o be q u a lif ie d .

They w e r e :

1.

How t o a p p ly a t o u r n i q u e t .

2.

w h at t o do i n t h e c a s e o f a s n a k e b i t e .

3.

How t o a p p ly a r t i f i c i a l r e s p i r a t i o n .

The f i v e boys r a n k in g h i g h e s t i n t h e s e a c c o m p lis h m e n ts w ere g iv e n a f r e e t r i p t o t h e J a m b o re e .

T h e re w as a s p e c i a l

t r a i n f o r t h e b o y s an d o f f i c e r s o f tr o o p s l i v i n g i n an d n e a r t h e c i t y o f H o u sto n .

The women a u x i l i a r y o f t h e M e th o d is t

c h u rc h g av e e a c h o f them a sum o f t w e n t y - f i v e d o l l a r s i n o r ­ d e r t o make t h e i r s t a y i n t h e E a s t a m o st p l e a s u r a b l e o n e . Some o f t h e b o y s had n e v e r b e e n o u t o f t h e s t a t e o f T e x a s; o t h e r s n e v e r o u t o f t h e c i t y .of H o u sto n . The b o y s made p r e p a r a t i o n f o r t h e t r i p w i t h t h e i r p a c k s and n o t e t a k i n g s u p p l i e s a s w e l l f o r , a s th e y t r a v e l l e d ,

17 t h e r e w ere t h i n g s o f i n t e r e s t w h ic h th e y w an ted t o k e e p i n th e ir f ile s . T h e re w e re many a c t i v i t i e s w h ic h th e y w i l l n e v e r f o r ­ g e t.

I n c lu d e d among t h e s e w as t h e v i s i t t o t h e W h ite House

w h e re th e y w e n t t o t h e o f f i c e o f t h e P r e s i d e n t a lo n g w ith o t h e r Boy s c o u ts fro m many s e c t i o n s o f t h e c o u n tr y . w elcom ed by h ig h r a n k in g o f f i c i a l s

They w e re

in c l u d i n g t h e P r e s i d e n t .

The l a s t and one o f t h e m o st im p r e s s iv e s p e e c h e s w as made t o t h e "boys by G e n e ra l E is e n h o w e r.

He t o l d them w h at a

w o n d e r fu l t h i n g i t w as t o b e a s c o u t and t h a t t h e tim e had come when t h e w o rld n e e d e d s e r v i c e , a r e a l s e r v i c e .

H is

s p e e c h becam e v e r y im p r e s s iv e an d p e r s o n a l when he s a i d , "You h a v e a r e a l jo b t o d o ." The boys r e t u r n e d home w i t h a g r e a t e r d e t e r m i n a t i o n t o r e a c h t h e sum m it i n l i f e f o r th e y had b e e n made t o f e e l t h a t r e g a r d l e s s how much an y o n e d i d , t h e r e w as s o m e th in g t h a t no one c o u ld do b u t h im , and t h e w o rld n ee d ed t h a t s e r v i c e . Summary.

C h i ld r e n l i k e t o d o , and th e y a r e e n c o u ra g e d

to do m ore w hen t h e i r e f f o r t s a r e n o t i c e d an d a p p r e c i a t i o n shown th e m ,

s t r e s s m u st b e p la c e d upon w o rk in g s u c c e s s f u l l y

w ith o t h e r s and d o in g w e l l w h a te v e r i s a t t e m p t e d . e x p e r i e n c e s h e l p i n m aking a w e ll- r o u n d e d p e r s o n .

Community

CHAPTER I I I DEVELOPING A FEELING OF WORTH BY HELPING OTHERS T h is i s a s t o r y o f t h e way i n w h ic h one e le m e n ta r y s c h o o l c o n t r i b u t e d t o t h e w ar e f f o r t , an d a t t h e sam e tim e , h e lp e d i t s p u p i l s t o a b e t t e r u n d e r s ta n d in g and a p p r e c i a t i o n o f d e m o c r a tic l i v i n g . O r i g in o f t h e p ro g ra m .

I t was d u r in g t h e E u ro p e an

p h a s e o f t h e w ar t h a t t h e l o c a l c h a p te r o f t h e A m erican Red C ro ss beg an t o i n t e n s i f y i t s a c t i v e J u n io r Red C r o s s .

p ro g ram i n c l u d i n g p la n s f o r a n

A p u b l i c s p i r i t e d c i t i z e n a c c e p te d

t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r su c h a d e p a r tm e n t an d t h e w o rk b eg a n . The new c h a irm a n d e c id e d t o s o l i c i t t h e a i d o f p u b l i c s c h o o l p u p i l s i n a c t u a l w ar r e l i e f w o rk .

When t h e p l a n s w ere

p la c e d b e f o r e t h e f a c u l t y , i t w as n e c e s s a r y t o s e c u r e a d m in i s t r a t i o n a l a p p ro v a l.

Then c o n s i d e r a t i o n had t o be g iv e n t o

c e r t a i n p o i n t s su c h a s p o s s i b l e i n t e r f e r e n c e w i t h r e g u l a r c la s s r o o m f u n c t i o n s , p u b l i c o p in io n w ith r e s p e c t t o s u c h a c t ­ i v i t i e s , an d t h e a b i l i t y an d w i l l i n g n e s s o f t h e p u p i l s t o p a rtic ip a te . I n t h i s s c h o o l , t h e r e w e re s e v e n te e n t e a c h e r s an d f i v e h u n d red p u p i l s fro m k i n d e r g a r t e n th ro u g h t h e s i x t h g r a d e . The q u e s t i o n w as f u l l y d i s c u s s e d , and t h e r e w as no a t te m p t t o p e r s u a d e t e a c h e r s who d i d n o t f e e l t h a t t h a t w as th e t h i n g to do.

T e a c h e r s o f a l l g r a d e s fo u n d t h a t p u p i l s c o u ld

19 p a r t i c i p a t e i n one way o r t h e o t h e r .

I t was u n d e r s to o d t h a t

t h e w ork w ould n o t i n t e r f e r e w ith t h e r e g u l a r c la s s w o r k . I t b e g a n r a t h e r s lo w ly , t o t h e i r a d v a n ta g e , f o r i t g av e them a n o p p o r t u n i t y t o p e r f e c t t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n b e tw e e n t h e Red C ro s s an d t h e s c h o o l . The p ro g ram a t w o rk .

A l i s t o f a c t i v i t i e s w as p la c e d

on t h e b u l l e t i n b o a rd s t o w h ic h a l l had a c c e s s .

I t in c lu d e d

k n i t t i n g , s im p le s e w in g , p r e p a r i n g s c r a p b o o k s , n u t c u p s , a s h t r a y s , s o u v e n ir n a p k i n s , and b o x es t o be f i l l e d . The t e a c h e r s o r d e r e d t h e m a t e r i a l s an d when ite m s w e re r e a d y , th e y w e re p la c e d i n t h e o f f i c e o f t h e p r i n c i p a l w h e re th e Red C ro s s m o to r c o r p s p ic k e d them up w e e k ly . d i r e c t i o n s a lw a y s came w i t h e a c h o r d e r ,

C o m p lete

some p u p i l s knew how

t o k n i t t o b e g in w i t h s o th e y b eg an im m e d ia te ly .

O th e r s who

w an ted t o l e a r n , s o u g h t t h e h e lp o f s t u d e n t s , t e a c h e r s , and p a re n ts .

T h e re was a s u r p r i s i n g l y l a r g e num ber who w a n te d t o

be i d e n t i f i e d w ith o th e r c o n tr ib u to r s i n th e c a u s e . Awards w e re g iv e n by t h e Red C ro ss f o r t h e a c c o m p lis h ­ m ent o f t w e n t y - f i v e i te m s .

T h is aw ard w en t t o t h e c h a p t e r .

Then a w a rd s , i n t h e fo rm o f s l e e v e b a n d s , w e re g iv e n t o e a c h p e r s o n c o m p le tin g a n ite m .

The d i r e c t o r p u b lis h e d i n t h e

p a p e r t h e f a c t s a b o u t t h e a w a rd s ; h e n c e , t h e p u b l i c knew w h at th e y r e p r e s e n t e d .

P u p i l s , t h e r e f o r e , w o re t h e emblems w i t h

p r i d e an d t h e i r i n t e r e s t s w e re m o tiv a te d by t h e s p i r i t o f

20 c o o p e r a t i o n an d a d e s i r e t o h e l p . The p r o j e c t w en t o v e r i n su c h a m anner t h a t w i t h i n a s h o r t p e r io d t h e r e had. t o be a g o v e r n in g b o a rd t o lo o k a f t e r t h e d e t a i l s and t o m a i n t a i n m u tu a l u n d e r s t a n d i n g on t h e p a r t o f a l l co n c e rn e d .

T h is b o a rd was c r e a t e d by e l e c t i n g one

p u p i l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e fro m e a c h p a r t i c i p a t i n g g r o u p .

T h is

g ro u p h e ld r e g u l a r m e e tin g s w i t h a t e a c h e r s p o n s o r , d e c id e d a l l p o l i c i e s , an d h a n d le d a l l w e e k ly r o u t i n e s .

W henever

c h a n g e s i n m a t e r i a l s o r p o l i c i e s w ould come th r o u g h fro m t h e l o c a l Red C ro s s c h a p t e r , t h i s g ro u p was a lw a y s r e a d y t o h a n d le t h e s i t u a t i o n w ith e f f i c i e n c y .

They d e e id e d t o k e e p a r e c o r d

o f g ro u p an d s c h o o l a c h ie v e m e n ts so t h a t e v e ry o n e c o u ld s e e w h at was b e in g a c c o m p lis h e d .

They c o n s t r u c t e d a p r o g r e s s

c h a r t , p o s te d i t so t h a t i t c o u ld b e s e e n e a s i l y , an d a p p o i n t ­ ed a s u b -c o m m itte e t o k e e p i t u p - t o - d a t e . T e a c h e rs who w o rk w ith c h i l d r e n y e a r a f t e r y e a r become l e a r n e d i n a v e ry s p e c i a l w ay.

They c a n n o t w o rk w i t h them

w ith o u t g e t t i n g c e r t a i n i d e a s a b o u t t h e good l i f e an d how t o get i t .

On w r i t e r h a s s a i d t h a t r

C h i ld r e n w a n t jo b s t o d o ; th e y w an t t o w o rk ; th e y w an t t o c a r r y r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s ; th e y w an t t h e f e e l i n g o f b e in g n eed ed an d o f h a v in g s o m e th in g t o g i v e . R e a l w o rk , a p p r e ­ c i a t e d w o rk , w i t h o u r know ing t h a t w h ic h th e y c a n do i s go o d , w a n te d , an d r e a l l y w o rth w h ile i s o f im p o r ta n c e t o t h e s t u d e n t s . T h e se a r e t h e f e e l i n g s t h a t l i f t l i f e u p .^ 1 I b id ., p . 11.

21 A t f i r s t , boys w e re a l i t t l e

slow a b o u t p a r t i c i p a t i n g ,

b u t b e f o r e t h e s c h o o l y e a r w as o v e r , t h e r e w e re m ore th a n one h u n d red b o y s w o rk in g w ith t h e p ro g ra m . I n many o f t h e a s s e m b ly p ro g ra m s , a p e r s o n c o u ld s e e s tu d e n ts s i t t i n g q u ie tly , k n i t t i n g . b u t ea c h member d id s o m e th in g .

H ot e v e ry o n e k n i t t e d ,

T h e re w e re some c h i l d r e n i n

t h e se co n d g r a d e who k n i t t e d s q u a r e s , an d th e y w e re sewn t o ­ g e th e r t o make a b l a n k e t . The k i n d e r g a r t e n g ro u p c o u ld n o t k n i t , n o r c o u ld t h e f i r s t g r a d e / so th e y s o l d o ld p a p e r s an d c o n t r i b u t e d a sum t o t h e J u n io r Red C r o s s .

The t h i r d g r a d e g ro u p f i l l e d

b o x es

com posed o f c r a y o n s , p e n c i l s , p a p e r , t o o t h p a s t e o r pow der, t o o t h b r u s h e s , so a p an d w ash c l o t h s .

They sa v e d t h e money

th e y s p e n t f o r ch ad y o r gum i n a c l a s s bank an d b o u g h t t h e s e ite m s .

The r e p o r t o f t h e s u b -c o m m itte e w as ^ m a z in g ; 1.

735 k n i t t e d s q u a r e s

2.

100 k n i t t e d s w e a te r s

3.

35 k n i t t e d b ib s

4.

30 k n i t t e d s u i t s

5.

24 k n i t t e d baby b o n n e ts

6. 7. 8.

100 s c ra p b o o k s 75 b o x e s ( ite m s o f c l e a n l i n e s s , e t c . ) $250 i n c a s h

Summary.

I n t h i s s t o r y , a n e x p e rim e n t i n d e m o c r a tic

l i v i n g i s shown by a g ro u p o f e le m e n ta ry s c h o o l c h i l d r e n . T h e ir c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o a w o rth y c a u s e h e lp e d them be b e t t e r c i t i z e n s i n t h e w o rld o f to m o rro w , f e e l i n g o f w o r th .

i t b u i l t w i t h i n them a

CHAPTER IV BUILDING ASSURANCE THROUGH EXAMPLES OF NEGROES A l l th r o u g h t h e a g e s p e o p le h av e lo o k e d t o s e e w h a t o t h e r s h av e a c c o m p lis h e d a s a n i n c e n t i v e t o them i n t h e i r a t ­ te m p t s .

G eorge W a sh in g to n h a s a lw a y s b e e n h ig h ly a p p r e c i a t e d

by c h i l d r e n an d a d u l t s f o r th e y know a b o u t h i s c o n t r i b u t i o n s to our c o u n try .

Abraham L in c o ln w i l l n e v e r be f o r g o t t e n f o r

t h e w o n d e r fu l t h i n g s he d i d f o r men t o f o l l o w .

B ut few N egro

c h i l d r e n know w h at N e g ro e s h av e a l s o made c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o A m erican c u l t u r e . We f i n d c o n t r i b u t i o n s fro m N eg ro es i n v a r i o u s f i e l d s . S e v e r a l p e o p le h av e made c o n t r i b u t i o n s i n t h e f i e l d o f l i t ­ e r a t u r e , su c h a s P h y l l i s W h e a tle y , C o u n tee C u lle n , P a u l Law­ r e n c e D u n b ar, an d L a n g s to n H u g h es.

Mary M. B e th u n e and

B ooker T* W a sh in g to n a r e n o te d i n t h e f i e l d

o f e d u c a ti o n and

G eorge W a sh in g to n C a rv e r i n s c i e n c e . I t i s n o t t h e p u rp o s e h e r e t o l i s t a l l t h e p e o p le who h av e made c o n t r i b u t i o n s b u t j u s t enough t o show N egro s t u d e n t s t h a t t h e r e a r e p e o p le i n t h e i r r a c e t o b e a p p r e c i a t e d .

I t is

hoped t h a t t h i s k n o w led g e w ould s e r v e a s a n i n c e n t i v e f o r t h e t a s k ah ead * The p ro g ra m .

I n o r d e r t o h av e t h e s t u d e n t s u n d e r s ta n d

and a p p r e c i a t e N egro c o n t r i b u t o r s , t h i s i s w h a t some w id e -

24

aw ake e le m e n ta r y s c h o o l t e a c h e r s d id i n t h e i r s c h o o l . D u rin g H egro H is to r y w eek , t h e f a c u l t y a p p o in te d a c o m m itte e o f s i x t h g r a d e s t u d e n t s t o b e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r c o n ­ d u c t in g t h a t p h a s e o f t h e a s s e m b ly p ro g ra m . The c o m m itte e members s e l e c t e d t h e i r c h a irm a n , a s t u ­ d e n t h ig h ly th o u g h t o f by t h e s t u d e n t b o d y , t o r e p r o d u c e i n t h e fo rm o f a s t o r y , t h e l i f e o f B ooker T. W a sh in g to n a t t h e i r f i r s t p ro g ra m . S tu d e n ts o f t h e f o u r t h , f i f t h , and s i x t h g r a d e s a t ­ te n d e d . t h e a s s e m b ly w i t h p a p e r an d p e n c i l s .

They made n o ­

t a t i o n s o f t h e p a r t t h a t a p p e a le d t o them m o s t, I.

THE STORY

B ooker T . W a sh in g to n w as b o rn i n s l a v e r y a b o u t t h e y e a r 1858 o r 1859 i n a s m a ll l o g c a b i n . h is a n c e s to r s .

He knew n o th in g o f

H is m o th e r w as p l a n t a t i o n co o k who had l i t t l e

tim e t o g i v e a t t e n t i o n t o him d u r in g t h e d a y .

He s l e p t on a

p a l l e t on t h e d i r t f l o o r u n t i l a f t e r t h e E m a n c ip a tio n P r o c l a ­ m a tio n . W h ile a s m a ll c h i l d , he h ad c h o r e s t o do su c h a s c l e a n i n g y a r d s an d t a k i n g c o r n t o th e m i l l a t l e a s t o n ce a w eek.

I f t h e c o r n f e l l o f f t h e h o r s e 's b a c k i n t h e w oods, he

w as f o r c e d t o s t a y t h e r e w i t h i t u n t i l someone c h a n c e d t o come a lo n g t h e l o n e l y r o a d .

T h is w ould so m etim es consum e

q u i t e a b i t o f tim e f o r t h e c o r n was to o h ea v y f o r him t o

25 p u t b ac k on h i s h o r s e .

He w as a f r a i d b e c a u s e he had b e e n t o l d

s t o r i e s a b o u t a n im a ls e a t i n g e a r s o f f c h i l d r e n i n w oods t h a t w ay.

T h ese th o u g h ts ad d e d t o h i s d i s c o m f o r t . T h e re w as no tim e f o r s p o r t s o r any o t h e r fo rm o f r e c ­

re a tio n .

T h e re

w e re no s c h o o ls f o r t h e s e N egro c h i l d r e n t o

a t t e n d , an d t h e

o n ly way h e saw one w as w hen h e c a r r i e d t h e

books o f t h e M a s te r ’ s c h i l d r e n t o s c h o o l f o r them ., As a s m a ll c h i l d , he d i d n o t rem em ber a tim e t h a t he an d h i s f a m ily s a t down t o t h e t a b l e t o g e t h e r and a t e i n a c i v i l i z e d m a n n e r.

He g o t a p i e c e o f b re a d h e r e an d a s c r a p

o f so m e th in g e l s e l a t e r a s tim e w ould p e r m i t . H is c l o t h i n g w as v e r y p o o r .

I t c o n s is te d o f a s h i r t

made fro m r e f u s e d f l a x , w h ic h was v e ry u n c o m f o r ta b le t o w e a r, s h o e s made o f w ood, an d j e a n s . He had a y e a r n i n g f o r a n o p p o r t u n i t y t o go t o s c h o o l . He w orked i n t h e s a l t l i n e a t a n e a r l y a g e w i t h h i s f a t h e r . He n o t i c e d e v e r y t h i n g .

T h e re w e re th e n u m b ers wl " and " 8 ,» on

t h e s a c k h i s f a t h e r h a d , so he r e a d i l y l e a r n e d th e m .

He

w a n te d t o l e a r n t o r e a d , so h i s m o th er b o u g h t W e b s te r ’ s b l u e b a c k s p e l l e r fro m w h ic h h e l e a r n e d t h e a l p h a b e t . him c o u ld r e a d .

No one n e a r

One d ay a man came i n t o M ald en , h i s hom etown,

fro m O hio an d p e o p le

s u rro u n d e d him a t n i g h t s o t h a t he c o u ld

r e a d f o r th e m . Then p e o p le b e g a n t o d i s c u s s t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f a s c h o o l f o r t h e N egro c h i l d r e n .

26 When s c h o o l o p e n e d , B ooker T. w as m ak in g su c h a s a l ­ a r y w o rk in g t h a t h i s s t e p f a t h e r w ould n o t a llo w him t o g iv e up t h e jo b an d go t o s c h o o l,

when h e fo u n d t h a t i t w ould b e

im p o s s ib le f o r him t o go t o s c h o o l d u r in g t h e d a y , h e g o t t h e t e a c h e r t o i n s t r u c t him a t n i g h t .

He becam e v e r y much

e n c o u ra g e d f o r t h e t e a c h e r t o l d , jhini t h a t he w as l e a r n i n g m ore a t n i g h t th a n t h e c h i l d r e n i n t h e d ay c l a s s .

F i n a l l y , when

h i s s t e p f a t h e r saw t h a t he w as s o d e te r m in e d t o l e a r n , he p e r m it te d him t o e n t e r d ay s c h o o l .

He w orked a t t h e f u r n a c e

u n t i l n i n e o 'c l o c k i n t h e m o rn in g , and t h e n r a n t o s c h o o l t o t r y t o a v o id m is s in g h i s c l a s s e s . l a t e , n e v e rth e le s s ,

Mary tim e s he w ould b e

so h e d e c id e d t o move t h e h an d s o f t h e

c l o c k a t w o rk b ack w ard f o r one h a l f h o u r , w h ic h h e d i d u n t i l th e boss d e te c te d i t .

I t was d u r in g t h a t tim e o n ly t h a t he

w as a b l e t o g e t t o s c h o o l on tim e . I n t h o s e d a y s , b o y s w o re s t o r e - b o u g h t c a p s t o s c h o o l, b u t B ooker T . ' s m o th e r w as n o t a b l e t o buy him a c a p .

She

to o k t h e b e s t p a r t o f tw o p a i r s o f o ld j e a n s and made a ca p f o r him .

Many o f t h e b o y s , who had s t o r e - b o u g h t c a p s ,

la u g h e d an d made f u n o f him and h i s hom espun c a p . B ooker T. W a sh in g to n s a i d , My m o t h e r 's m aking o f t h e c a p s h e w as n o t a b l e t o buy t a u g h t me a l e s s o n I n e v e r f o r g o t , s h e had s t r e n g t h o f c h a r a c t e r en o u g h n o t t o b e l e d i n t o t h e t e m p t a t i o n o f seem in g t o b e t h a t w h ic h s h e was n o t , an d i n l a t e r y e a r s I ta u g h t i t to o t h e r s .1 1 B ooker T . W a s h in g to n , Ujd From s l a v e r y , (New Y o rk r D o u b led ay an d Company, 1 9 4 6 ), p . 3 3 .

27 Many o f t h o s e b o y s who made f u n o f him en d ed i n t h e p e n i t e n t i a r y and o t h e r s i n p o v e r t y . When B ooker e n t e r e d s c h o o l, he had o n ly one name an d th e t e a c h e r dem anded a t l e a s t tw o .

He nemed h im s e lf “Wash­

in g to n M n o t know ing t h a t h i s m o th e r had g iv e n him a n o t h e r nam e.

So when he fo u n d i t o u t , he i n s e r t e d i t i n t h e fo rm o f

a m id d le name “T a l i a f e r r o . "

From t h e n o n , he w as known a s

B ooker T a l i a f e r r o W a s h in g to n . How, he w as f o r c e d t o d r o p o u t o f s c h o o l an d t a k e a f u ll- tim e jo b .

I n s p i t e o f t h e d is a p p o in tm e n t, he s t i l l

h e ld on t o t h e id e a o f g e t t i n g a n e d u c a ti o n .

He e n r o l l e d i n

t h e n i g h t s c h o o l a g a i n w h e re he a t t e n d e d a f t e r w o rk h o u r s . A t t h i s p o i n t , w i t h i n h i m s e l f , he e n v ie d t h e w h ite boy b e ­ c a u s e o f t h e w o n d e r fu l o p p o r t u n i t y he e n c o u n te r e d .

L a te r, he

l e a r n e d t h a t s u c c e s s w as t o be m e asu red n o t so much by t h e p o s i t i o n one h e l d i n l i f e b u t by t h e o b s t a c l e s w h ic h one overcam e w h ile t r y i n g t o s u c c e e d .

L o o k in g a t i t fro m t h i s

p o i n t o f v ie w , h e r e a c h e d t h e c o n c lu s io n t h a t v e ry o f t e n t h e N egro b o y 's b i r t h an d c o n n e c tio n w ith a n u n p o p u la r r a c e was a n a d v a n ta g e .

He fo u n d t h a t a boy w ith no " a n c e s t r a l p u l l "

h a s a h a rd an d u n u s u a l s t r u g g l e th r o u g h w h ic h he m u st p a s s , and he g e t s s t r e n g t h , a c o n f id e n c e t h a t o n e w ould m is s w hose pathw ay I s c o m p a r a tiv e ly sm ooth by r e a s o n o f b i r t h o r r a c e . So th e n , he c o n c lu d e d t h a t ,

“I w ould r a t h e r b e a member o f

t h e N egro r a c e th a n c la im m em bership w i t h t h e m o st f a v o r e d

28 r a c e ," L a t e r , w h ile on a j o b , he o v e r h e a r d a c o n v e r s a t i o n o f two men c o n c e r n in g t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f a n i n s t i t u t i o n f o r N egro e d u c a ti o n som ew here i n V i r g i n i a .

He made u p i n h i s

m ind th e n t h a t he w as g o in g t o a t t e n d t h a t s c h o o l* He so o n g av e u p w o rk in g i n t h e m in e s an d s e c u r e d a p o s i t i o n w ith a v e r y s t r i c t m i s t r e s s , Mrs* R u f f n e r *

She d e ­

manded n e a t n e s s an d c l e a n l i n e s s t o th e l e t t e r , an d many p e o p le l e f t h e r jo b c o m p la in in g o f h e r s t r i c t n e s s . in g to n w orked f o r h e r s e v e r a l y e a r s .

B ooker T . W ash­

D u rin g t h i s tim e , sh e

l e t him go t o s c h o o l one h o u r e a c h d a y .

He b e g a n a c o l l e c t ­

io n o f bo o k s w h ic h h e s t o r e d i n a l i b r a r y made o f b o x es by h im s e lf. A f t e r h e had w o rk ed s e v e r a l y e a r s , he th o u g h t i t was tim e f o r him t o s t a r t f o r H am pton.

He r o d e t h e t r a i n a s f a r

a s i t w e n t an d t h e n to o k t h e s t a g e c o a c h e s a s f a r a s h i s money p e r m it te d him .

One n i g h t , when th e y r e a c h e d t h e m ount­

a i n s , t h e o t h e r p a s s e n g e r s e n t e r e d t h e h o t e l f o r fo o d an d lo d g in g .

A f t e r a l l t h e p a s s e n g e r s had gone i n , h e e n t e r e d ,

h o p in g t h e h o t e l k e e p e r w ould p e r m it him t o re m a in i n s i d e a s p r o t e c t i o n fro m t h e c o l d .

He w as t h e o n ly N egro p a s s e n g e r

an d w as d r i v e n o u t i n t o t h e c o l d .

T h e re w as n o t h i n g t o do

b u t w a lk c o n s t a n t l y a l l n i g h t i n o r d e r t h a t he m ig h t k e e p r e a s o n a b ly warm.

He w as so d e te rm in e d t o r e a c h Hampton and

s e c u r e a n e d u c a t i o n t h a t he d id n o t h o ld a n y th in g i n h i s g I b i d ., p . 40.

29 h e a r t a g a in s t th e h o te l k e e p e r. Soon he r e a c h e d t h e tow n o f R ichm ond, V i r g i n i a .

It

w as a l a r g e to w n , a n d h e had n e v e r b e e n i n a tow n o f t h i s s iz e b e fo re .

He knew n o b o d y , w as t i r e d , d i r t y , an d h u n g ry ,

b u t rem em b erin g t h e i n c i d e n t i n t h e m o u n ta in s , h e d i d n o t a t t e m p t t o s e e k lo d g in g o r ev e n f o o d . u n t i l he becam e e x h a u s te d .

He w alk ed t h e s t r e e t s

When h e saw no one w a tc h in g h im ,

he w e n t u n d e r t h e s i d e w a lk a n d , u s i n g h i s h an d b ag a s a p i l ­ lo w , f e l l t o s l e e p . The n e x t m o rn in g , h e f e l t b e t t e r s o h e a s k e d t h e c a p ­ t a i n o f a s h ip f o r a jo b .

T h is he g o t .

He sa v e d h i s money

i n o r d e r t h a t h e m ig h t be a b l e t o go t h e o t h e r e i g h t y m ile s t o Hampton. When he had s a v e d enough m oney, h e th a n k e d t h e c a p t a i n and w en t on h i s w ay. fifty

When he r e a c h e d H am pton, he had o n ly

c e n ts i n h is p o c k e ts .

He was h ig h l y e l a t e d o v e r s e e ­

in g t h e b u i l d i n g s b u t t h e r e w as o n ly f i f t y

c e n ts to e n r o l l

w ith . The h ea d t e a c h e r was n o t f a v o r a b l y im p r e s s e d f o r he w as d i r t y an d t i r e d .

He becam e q u i t e d e p r e s s e d when h e saw

o t h e r p e o p le b e in g a d m itte d b u t n e v e r g av e up hope an d s t i l l hung a r o u n d .

The t e a c h e r f i n a l l y tu r n e d t o him and s a i d ,

nGo sweep t h e r e c i t a t i o n r o o m .”3 ~3

I b i d . , p . 52 .

T h is he d i d th o r o u g h ly by

sw e e p in g t h e room f o u r t i m e s , m oving a l l t h e f u r n i t u r e , and d u s t i n g e v e r y t h in g f o u r tim e s .

When h e h ad f i n i s h e d , he r e ­

p o r te d t o h e r t h a t he was th r o u g h ,

s h e w e n t i n w ith a w h ite

h a n d k e r c h ie f a n d ru b b e d t h e f u r n i t u r e b u t w as u n a b le t o f i n d an y d u s t .

She q u i e t l y tu r n e d t o him an d s a i d , " I g u e s s you

w i l l do t o e n t e r t h i s i n s t i t u t i o n . ”4 He w as t h e h a p p i e s t p e r s o n on e a r t h .

The sw e e p in g

an d d u s t i n g o f t h a t room w as h i s c o l l e g e e n t r a n c e ex a m in a­ tio n .

Then t h e h e a d t e a c h e r o f f e r e d him a jo b a s j a n i t o r ;

he g l a d l y a c c e p te d i t b e c a u s e t h i s g av e him a c h a n c e t o w ork o u t th e c o s t o f h is b o ard . b u t he s tu c k t o i t .

The w o rk w as h a rd an d t a x i n g ,

He had many room s t o t a k e c a r e o f and

had t o w o rk l a t e i n t o t h e n i g h t .

He r o s e a t f o u r i n th e

m o rn in g so a s t o b u i l d f i r e s an d h a v e a l i t t l e

tim e f o r t h e

p re p a ra tio n o f h is le s s o n s . M iss Mary F . M a ck ie , t h e h ead t e a c h e r , p ro v e d t o be one o f h i s s t r o n g e s t an d m o st h e l p f u l f r i e n d s .

Her a d v ic e

and e n c o u ra g e m e n t w ere a lw a y s h e l p f u l an d s t r e n g t h e n i n g t o him i n t h e d a r k e s t h o u r s . W h ile i n H am pton, many tim e s he had o n ly o n e p a i r o f s o c k s w h ic h h e w ash ed an d d r i e d a t n i g h t t o w ear a g a i n t h e n e x t m o rn in g .

H is c l o t h i n g was now a b o u t g o n e .

G e n e ra l

A rm stro n g an d t e a c h e r s s o u g h t b a r r e l s o f s e e o n d hand c l o t h e s

4 I b i d . , p . 53

31 w h ic h h e lp e d him m ore t h a n w o rd s c o u ld e x p r e s s , B ooker T . W a s h in g to n 's w ork a s a j a n i t o r to o k c a r e o f t h e h o a r d , an d G e n e ra l Sam uel C. A rm s tro n g , f o u n d e r o f H am pton, g o t Mr. S . G r i f f i t t s M organ t o t a k e c a r e o f h i s t u i t i o n w h ic h am ounted t o s e v e n ty d o l l a r s a y e a r .

T h is e n c o u ra g e d him v e ry

m uch. When t h e s c h o o l y e a r came t o a n e n d , p e o p le w e re le a v in g f o r v a c a tio n s .

M ost o f them w e n t home.

B ooker T.

w as n o t a b l e t o go home, b u t he had to o much p r i d e t o l e t t h e o th e r s t u d e n t s know i t .

He t r i e d t o s e l l a s e c o n d -h a n d

o v e r c o a t t o g e t a l i t t l e m oney, b u t t h e p u r c h a s e r made a v e ry s m a ll d e p o s i t o f f i v e c e n t s on t h e t h r e e - d o l l a r d e b t . h e s e c u r e d a jo b i n a r e s t a u r a n t w h ere he made l i t t l e

Then m ore

th a n h i s b o a r d , b u t he s a v e d w h at he c o u l d . D u rin g h i s l a s t y e a r a t H am pton, he d e v o te d e v e ry m in u te o f h i s tim e beyond h i s w o rk t o h a rd s t u d y .

He was

d e te r m in e d t o make su c h a r e c o r d t h a t i t w ould c a u s e him t o b e p la c e d on t h e Mh o n o r r o l l "

o f commencement s p e a k e r s .

T h is he d i d . By t h i s tim e he had le a r n e d t h a t t h e r e was no d i s ­ g race to la b o r.

He f e l t t h a t i f a p e r s o n w ould w o rk , he

w ould d e v e lo p a f e e l i n g o f in d e p e n d e n c e an d s e l f - r e l i a n c e . B ooker T. W a sh in g to n th o u g h t t h a t t h e h a p p i e s t p e r s o n s w e re t h o s e who d id m o st t o h e lp o t h e r s b e u s e f u l an d h ap p y . He becam e a t e a c h e r and l a t e r t h e p r e s i d e n t o f

32 T u sk eg e e I n s t i t u t e .

I t was h e who made T u sk e g e e w h at i t i s

m

to d a y , l e a v i n g a b o u t o n e h u n d re d b u i l d i n g s a t t h a t i n s t i t u t e . P r e s i d e n t E l i o t o f H a rv a rd c a l l e d him a g r e a t t e a c h e r , a w is e h e l p e r o f h i s r a c e , a n d a good s e r v a n t o f God an d h i s c o u n t r y . II. D is c u s s io n .

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

A t t h e c l o s e o f t h e a s s e m b ly p e r i o d ,

c h i l d r e n r e t u r n e d t o t h e i r ro o m s.

One g ro u p made com ments

a b o u t t h e p ro g ra m a s f o l l o w s : S tu d e n t A— " I f B o o k er T. W a sh in g to n c o u ld go t h a t h ig h fro m so lo w , why c a n ' t I ? " S tu d e n t B— " I h av e m ore t o b e g in w ith th a n he h a d ; I know I c a n r e a c h fa m e ." S tu d e n t C— "B ooker T. W a sh in g to n i s a r e a l man; I c a n be t h a t , to o ." S tu d e n t D— " I am now e x p e r i e n c i n g some o f t h e same t h i n g s he d i d ; i f he made goo d , I c a n , t o o . May we h a v e m ore su c h d i s c u s s i o n s ? " The s c ra p b o o k . book.

A n o th e r g ro u p d e c id e d t o make a s c r a p ­

They b e g a n t o c o l l e c t p i c t u r e s o f B ooker T . W a sh in g to n ;

h i s home, s c h o o l , an d p a r e n t s .

They w e re u n a b l e t o f i n d p i c t ­

u r e s o f him a t w ork i n t h e d i f f e r e n t p l a c e s b u t w e re d e t e r ­ m ined t o h av e th e m .

They d e c id e d t h a t t h o s e p e r s o n s i n t h e

c l a s s who c o u ld draw w ould do s o .

They c u t t h e p i c t u r e s o u t

33 an d m ounted them i n t h e i r b o o k .

They d e c id e d t o p l a c e t h e

p i c t u r e s i n o r d e r so t h a t one c o u ld e a s i l y f o llo w t h e s t o r y fro m t h e p i c t u r e s .

Then u n d e r e a c h p i c t u r e was w r i t t e n s h o r t

s e n te n c e s a b o u t W a sh in g to n . t h e w ords "A R e a l M an."

On t h e c o v e r o f t h e book w ere

The book w as p la c e d i n t h e l i b r a r y

a s th e ir c o n trib u tio n * D r a m a tiz a tio n *

One member o f t h e S c h o o l C o u n c il s u g ­

g e s te d t h a t th e y d r a m a tiz e t h e p la y f o r t h e b e n e f i t o f t h o s e p e r s o n s who f a i l e d t o g e t th e m ain p o i n t fro m t h e s t o r y and f o r t h e s a k e o f e m p h a s is . b eg an t o r e h e a r s e .

They s e l e c t e d t h e i r c h a r a c t e r s and

T hen th e y p r e s e n t e d i t t o t h e s c h o o l d u r -

in g a n a s s e m b ly p e rio d * > They c o l l e c t e d u n if o rm s so a s t o b e i n k e e p in g w;i t h

th e c l o t h i n g o f h i s d a y .

I t was v e r y i n t e r ­

e s t i n g t o s e e how w e l l th e y i n t e r p r e t e d i n t o a c t i o n th e w o rd s o f th e s to r y .

The boy who w as B ooker T . W a sh in g to n w as t h e '

le a d in g f ig u r e i n th e p la y .

He c a r r i e d h i s c l o t h e s i n a

s m a ll h a n d b a g , r o d e t h e s t a g e c o a c h , s l e p t u n d e r s id e w a lk s , w orked a t d i f f e r e n t t a s k s , an d s e c u r e d a n e d u c a t i o n .

He

s tr e s s e d v ery b e a u tif u lly th e f a c t th a t r e g a r d le s s o f th e d i f f i c u l t y t h e r e w a s, t h e d e t e r m i n a t i o n t o make a w o rth w h ile c i t i z e n o f h im s e lf c o u ld n o t be d o n e u n l e s s he d id w e l l w h a t­ ev er he a tte m p te d . The m o d e l.

Then a g ro u p th o u g h t o f m o d e llin g t h e

s t o r y t o b e p la c e d i n t h e museum o f t h e s c h o o l .

T h e re w as a

34 g r e a t d e a l o f c l a y n e a r t h e s c h o o l w h ic h th e y b r o u g h t and b e g a n t o m o ld .

They made h i s e n t i r e f a m i l y , home, s c h o o l,

an d t h e com m unity w h e re he l i v e d ,

when t h e s e w e re d r y , th e y

w ere p a i n te d so a s t o lo o k a s n a t u r a l a s w as p o s s i b l e , and p la c e d i n t h e s c h o o l museum.

On t h e w a l l , a b o v e t h e f i g u r e s ,

w e re t h e th em es w r i t t e n a s a r e s u l t o f t h e a c t i v i t y . p e o p le who came t o t h e s c h o o l commented a b o u t t h e p ro je c t.

The s u p e r v i s o r th o u g h t i t was a v e r y c l e v e r i d e a . III.

THE BOOK CLUB

The b o y s and g i r l s w e re now r e a d y f o r a Book C lu b . They m et an d d e c id e d t h a t t h e i r m a jo r o b j e c t i v e s w o u ld b e , f i r s t , to o b ta in books f o r th e sc h o o l l i b r a r y s in c e th e r e w as a l i m i t e d num ber a n d , s e c o n d , t o f i n d w ays o f m aking r e a d i n g so v i t a l t h a t n o one c o u ld r e s i s t a b o o k . The c lu b m et w e e k ly and The i n t e r e s t w as so g r e a t t h a t s c h o o l becam e m em bers.

th e m em b ersh ip w as v o l u n t a r y . m o st o f t h e c h i l d r e n i n t h e

T h e ir p ro g ra m s w e re v a r i e d fro m book

r e v ie w s t o i n t e r e s t i n g games and q u iz z e s o f t h e i r own o r i g i n . A g r e a t d e a l o f t h e e m p h a sis w as p la c e d on b eco m in g a c q u a in ­ t e d w ith N egro l e a d e r s . The members s a v e d p e n n ie s f o r t h e l i b r a r y f u n d , s o ld candy, bo o k s,

an d g r e e t i n g c a r d s , an d

u sed th e p ro c e e d s to p u rc h a se

some b o o k s w e re b o rro w ed fro m t h e c i t y l i b r a r y e a c h

m onth f o r r e a d i n g p u r p o s e s .

A c i r c u l a t i n g l i b r a r y w as

35 o r g a n iz e d so t h a t th e y c o u ld e x c h a n g e b o o k s w i t h c h i l d r e n a t o th e r s c h o o l s . A q u iz p ro g ra m w as s p o n s o re d by t h e g ro u p , and t h e w in n in g g ro u p w as g iv e n a s e t o f e n c y c lo p e d ia a s a means o f ■■ e n c o u ra g in g them t o c o n tin u e t h e i r good w o rk .

One o f th e

n ew sp a p er r e p o r t e r s g av e t h e g ro u p a w r i t e - u p i n h i s p a p e r , and L a n g s to n Hughes r e a d i t . C lu b .

He d e c id e d t o v i s i t t h e Book

He w as h ig h ly p le a s e d w i t h t h e a c c o m p lis h m e n ts , and

p o in te d a way f o r a b r i g h t f u t u r e . t h e g ro u p n e v e r f o r g o t .

T h is e x p e r i e n c e i s one

He s t a t e d t h a t t h e s e books w e re

t h e r e t o s e r v e f o r g e n e r a t i o n s t o com e. Summary.

I t w as shown t h a t c h i l d r e n n e e d e d a p a t t e r n

w ith whom th e y c o u ld i d e n t i f y th e m s e lv e s .

I t was th r o u g h t h e

i n f l u e n c e o f w o rth w h ile l i v e s t h a t t h e s e c h i l d r e n w e re e n ­ c o u ra g e d t o do many d i f f e r e n t t h i n g s t h a t w i l l te n d t o make fo r b e tte r c itiz e n s h ip .

CHAPTER V BUILDING A FEELING OF ADEQUACY THROUGH CLASSROOM TEACHER ACTIVITIES T e a c h e rs h e a r o r r e a d d i s c u s s i o n s on w h e th e r t h e s c h o o ls c a n o r s h o u ld c h a n g e s o c i e t y .

To t h i s t h e r e c a n b e

b u t one a n s w e r: u n l e s s t h e s c h o o ls do a s s i s t i n im p ro v in g s o ­ c i e t y i n s p i t e o f i n e r t i a , h o n e s t d i f f e r e n c e s o f o p in io n r e ­ g a r d in g t h e f u n c t i o n o f t h e s c h o o l s , and t h e e f f o r t s o f t h o s e who p r o f i t by b lo c k in g s o c i a l p r o g r e s s , d em o cracy i s doomed to f a ilu r e . Group l i v i n g .

The p ro b le m s o f g ro u p l i v i n g w h ic h

c h i l d r e n f a c e d i n s c h o o l w e re t h e d a i l y im m e d ia te o n e s an d l a r g e r g ro u p p ro b le m s m ore o r l e s s . s o c ia liz in g e x p e rie n c e s . 1.

E ach p r o v id e d w o rth w h ile

Among them w e re :

M aking an d k e e p in g t h e c la s s r o o m s and b u i l d i n g s

c l e a n , c o m f o r ta b l e , an d a t t r a c t i v e . 2.

T a k in g c a r e o f e q u ip m e n t, e t c .

3.

C o n s e rv in g m a t e r i a l s su c h a s p a i n t s , p a p e r , to w e ls

an d s o a p . The c la s s r o o m r e s p o n s i b i l i t y .

M ost o f t h e p ro b le m s o f

s o c i e t y make t h e i r a p p e a r a n c e a t one tim e o r a n o th e r i n t h e c la s s r o o m o f t h e e le m e n ta r y s c h o o l .

C la ssro o m l i v i n g an d

o r g a n i z a t i o n m u st c o n t r i b u t e i n c r e a s i n g l y m ore t o t h e

37 g u id a n c e o f c h i l d r e n i n s o c i a l t h i n k i n g .

I t m u st t e a c h them

how t o w ork t o g e t h e r m ore e f f e c t i v e l y a s c i t i z e n s .

No i n d i ­

v i d u a l c a n s e r v e e i t h e r h im s e lf o r o t h e r s w i t h o u t k n o w le d g e , i n f o r m a t i o n , and s k i l l s . s h ip .

They a r e e s s e n t i a l t o o l s o f c i t i z e n ­

P a s t c o n t r o v e r s i e s c o n c e r n in g t h e i r v a lu e h av e b e e n

c o n s id e r e d m ore o r l e s s a s e n d s i n th e m s e lv e s q u i t e a p a r t fro m t h e i r f u n c t i o n s i n l i v i n g . In t h e c la s s r o o m s o f t h e e le m e n ta r y s c h o o l, t h e f i g h t f o r d em o cracy m u st b e w on.

U nder t h e d e m o c r a tic l e a d e r s h i p

o f t h e t e a c h e r s , t h e c h i l d r e n a r e g u id e d to w a rd r e c o g n i z i n g an d m e e tin g , i n a n e f f e c t i v e w ay, t h e i r p e r s o n a l an d s o c i a l p ro b le m s o f l i v i n g .

T h is i n v o l v e s th e p r o c e s s o f d e v e lo p in g

a f e e l i n g o f b e lo n g in g t o th e g r o u p . E v e r y th in g t h a t p u p i l s en g ag ed i n p r o v id e d a n o c c a s i o n f o r i n s t r u c t i o n and e x e r c i s e i n c r i t i c a l t h i n k i n g . r e a l e d u c a tio n a l v a lu e .

T h is had

F o rw ard l o o k i n g p ro g ra m s i n t h e

c la s s r o o m s o f t h e e le m e n ta r y s c h o o ls h a v e s o u g h t a b r i d g e f o r t h e gap b e tw e e n t h e s c h o o l an d s o c i e t y an d b e tw e e n l e a r n i n g an d d o in g . Ifayme S w eet s a y s t h a t t h e r e a r e e x p e r i e n c e s f o r c h i l ­ d r e n who a r e sh y and r e t i r i n g t o d is c o v e r new f r i e n d s .

She

g iv e s t h e f o llo w in g exam ple:: B en jam in was o b s e rv e d f i t t i n g a p u z z le t o g e t h e r . L a te r he had f i n i s h e d t h e p u z z l e , th e n w an d e re d t o t h e san d t a b l e . He to o k a lum p o f c l a y an d b e g a n t o m an ip u ­ la te i t . A n o th e r s t u d e n t jo i n e d him an d h e lp e d by m aking

38 a b a s k e t o f c l a y , th e n f i l l e d

i t w ith eg g s.

The n e x t day B e n jam in jo in e d i n t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n g ro u p . He becam e o c c u p ie d i n p u t t i n g w indow s i n t h e w a l l o f b lo c k s . He rem oved a b lo c k an d a t te m p te d t o p l a c e i t o v e r t h e g a p . F in d in g t h e s p a c e to o w id e , h e p u sh e d t h e s i d e s t o g e t h e r so t h e b lo c k w ould b r i d g e t h e g a p . He made tw o m ore w indow s by i n s e r t i n g a s m a l l e r b lo c k i n t h e s p a c e l e f t v a c a n t by t h e b lo c k h e had rem o v ed . He p la c e d a s m a ll b lo c k o v e r e a c h v a c a n t s p a c e . L a te r i n t h e m o rn in g , B e n jam in a p p r o a c h e s t h e v i s i t o r , a l i t t l y s h y ly a t f i r s t . “What a r e y o u w r i t i n g ? ” he a s k e d . "W hat i s y o u r nam e?" I n a few m in u t e s , C h a r l e s , a n a p p a r e n t l y sh y c h i l d who i s h a v in g d i f f i c u l t y w ith t h e l o o s e bow i n h i s g l a s s e s , a p p r o a c h e s t h e v i s i t o r w ith n a t u r a l a s s u r a n c e , "Have you a p i n t o f i x my g l a s s e s ? ” The v i s i t o r e x p la in e d t h a t s h e w as s o r r y b u t s h e d id n o t h av e o n e . C h a r le s c o n tin u e d t h e c o n v e r s a t i o n , ” 1 was i n t h e f i r s t g r a d e . I am s e v e n now. T h a t* s my t e a c h e r . ”! I n a n e n v iro n m e n t w h e re c h i l d r e n f e e l f r e e t o e x p l o r e an d i n v e s t i g a t e , th e y g a i n c o n f id e n c e a n d s e l f - d i r e c t i o n .

If

th e y h av e l e a r n e d t o d ep e n d u p o n t h e t e a c h e r f o r d i r e c t i o n , e x p l a n a t i o n , an d e v a l u a t i o n , th e y seld o m t h i n k o f d o in g t h i n g s on t h e i r own i n i t i a t i v e , much l e s s g r e e t i n g a s t r a n g e r an d a s k in g him q u e s t i o n s . C itiz e n s h ip c lu b s .

The c i t i z e n s h i p c l u b m et i n e a c h

room o f t h e d i f f e r e n t t e a c h e r s o f t h e s c h o o l o n c e a w eek.

It

w as d u r in g t h i s p e r i o d t h a t c h i l d r e n l e a r n e d some o f t h e b a s ic p r in c ip le s o f c i tiz e n s h ip .

E ach p e r s o n had t h e o p p o r­

t u n i t y t o e x p r e s s h i s v ie w p o in t o n t h e d i f f e r e n t s u b j e c t s , Mayme S w e e t, C h ild h o o d E d u c a tio n (W a s h in g to n , D .C . A s s o c i a t i o n f o r C h ild h o o d E d u c a tio n , O c to b e r 1 9 4 8 ) , p . 6 9 .

39 and s e r v e d on v a r io u s c o m m itte e s and made r e p o r t s .

They

e l e c t e d t h e i r o f f i c e r s an d made t h e i r own r u l e s and r e g u l a ­ t i o n s by w h ic h th e y w e re g o v e rn e d , t h e r e b y , h a v in g a n e x p e r i ­ e n c e t h a t th e y w ould n o t g e t u n t i l th e y r e a c h e d m a t u r i t y . The c l a s s p r o j e c t .

I t i s t h e b ro a d -m in d e d c la s s ro o m

t e a c h e r who e n c o u ra g e s a l l c h i l d r e n t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n th o s e a c t i v i t i e s m o st i n t e r e s t i n g t o them . th in g s .

C h i ld r e n l i k e t o do

The w r i t e r v i s i t e d a f i r s t g r a d e room and t h e r e s h e

fo u n d a g ro u p o f c h i l d r e n m aking a s m a ll com m unity f o r t h e i r s a n d ta b le .

The c l a s s w as d iv id e d i n t o w o rk in g g ro u p s and

a s s ig n e d d i f f e r e n t t a s k s .

One l i t t l e

g ro u p was l a y i n g o f f

th e s t r e e t s o f t h e com m unity; a n o th e r p u t i n t h e r e c r e a t i o n c e n t e r s ; a n o th e r g ro u p was p l a c i n g i n d u s t r i a l c e n t e r s ; and s t i l l a n o th e r l o c a t i n g hom es, s c h o o ls , and c h u rc h e s a s th e y knew them i n t h e i r com m unity.

When t h e p r o j e c t was c o m p le te d ,

e v e ry o n e h ad had a p a r t i n i t s c o n s t r u c t i o n . I t w as th r o u g h t h i s te c h n iq u e t h a t c h i l d r e n w ere e x ­ p e r i e n c i n g t h e id e a o f w o rk in g t o g e t h e r f o r a common en d . «

T h e re was w holesom e c l a s s p a r t i c i p a t i o n an d c o o p e r a t i o n . They l e a r n e d t o g iv e and t a k e and w e re a b l e t o ex ch an g e

sug­

g e s t i o n s f o r t h e good o f t h e w h o le u n i t . One w r i t e r h as s a i d t h a t a t t i t u d e s a r e n o t t a u g h t .

They

m u st be d e v e lo p e d th r o u g h e f f e c t i v e l y s a t i s f y i n g e x p e r i e n c e s .^ 2

L o u is P . T h o rp e , C h ild P sy c h o lo g y and D e v e lo p m e n t, (New Y ork: R o n a ld P r e s s Company, 1 9 4 6 ) , p . 6 0 9 .

40 C r i t i c a l th in k in g *

I t i s th e s in c e r e b e l i e f o f th e

w rite r* t h a t c h i l d r e n m u st b e t a u g h t t o t h i n k i n o r d e r t o s o l v e t h e i r own p ro b le m s .

The p r e s e n t c h a o t i c s c e n e e m p h a siz e s t h e

im p o r ta n c e o f t r a i n i n g c h i l d r e n i n m e e tin g p ro b le m s .

I f , as

a d u l t s , t h e y a r e t o s u c c e s s f u l l y s o lv e d i f f i c u l t s o c i a l a n d econom ic p ro b le m s , i t i s r e a s o n a b l e t o assu m e t h a t th e y w i l l b e a r m ore e f f e c t i v e l y t h e i r d i f f i c u l t i e s i f th e y h a v e had e x ­ p e r i e n c e s a s c h i l d r e n i n f a c i n g an d s o l v i n g t h e i r own p r o b ­ le m s . W ith o u t k n o w led g e an d in f o r m a t i o n , t h e n a t u r e o f Dem­ o c r a c y i t s e l f c o u ld n e i t h e r be u n d e r s to o d n o r a p p r e c i a t e d . The a b i l i t y t o t h i n k d e p e n d s n o t u p o n i g n o r i n g f a c t s b u t u p o n p o s s e s s i n g an d u s in g th e m ,

w ith o u t f a c t s an d a b i l i t y t o f a c e

th e m , c o n f l i c t s b etw e en i n d i v i d u a l s c a n n o t a d e q u a t e l y be s o lv e d and d e s i r a b l e s o c i a l c o n d u c t l e a r n e d .

Even d e s i r a b l e

s o c i a l c o n d u c t do n o t f u n c t i o n lo n g i f th e y r e s t u p o n s e n t i ­ m e n t a l i t y o f e m o tio n a l a p p e a l s ; th e y m u st b e b a s e d o n a n i n ­ t e l l i g e n t f o u n d a tio n o f k n o w le d g e . C la r e n c e H. E l l i o t t s a y s , "We n e v e r r e a l l y t h i n k r e ­ f l e c t i v e l y u n t i l we r e a c h a f o r k i n th e r o a d and h av e t o d e ­ c i d e w h ic h i s t h e b e s t c o u r s e t o t a k e . 1,3

3

C la r e n c e H. E l l i o t t , The E le m e n ta ry S c h o o l. The F r o n t l i n e o f D em o cracy , (W a s h in g to n , D .C *: T w en ty -S eco n d y e a r b o o k ," V o l. X X II, No. 6 , J u l y , 1 9 4 3 ) , p . 3 7 .

In te r-c la s s ro o m v i s i t a t i o n .

The t e a c h e r m o tiv a te d t h e

c l a s s i n w r i t i n g a n i n v i t a t i o n t o s t u d e n t s i n o t h e r s c h o o ls t o v i s i t t h e i r c la s s r o o m a n d , a t a l a t e r d a t e , p ay a r e t u r n v i s ­ i t to t h e i r s c h o o l.

The e n t i r e c l a s s was d i v i d e d i n t o com­

m i t t e e s , e a c h o f w h ich w as t o s h a r e c e r t a i n r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s . One g ro u p w as t o b e r e a d y t o s e r v e a s t h e r e c e i v i n g c l e r k , a n o th e r had c h a r g e o f g e t t i n g t h e room i n o r d e r , a n o th e r made b o o k le ts i n w h ic h sa m p le s o f t h e i r w ork w as p l a c e d , and s t i l l a n o th e r made p l a n s f o r window d e c o r a t i o n s f o r t h e m o n th . The t e a c h e r u s e d t a c t i n e n c o u ra g in g t h e m o st tim id c h i l d t o do s o m e th in g i n t h e way o f u s h e r i n g an d e x p l a i n i n g w h at t h e w ork on d i s p l a y w a s.

T h is had a te n d e n c y t o b u i l d

i n him m ore c o n f id e n c e i n h i s own a b i l i t y f o r h a v in g s e rv e d s u c c e s s f u l l y i n t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e g ro u p . C h i ld r e n e n jo y sh o w in g t h e i r w o rk , an d th e y l i k e t o make c o m p a ris o n s w ith members o f t h e i r own c l a s s a s w e l l a s members o f t h e same c l a s s a t o th e r s c h o o l s .

The t e a c h e r had

m anaged to s e c u r e some o f t h e b e s t w ork o f e a c h p e r s o n f o r d is p la y .

Even i f i t w e re n o t e x c e l l e n t , t h e r e w e re some good

q u a litie s in each.

She p o in te d them o u t an d u s e d t h o s e a s

p o i n t s u p o n w h ich t o d e v e lo p i n t e r e s t an d a t t e n t i o n .

The

p u p i l , i n t u r n , w as m o tiv a te d t o im p ro v e so a s t o b e o f m ore s e r v i c e t o h u m a n ity . T h o rp e s a y s t h e f o l l o w i n g : Many c h i l d r e n a r e o b s e s s e d w ith t h e b e l i e f t h a t th e y

42 a r e i n c a p a b l e o f a c c o m p lis h in g o r d in a r y t a s k s i n a s a t i s ­ f y i n g w ay . su c h f e e l i n g s a r e b a se d on a d e e p - s e a t e d s e n s e o f in a d e q u a c y o r f e a r . The v ic tim o f t h i s com plex a v o id s r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s b e c a u s e he b e l i e v e s he i s i n c a p a b l e o f m e e tin g th em . T h is i s o f t e n a c o n d i t i o n o f a t t i t u d e s r a t h e r th a n a f a c t . P e e l i n g s o f i n f e r i o r i t y an d in a d e q u a c y may p e rm e a te t h e c h i l d 's p e r s o n a lity to th e e x te n t o f a f f e c t in g h is b e ­ h a v io r i n a w id e v a r i e t y o f a c t i v i t i e s . ^ V is u a l a i d s .

V is u a l a i d s w e re i n v a l u a b l e i n m aking

c h i l d r e n w o rld c o n s c io u s and c a u s in g them t o r e a l i z e t h a t t h e w o rld i s b eco m in g one b i g n e ig h b o rh o o d . T h e re w e re many k in d s o f v i s u a l a i d s u s e d i n c l u d i n g m aps, p a m p h le ts , r e c o r d i n g s , s l i d e s and m o tio n p i c t u r e f i l m s . D u rin g B ro th e rh o o d w eek , a f i l m w as shown a t t h e e l e ­ m e n ta ry s c h o o l e n t i t l e d ,

"We A re A l l B r o t h e r s . "

shown t o t h e e n t i r e s t u d e n t b o d y .

T h is w as

The f i l m e x p la in e d w h at

was m ean t by r a c e a n d show ed t h a t la n g u a g e , c u s to m s , an d i n ­ t e l l i g e n c e w e re n o t d e te r m in e d by r a c e ,

i t p o r tr a y e d t h e

common o r i g i n o f a l l p e o p le an d show ed t h a t a l l p e o p le b e lo n g t o one f a m i l y .

I t show ed t h a t t h e r a c i a l d i f f e r e n c e s a r e i n

n o n e s s e n t i a l s s u c h a s h a i r t e x t u r e o r t h e am ount o f body h a i r , t h e s h a p e o f t h e h ead o r n o s e , o r t h e c o l o r o f t h e e y e s and s k in .

I t e x p la in e d t h a t a l l r a c e s o f men h av e t h e same f o u r

ty p e s o f b lo o d an d t h a t t h e c o l o r o f t h e s k i n i s d e te r m in e d by t h e am ount o f c a r o t i n e an d m e la n in fo u n d i n t h e s k i n . 4

I b i d . , p p . 7 3 5 -3 6 .

It

43 b r o u g h t o u t t h e e x i s t e n c e o f r a c i a l m ix tu r e and e x p lo d e d t h e 5 f i d e a o f r a c e s u p e r i o r i t y an d i n f e r i o r i t y , ' Summary.

Good c la s s r o o m t e a c h e r s h av e l e a r n e d t o s p o t

a n enemy o f good l i v i n g , i n s e c u r i t y .

W henever t h e r e was a

d o u b t f u l f e e l i n g on t h e p a r t o f a c h i l d , o n e c o u ld n o t c o u n t on him .

In o r d e r t o overcom e t h e s e h a n d ic a p s , t h e b r o a d ­

m inded t e a c h e r s p la n n e d a c t i v i t i e s w i t h i n t h e c la s s r o o m w h ic h b u i l t up t h e i r m o r a le , m ak in g them f e e l t h a t th e y w ere w o rth y human b e i n g s . The a u th o r show ed t h a t a t t i t u d e s a r e r e v i s e d w i t h k n o w led g e an d e x p e r i e n c e .

P ro p e r h a b i t s , s k i l l s , and s o c i a l

r e l a t i o n s h i p a r e d e v e lo p e d th r o u g h a b ro a d -m in d e d , w id e-aw a k e t e a c h e r o f t h e e le m e n ta r y s c h o o l.

5

R o se Z e l i g s , The J o u r n a l o f N egro E d u c a tio n , V o l. XIX (W a s h in g to n , D .C .:: Howard U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , W in te r 1 9 5 0 ) , p . 94.

CHAPTER VI SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS S in c e m o st o f t h e p ro b le m s o f s o c i e t y make t h e i r a p ­ p e a r a n c e a t some tim e o r a n o t h e r i n t h e c la s s r o o m o f t h e e l e ­ m e n ta ry s c h o o l , c la s s r o o m l i v i n g and o r g a n i z a t i o n m u st c o n ­ t r i b u t e m ore t o t h e g u id a n c e o f c h i l d r e n i n s o c i a l t h i n k i n g . No one c a n s e r v e e i t h e r h i m s e l f o r o t h e r s w i t h o u t k n o w le d g e , i n f o r m a t i o n , an d s k i l l s .

He m u st f e e l w i t h i n h im s e lf t h a t

h e c a n make a c o n t r i b u t i o n o f v a l u e .

The c la s s r o o m t e a c h e r

knew t h i s an d s p o n s o re d , a c t i v i t i e s so a s t o d e v e lo p t h e s e i n c h ild re n .

T e a c h e rs knew t h a t th e y w ould b e u n a b le t o g e t t h e

b e s t o u t o f c h i l d r e n u n l e s s th e y h av e a f e e l i n g o f b e lo n g in g ­ ness. I t w as t h e p u rp o s e o f t h i s p r o j e c t t o s u g g e s t p r o v i s ­ i o n s t o h e lp e a c h c h i l d become t h e b e s t p o s s i b l e p e r s o n w i t h ­ i n h i s power t o becom e, c a p a b le o f w o rk in g s u c c e s s f u l l y w ith o t h e r s and d o in g w e l l w h a te v e r t a s k s a s s ig n e d him . C h i ld r e n w e re p e r m i t t e d t o a s s i s t i n p la n n in g t h e v a r i o u s a c t i v i t i e s o f w h ic h th e y becam e a p a r t . s e rv e d a s g u id e s .

The t e a c h e r s

They w e re made t o f e e l p e r s o n a l l y r e s p o n ­

s i b l e f o r t h e p r o p e r f u n c t i o n o f t h e s e a c t i v i t i e s w h ic h th e y e n jo y e d and p r o f i t e d b y . The e n t i r e s c h o o l c e n t e r e d i t s a t t e n t i o n on t h e c h i l d . E xam ples w e re g iv e n sh o w in g how c h i l d r e n p a r t i c i p a t e d i n

45 v a r i o u s a c t i v i t i e s o f t h e s c h o o l a n d , t h e r e b y , becam e a b e t t e r p e r s o n f o r h a v in g d o n e s o . C h ild r e n l i k e t o w ork when th e y a r e made t o f e e l t h a t t h e i r e f f o r t s h av e b e e n a p p r e c i a t e d .

They f e l t p e r s o n a l l y

s i g n i f i c a n t when th e y d i d s o m e th in g w o rth w h ile an d i t w as h ig h ly a p p r e c i a t e d by o t h e r s .

I t d e v e lo p e d a f e e l i n g o f r e a l

v a lu e . Many N egro c h i l d r e n h a v e become d is c o u r a g e d , b u t w hen th e y l e a r n e d t h a t o t h e r N e g ro e s had r e a c h e d fa m e , i t gave them t h e d e t e r m i n a t i o n t o do s o , t o o . I f c h i l d r e n a r e t o become c i t i z e n s o f to m o rro w , th e y m u st h av e w i t h i n them a f e e l i n g o f s e c u r i t y and 't h e w r i t e r f e e l s t h a t i f o t h e r s c h o o ls f o llo w t h e p la n s g iv e n , t h e y , t o o , w i l l h av e w e ll- r o u n d e d c i t i z e n s among t h e i r s t u d e n t b o d y .

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BIBLIOGRAPHY A.

BOOKS

D obbs, Alma A ., T e a c h in g W holesome L i v i n g . New York:: A. S . B a rn e s an d Company, 1 9 3 9 . 292 p p . D u b o is , R a c h e l B a v is , B u ild T o g e th e r A m e ric a n s . New Y ork:: H in d s , Bayden and E ld r e d g e , I n c . , 1 9 4 5 . £70 p p . D uncan, E th e l M ., D e m o c ra c y 's C h i l d r e n . New York:: Hayden an d E ld r e d g e , I n c . , ' 1 9 4 5 . '189 p p .

H in d s ,

K i l p a t r i c k , W illia m H e a rd , I n t e r c u l t u r a l A t t i t u d e s I n The M aking. New Y ork:: H a rp e r a n d B r o t h e r s P u b l i s h e r s , 1947 246 p p . McGaughy, J . R . , E v a lu a tio n o f E le m e n ta ry s c h o o l . Bobbs an d M e r r i l l Company, 1 9 3 7 . 3 l 0 p p .

New Y o rk r

McKnown, B a rry C ., A c t i v i t i e s i n t h e E le m e n ta ry S c h o o l. New Y o rk : M cG raw -H ill Book Company, I n c . , 1 9 3 8 . 437 pp M y e rs, A lo n zo F . , E d u c a tio n i n a D em o cracy . R r e n tic e - H a ll,™ B ic 7 7 T £ 4 F 7 ~ 3 £ T p p T '

New Y o rk :

T h o rp e , L o u is P .,, C h ild P sy c h o lo g y an d D e v e lo p m e n t. Y ork: R o n a ld P r e s s Company, 1 9 4 6 . 764 p p .

New

W a sh in g to n , B o o k er T . , Dp From s l a v e r y . G ard en C i t y , New Y o rk : D o u b led ay aria Company, I n c . , 1 9 4 6 . 319 p p . W r ig h ts to n e , J . W ayne, s o c i a l s t u d i e s and t h e A m erican Way o f L i f e , s a n F r a n c i s c o : Row, P e t e r s o n an d Company. T94E7 2 88 pp.. B.

PERIODICAL ARTICLES

C h ild h o o d E d u c a tio n , " C h ild r e n Need E x p e r ie n c e s ," J o u r n a l o f t h e A s s o c i a t i o n o f C h ild h o o d E d u c a tio n . W a sh in g to n , D .C . A s s o c i a t i o n I'o r 'STTildhood E d u c a tio n . O c to b e r, 1 9 4 8 . F e b r u a r y , 1 9 4 9 . May, 1 9 4 9 . 288 pp..

47 S hove, H a ro ld G ., " S e n s e o f S e c u r i t y . " N a t i o n a l E d u c a tio n A s s o c i a t i o n J o u r n a l . W a s h in g to n , D .C .r N a t i o n a l Edu­ c a tio n A s s o c ia tio n . O c to b e r, 1 9 4 9 , p . 9 6 . "The J o u r n a l o f N egro E d u c a tio n ," W a sh in g to n , B .C ., V o l. XIX. B u reau o f E d u c a tio n a l R e s e a r c h , H arv ard U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s . W in te r , s p r i n g , 1 9 5 0 . 408 p p . , D em ocracy i n E d u c a tio n , R e p r i n t . A s s o c i a t i o n f o r C h ild h o o d E d u c a tio n , W a s h in g to n , D .C ., 1 9 5 0 . 87 p p . C o n v e n tio n R e p o r t s . B u l l e t i n o f t h e D e p a rtm e n t o f S c h o o l P r i n c i p a l s . N a ti o n a l E le m e n ta ry A s s o c i a t i o n . V o l. XXIX, No. 6 , J u n e , 1 9 5 0 . 113 p p . C.

PUBLICATIONS OF LEARNED ORGANIZATIONS

A n d e rso n , Howard R . , " T e a c h in g C r i t i c a l T h in k in g i n t h e s o c i a l S t u d i e s , " T h i r t e e n t h Y earb o o k o f t h e N a ti o n a l C o u n c il f o r t h e S o c ia l" " S tu d ie s ^ W a sh in g to n , D .C .l N a ti o n a l C o u n c il f o r The S o c i a l S t u d i e s , 1 9 4 2 . 252 p p . B e lc h e r , F r a n c i s , C h airm an E d i t o r i a l C o m m ittee, " L e a r n in g W orld G o o d w ill i n E le m e n ta ry S c h o o l," T w e n t y - f i f t h Y e a rb o o k o f t h e N a ti o n a l E d u c a tio n A s s o c i a t i o n , V o l. XXVI, No. 1 . W a s h in g to n , D .C .: N a ti o n a l E d u c a tio n A s s o c i a t i o n , S e p t ­ em ber, 1 9 4 6 . 247 p p . H a r t l e y , W illia m H ., "A udio V is u a l M a t e r i a l s an d M e th o d s," E ig h te e n th Y earb o o k o f t h e N a ti o n a l C o u n c il f o r t h e S o c i a l S t u d i e s . W a s h in g to n , D .C .: N a ti o n a l C o u n c il f o r t h e S o c i a l S t u d i e s , 1 9 4 7 . 196 p p . N a ti o n a l E le m e n ta ry P r i n c i p a l s , " E le m e n ta ry S c h o o ls , The F r o n t l i n e o f D em o c ra cy ," N a tio n a l E le m e n ta ry P r i n c i p a l , T w en ty -S eco n d Y e a rb o o k . V o l. X X II, No. 6 . W a sh in g to n , D*C.:; N a ti o n a l E d u c a tio n A s s o c i a t i o n , J u l y , 1 9 4 3 . 503 p p .

i

, " D e m o c ra tic Human R e l a t i o n s , " The S i x t e e n t h Y earb o o k o f t h e N a ti o n a l C o u n c il f o r t h e S o c i a l S t u d i e s " W ash in g to n , D .C .:: N a ti o n a l E d u c a tio n A s s o c i a t i o n , 1 9 4 5 . 353 p p . , " M e e tin g S p e c i a l N eeds o f t h e I n d i v i d u a l C h i l d ," N in e te e n th Y earb o o k o f t h e N a ti o n a l E le m e n ta ry P r i n c i p a l , V o l. XIX, No. 6 . W a s h in g to n , D .C .; N a t i o n a l E d u c a tio n A s s o c i a t i o n , J u l y , 1 9 4 0 . 123 p p .

48 B is h o p , Lamb, S m ith , "Community P la n n in g i n a D em o cracy ," N a ti o n a l C o u n c il f o r th e S o c i a l S t u d i e s . W a s h in g to n , D .C .: N a tio n a l C o u n c il f o r S o c i a l S t u d i e s , A u g u s t, 1 9 4 8 , No. 2 . 110 p p . S h u f e l t , L a u ra M ., E d i t o r , " D e v e lo p in g C i t i z e n s h i p T hrough S c h o o l A c t i v i t i e s . " W a s h in g to n , D .C .:: N a t i o n a l C o u n c il f o r t h e S o c i a l S t u d i e s , May, 1 9 4 9 . No. 2 2 . 91 p p , , " P r a c t i c i n g t h e D e m o c ra tic Way i n S c h o o l," Los A ngel e s C ity S c h o o l D i s t r i c t . C u rric u lu m D i v i s i o n . P u b lic a ­ t i o n number C -4 1 4 . 58 p p .

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