Evils of “Cramming”

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 255, 25 July 1935, Page 11

Evils of “Cramming”

Sir, —Last Saturday night I had the privilege of listening to our distinguished visiting educationist, Professor Clark. In the course of his shrewd, wise and witty address, he commented on our kindness of heart. Other visitors have done likewise, but I do not hear much comment on our outstanding intelligence. Yet 1 am convinced that we possess as much of one good quality as the other. I wish Professor Clark qould be made to understand why our reputation for outstanding intelligence lags. It is just because of the severe chronic mental indigestion we suffer. This is due to the deplorable overloading with specialised material right throughout our educational system. Every pupil is made to eram hundreds of thousands of quite unnecessary facts in every subject. This, of course, involves an immense amount of otherwise unnecessary homework. Thus the pupil is robbed of much desirable sleep, exercise, and rest. Instead of seeking to develop. the memory in a parrot fashion, why not concentrate on the intelligence? Take, for instance, geography. Why not learn, say, the 3—l chief rivers of a country, and that "there are 100 others. But do not compel the pupil to learn every bend and etirve and petty village of the 100 odd rivers, even for matriculation. You have only to study thoughtfully almost any examination paper, to see how much more is made of memorising than of an intelligent grasp of the outline of the subject. Almost every teacher I have spoken to on the subject has deplored the present evil; and it is getting worse.

One is tempted to ask if our educational authorities are suffering from the present system. Ask any business man to tell you candidly how many of the many thousands of petty facts he had to memorise for examinations are of the slightest use to him now. This cramming of the human brain is extremely harmful. All throughout my long medical practice 1 have frequently had to deal with instances of the evil results of our cramming system ou the nerves and health. Many seem to leave school, or college, with jaded brains, lacking initiative or desire for responsibility, and with little powers of concentration or intelligent reasoning. If only our educational authorities chose, it seems to me, they could alter overnight the present effort to turn out walking human dictionaries. Order each subject to be taught with a view to imparting an intelligent grasp of its outline. Demand new text-books with this end in view: and they would pour out of thp press. Too many of the present textbooks are only fit. as reference. In future, cultivate the health, intelligence, and good morals of every pupil. Then we would have what is most needed in the world to-day—kindness of heart, coupled with clarity of thought.—l am. etc., DOCTOR X. Wellington, July ,2.1,