The Doctrines of Herbart in the United States: A Thesis Presented to the Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania, in Partial Fulfilment of ... of Doctor of Philosophy (Classic Reprint) - Tapa blanda

Excerpt from The Doctrines of Herbart in the United States: A Thesis Presented to the Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania, in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

The Herbartianism which has influenced American educational thought and practice is Herbart as found in the interpretation of Stoy, Frick, Ziller, and Rein - most particularly the latter two. The designation Herbart-Stoy-Ziller-Rein pedagogy is found quite frequently in American educational literature.

When we recall the strange fate of Herbart in his fatherland, it is clear why this triple or quadruple name has been accepted as the most nearly adequate title of the pedagogical doctrine which has become so influential in America. His book on General Pedagogy, the source for all subsequent developments, appeared in 1806, but received practically no attention from the thinking public. The thinkers were so engrossed in the philosophy of Fichte, Schelling, and especially Hegel, as to have no ears for the message of another. Herbart lamented, "My poor pedagogy has not been able to lift up its voice" (11 : 4).

Herbart remained a closed book until he received the fructifying interpretation of his disciples. Ziller was recognized as especially happy both in extending and explaining Herbart. In respect to the doctrine of method, for instance, the late Professor Vogt, of Vienna, has expressed the opinion that it seemed for several years to be a labyrinth of concepts out of which it was hard to make anything of practical moment until Ziller gave a clear explanation of the meaning and showed how application might be made. The interpretations upon the Herbartian text varied with other thinkers, who, as well as Ziller, won enthusiastic followers for their views.

The Americans who were first instrumental in introducing Herbartianism recognized that in Germany it was a collective term which included exponents of quite varied opinions. It is evident that, studying as they did in Germany, they would get their Herbartianism in some one of the systematic interpretations prevailing at that time. As a matter of fact, it came about that it was the Herbart-Ziller-Stoy pedagogy which was propogated in America by returning enthusiasts.

We must picture Herbartianism in the educational life of America as a force both as it transforms educational thought and practice and as it is itself transformed by the environment in which it works. It does not find unquestioned acceptance without a change.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.