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'The object of this paper is to describe in practical working terms an organisation4 of schools which shall be based on a close association with the manifold needs and labours of the community life. At the outset I may say that the proposals will refer—even if not specifically so stated—to all types of schools, from the elementary to the Public Schools. It will be seen that the change needs a change in the ideals which have usually prevailed in schools of the past. In the community life the one urgent thing to be done to-day is to reorganise industry and the conditions of labour. This reorganisation may require quite organic or even anarchic changes—and for these changes the ideals of boys and girls must be changed, and to prepare for this change is the urgent work of the schools.
'Before I come to the proposals for reconstruction of schools, I will state very briefly5 some facts in industry which are now meeting with acceptance:
'1. Modern industrial life has come in with a tumultuous rush, in a haphazard6, ungoverned way, through the activities of forceful, capable,[Pg 113] and industrious7 leaders who have made use of the scientific discoveries of another type of men.
'2. The shrinkage of the world, and the growth of population which followed, has led to fierce competition; and this spirit of competition has ruled everywhere.
'3. In the ungoverned rush for production all sorts of methods are adopted which seem to be justified8 by their effectiveness. An example is the modern system of efficiency, at first sight captivating to the intellect and the desires, but yet a method which needs very careful study.
'4. Now men are beginning to believe that the first product of industry must be for the worker; that the worker should grow physically9, intellectually, spiritually by his work.
'I shall claim that the work in schools should be permeated10 by Science and by the scientific method and outlook, and it will be found that Science itself does not set all this store on efficiency. Efficiency, I believe, is entirely11 contained within the first, or quantitative12 law of Thermo-dynamics. But eutrophy based on the more elusive13 qualitative14 law is concerned with the quality which leads to the giving up of life[Pg 114] to others. We must see to it that whatever the efficiency may be, the eutrophy of industry be high.
'The principle that the first product of industry must be the worker leads to great organic changes. It will lead to no less a thing than closing down certain productions, certain classes of occupations, certain industries or processes. It will lead to a modification15 in repetition work; and to adjustments in organisation. I hope to show the bearing of this on our educational methods, and how the ideals implied may bring some help in diagnosing Labour unrest.
'It will be seen that most of the changes needed to-day depend upon international agreements; and a league of nations is essential, not, I think, to end wars, but to make the change from competition to co-operation possible.
'We are concerned to-day with the part education must take in this change of ideals of life. It is not too much to say that without the influence of a reconstructed education the way to change in the ideals of men will be hard to find. The change has to be made from competitive methods and ideals to co-operative methods; from the[Pg 115] spirit of dominance to creativeness; and the present system of aristocraticism in schools must give way to democratisation.
'Competition holds sway to-day in industrial life with disastrous16 results. Every employer of labour feels this, and wrestles17, and would be glad of a change, but he is held in the grip of a system. Every one feels that competition destroys the creative, inventive life—and is the seat of unrest. And yet the spirit of competition holds sway, not in commerce only nor in diplomacy18, but in the schools. Our public schools are professedly schools for training a dominant19 class; the aims, the educational methods, the school subjects and their relative values, the books read, the life led—are all based on this spirit. The methods are largely competitive, possessive. With, as I believe, tragic20 results in industrial life this same system, with the ideals behind it, has been unwittingly impressed on the working class in the elementary schools....
'The change which I am advocating will demand a new organisation, and will call for a new type of school buildings, and new values of subjects. The new-comer Science, and with it [Pg 116]organised industry, which springs out of it, must take a prominent and inspiriting place in school, and in every part of school work. It is not sufficient to say that Science should be taught in schools. The time has gone by for this. We claim that scientific thought should be the inspiring spirit in school life. Science is essentially21 creative and co-operative, its outlook is onwards towards change, it means searching for the truth, it demands research and experiment, and does not rest on authority. Under this new spirit all history, literature, art, and even languages should be rewritten.
'A new type of school buildings and requirements will arise. No longer buildings comprised only of class-rooms, but large and spacious22 workrooms. Class-rooms are places where boys go to be taught. They are tool-sharpening rooms—necessary, but subsidiary. For research and co-operative creative work the larger halls are needed. Spacious engineering and wood-working shops, well supplied with all kinds of machine tools, a smithy, a foundry, a carpenter's shop, a drawing office—all carried on for manufacturing[Pg 117] purposes. Plenty of work which will employ boys of all ages will be found to do.
'There will be a corresponding spacious literary and historical workshop with a really spacious library full of books: books on modern subjects, as well as reference books. The building should have wings in it for foreign books—modern as well as classic, history, economics, literary, scientific. As many as possible of the foreign languages should be represented here, that boys may grow up with knowledge and sympathy and respect for other nations, and thus aid in promoting wider and deeper ideals of life. Another gallery for geography, and natural history, travels, ethnology.
'Here is full scope for a large number of boys of all ages to be engaged in research. It is all of a co-operative character. They can study the various social and economic systems—from co-partnership to syndicalism; or the Liberation of Slaves; or the League of Nations; or the Liberation of Italy.
'Another block will be a science block with an engineering laboratory, machinery23 hall, physical, chemical, and biological laboratories—well [Pg 118]supplied with apparatus24 and plant for applied25 science; plant, too, to lead to the
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