freedom, spontaneity, initiative, reasoning, etc. Their point of departure for emphasizing the latter is a notion of democratic society in which these elements of freedom etc. have unrestrained operation. I shall endeavor to show that freedom, spontaneity, individuality, initiative, and reasoning have the same place in a well-routinized school as they have in democratic social life. This can be done to advantage in connection with Bagley's answers to the arguments that have been advanced against routinizing any phases of school work. (1: 32) Democratic social organization often disregards individuality. — The first two objections that Bagley cites and refutes are that "mechanical organization disregards the individuality of the child" and that, since it is imposed from without, “it is an expression of arbitrary and despotic rule." The answer to this objection is that even in a democratic society social organization does the same thing as far as the individual is concerned. Society and its official representatives set definite lines within which the individual must behave. To him these lines may appear "arbitrary and despotic" and may seem to disregard his individuality"; but he has to conform. Thus, a driver of a vehicle in the crowded streets of Chicago cannot make a crossing without the permission of the traffic policeman. Doubtless he would often prefer to dash ahead, after the policeman has blown his whistle to stop traffic in his direction. Doubtless it appears "arbitrary and despotic" when the policeman makes him take a long turn in going around a corner, instead of "short-cutting across. But the traffic regulations, personified in the traffic policeman, are great social time-savers. When, as an experiment, the policemen were removed for a few minutes one day in the congested down-town district, it required only a short time for all traffic to come to a standstill, because the "individuality" of the drivers, chauffeurs, and motormen was given full sway and the "despotic rule" of the social guardians abolished. Efficient spontaneity may be encouraged by routine responsibilities. Another objection which is advanced against providing for routine in school work is that it "discourages spontaneous effort." If this be true, it is just as true of democratic social life as it is of the school. In our own modern democratic life all activities are organized and nearly every person operates as part of some organization, whether it be the government, or a business house, or simply a family. As a rule, the individual who is working in an organization has certain lines prescribed for him, within which he may be as "intelligently spontaneous" as he is capable of being. The buyer for a department in a large business concern or the head of a government office has certain definite routine responsibilities, but it is doubtful whether this interferes with his efficient spontaneity in perfecting his own work. The testimony of many persons would indicate just the opposite, namely, that definitely fixed routine responsibilities may act as stimuli to spontaneous effort instead of acting as deterrents. Routine does not necessarily eliminate rational methods. - Another objection that is sometimes urged against routinizing any school activities is that "mechanical organization in matters properly routine tends to spread to matters of a different nature." Unfortunately this is true in the case of many teachers and administrators. It is to be regretted that there are many educational extremists who tend to line up in either one of the following columns. Extreme formalists 1. All routine, no freedom. Extreme idealists 1. All freedom, no routine. But it is not necessary to be either an extreme formalist or an extreme idealist. It is possible to provide for an adequate study of the content subjects by methods that involve reasoning, and at the same time to provide for routinizing those phases of classroom management in which it will result in economy of time and effort. Habits free the mind for reasoning. The point just mentioned is related to a final objection, namely, that "routine, or habit, antagonizes reason." By habit we mean the tendency to react to situations in approximately the same ways as we have reacted to similar situations before. By reasoning we mean the tendency to reflect concerning readjusting or modifying our reactions to situations — to think out new methods of dealing with problematic situations. The tendency to focus attention on either one or the other of these two phases of behavior, namely, habit and reasoning, is brought out in an interesting way in comparing two definitions of education, one by William James (1842-1910) and the other by Professor John Dewey, two of the foremost American writers on psychology. In his "Talks to Teachers on Psychology" (p. 29) James says, "Education is the organization of acquired habits of conduct and tendencies to behavior,” and on page viii he says, "The aim of education is to make useful habits automatic." Here we have the emphasis placed on the habit element in education. On the other hand, Dewey says: "Education is the reconstruction of experience." Here the emphasis is placed, not on the fixing of former methods of behavior, but on the breaking up of habits and the readjustment of one's old methods of behavior to meet new and changing situations. The apparent contradiction involved in these two definitions of education disappears, however, when we get a complete statement from one of the authors, in which both factors, habit and reason, are taken into consideration. Thus, James says: We must make automatic and habitual, as early as possible, as many useful actions as we can. . The more of the details of our daily life we can hand over to the effortless custody of automatism, the more our higher powers of mind will be set free for their own proper work. There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision, and for whom the lighting of every cigar, the drinking of every cup, the time of rising and going to bed every day, and the beginning of every bit of work, are subjects of express volitional deliberation. Full half the time of such a man goes to the deciding, or regretting, of matters which ought to be so ingrained in him as practically not to exist for his consciousness at all. If there be such daily duties not yet ingrained in any one of my readers, let him begin this very hour to set the matter right. (2: 122) This quotation gives the true relation to establish between habit and reasoning, and may well furnish a motto for classroom activity, namely, Make habitual, as early as possible, as many useful acts as you can, in order that the minds of teachers and children may be free to consider problems that are worth reasoning about." We shall now proceed to apply this motto to the various routine aspects of classroom management which were outlined above on page 27. Begin right the first day. The first consideration in classroom management from the standpoint of routine is to get started right the first day. As James advises in the last sentence in the quotation given above, "begin this very hour to set the matter right." In other words, the time to set matters right is at the beginning. Any neglect of this advice results in lost ground which can only be recovered later by sacrifice of time and energy. James gives the following rule in this connection: "In the acquisition of a new habit we must take care to launch ourselves with a decided initiative." Applied to the first day at school, this rule means that work should start off with a vigorous attack by pupils and teacher. It means that it is important to have the impressions of the first day be those that are to persist and give the keynote for the rest of the term. Become acquainted in advance with the local situation. In order to be able to do this, the beginning teacher, or a teacher in a new situation, needs to get on the ground some days before school opens and to familiarize himself thoroughly with the situation in general and in detail. This should include a study of the community, of the recent history of the school, of the ideals and policy of the present administration, of the building (with its classrooms, assembly arrangements, laboratories, gymnasium, heating and ventilating systems), of the school library and other neighboring library facilities. It would include also a careful examination of the course of study and of the annual and daily programs. This should lead to a definite planning of the work to be covered for the whole term in each subject or with each class. If it is the teacher's first year in teaching, he would do well to advise with several experienced teachers concerning the best pace with which to advance with the various classes. Plan definite activities for the first day. Having got the general situation in mind, he should plan in detail the work of the first week and be prepared to use the first class meeting for purposes of serious instruction. In order to do this he will have to make sure that the necessary materials are on hand, including possibly chalk, paper, maps, specimens, or whatever may be required. The work of the first day may include three elements: (1) steps to acquaint the teacher with the students, (2) steps to acquaint the students with the general plans of the teacher, (3) some actual instruction. Any of these elements might occupy the whole period, but it is better to provide partially for each than to give up the whole period to any one. In order to provide for the first the teacher should have on hand a supply of cards or blanks, on which he asks the students to give certain definite information for which he has placed questions on the blackboard. To provide for the second he may present on the board, or in a talk, or by means |