ABSTRACT
Althoughtheschoolwasdesignedtotransmittherudimentarytools ofliteracyandnumeracy,hardlyanyAmericaneducatorinthe hundredorsoyearssincetherealizationofmasspublicprimary andsecondaryschoolinghasembracedsuchlimitedaspirations. Nurturingtheabilitytothinkeffectivelyhascertainlybeenoneitem ontheAmericaneducationalagendaforsometime.Respondingto thefamousreportsoftheCommitteesofTenandFifteenwhichwere issuedshortlybeforetheturnofthecentury,aGermaneducator notes
InthefaceofthemethodofinstructioninvogueinAmericaitis particularlyremarkablethatallthesecommitteesconsiderthe acquisitionofmereknowledgenottheaimofeducation,butthe developmentofthementalpowersandcomprehension(Schlee, 1974,p.969).
