individual child. She plans to discover his potentialities and develop them to the fullest extent. She will use the curriculum as a means of attaining these goals. She does not believe that the child is a receiving station for the content of the course of study. In such a classroom, a most harmonious relationship will exist between the teacher and the pupils.

A school that possesses the spirit of the new program will consider the welfare of the pupils to be the ultimate aim of all its efforts. It will realize that guidance is an integral part of the program. It will obtain the services of a licensed guidance counselor. If her expert advice is not available, the principal should select a teacher who is equipped by temperament and training to carry on the guidance program. Her work should include the guidance of maladjusted pupils as well as educational and vocational guidance.

The spirit of the New Program requires that the school reach out into the community and that it bring the resources of the community to its assistance.

In conclusion, may I express the opinion of Dr. Bayne, our associate superintendent on the Spirit of the New Program: “The Spirit of the Program is more important than any of its details or machinery. The most important first step is to start to get the feeling of the new program. Refinements of practice will follow as teachers gain confidence through experience and guidance.” MARIE T. RYAN

Junior High School 30, Bronx

NATION-WIDE VICTORY CORPS-PHYSICAL FITNESS DENTAL

PROGRAM

To improve the physical condition of the youth of our country has become a national objective. Dental defects rank first as cause for lowering the health status of those examined for military service. The correction of dental defects is a major health problem in the armed and industrial forces of our nation. In recognition of this condition, the American Dental Association, the United States Office of Education, and the United States Public Health Service have united their efforts in sponsoring and launching the Victory Corps-Physical Fitness Dental Program on national, state, and local levels.

The principal objective of the program is to make high school

boys and girls, approaching military and employment age, dentally fit, thus enabling them to fulfill military and civilian duties in which their services are needed.

Educators in high schools throughout the nation are being urged to incorporate this dental correction program in the Victory Corps or Physical Fitness Programs operating in their schools. Public health officials are asked actively to assist in the promotion and implementation of the program.

Members of the dental profession throughout the country are requested by national and state dental officials to give priority appointments and special consideration to boys and girls approaching military age, in order that the objectives of the program may be attained. The closest cooperation of educators, dentists, pupils, parents and other interested groups is needed in order to insure the success of this program.

The program was launched in March by Commissioner Studebaker of the United States Office of Education and Dr. J. Ben Robinson, President of the American Dental Association. Already approximately 40 states and the District of Columbia are participating.

In many states, dental educational material designed to implement the program can be obtained from the Division of Dental Health of the State Department of Public Health. Educational material in the forms of posters, leaflets, dental health forms, and dental films are also available at small cost from the Bureau of Public Relations of the American Dental Association, 222 East Superior St., Chicago. It is suggested that local school officials and dentists develop the program to suit local conditions.

Dentists in many states have agreed to give priority appointments for dental care to pupils who come within the scope of this program. Public Health, welfare or other local dental service programs may supply dental care to indigent pupils.

The physical education teachers, science teachers, home room teachers, school nurses or other qualified persons may take charge of:

1. Distributing dental health forms and other material.

2. Keeping records of dental health forms distributed to and returned by pupils.

3. Keeping a record of the progress and results of the program. It is important that some one person in the high school be made responsible for this program.

STARTING THE PROGRAM. To start the program, it is suggested that an announcement be made to the public describing the objectives of the program. This announcement might well include the presentation of a short statement similar to the one attached entitled "A Challenge to High School Pupils." On the same day, if they are available, dental posters should be placed on bulletin boards and the distribution of dental folders and dental health forms to the pupils be initiated.

It is suggested that, in cooperation with the local dentists, school officials develop a plan whereby pupils can receive dental examination and treatment. If dental forms are used, they should not be given to all the pupils at one time as this would congest dental offices. The Health Committee of the Parent-Teachers Association, the School Health Council, and other organizations interested in school and community health should be invited to cooperate in the program.

The teacher should record the names of the pupils to whom dental health forms are given, the date on which they are given, and are returned with the dentist's signature signifying that dental corrections have been completed.

Dental inspections: These may be made in the office of the private dentists or in the schools in accordance with a plan agreed upon by the school authorities and the local dentists.

Dental appointments: With proper safeguards, pupils should be permitted to fill dental appointments during school hours if requested by the dentists.

The teacher and school nurse should frequently emphasize the importance of obtaining needed dental service and urge each pupil to have corrections made.

Pupils in low income groups should be urged to pay for their own dental service by doing odd jobs outside of school hours.

At regular intervals after dental health forms have been distributed to the pupils, the person in charge of the local program should check the results to ascertain the number of pupils who have obtained needed dental service.

School officials may wish to set up the objectives of this program as an achievement device in physical fitness or High School Victory Corps.

A Challenge to High School Pupils

Will you be able to fulfill your duties as a citizen when you become of

military age? Will you want to join the Air Corps, the Navy, the Marines, the Coast Guard, the Army, the Nurses' Corps, the Nurse-Aids, the WAC or the WAVES? Will you eventually want a job in an industry that demands good physical condition and appearance of its employes?

If you do, you boys and girls in high school should start right now to have correctable physical defects corrected.

Dental disease and sight defects accounted for about 35 percent of all rejections for service in the army. Virtually all rejections charged to dental defects can be avoided if corrections are made in pupils of high school age. Many of the eye defects can be minimized by treatment, or by the proper fitting of glasses. If there is any doubt in your minds relative to your physical status, consult your dentist and physician at the earliest possible time.

Remember, you have but one set of permanent teeth, one pair of eyes, one pair of ears, feet and hands. You have but one body, to serve a lifetime. If you abuse, neglect or wreck a car, it can be replaced. If you neglect to make early repairs of defects in your body when they become evident, if you abuse or wreck this body of yours, you may not only have cause for regret the rest of your life, but also you may be unable to procure a job in the field of your choice.

Are you going to be one of the thousands of young persons who, in the prime of life, cannot fulfill all the duties of citizenship because they neglected to make timely correction of physical defects?

What you do about correcting dental, eye and other defects now, is your answer to this challenge: your answer to yourself, to your government and to your future dependents.

J. A. SALZMAN, D.D.S.

Central Commercial High School

SOCIAL STUDIES IN THE POST-WAR WORLD

Economic depressions and wars are, to put it mildly, extremely unpleasant experiences. Certainly, none of us prays for their recurrence. And yet, like so many other sufferings which we endure, these have brought in their wake at least a few desirable by-products.

The depression that began in 1929 and the international explosion that burst into flame ten years later have caused all intelligent people to re-evaluate the principles upon which their lives were regulated heretofore. That re-evaluation meant the sloughing off of some out-worn shibboleths that no longer applied to existing conditions; in other cases, it meant the realization of the true value of some sound principles that had degenerated into mere verbalisms.

Our philosophies of education have been no exception to this broad generalization. The past fifteen years have witnessed a number of significant changes in the aims, objectives, and practices of education.

CHANGES. It is not my intention to analyse all these changes. My aim is merely to indicate some of those changes which are, in my opinion, worth retaining through the post-war period in the teaching of the social studies.

I take as my text, the opening paragraphs of a statement of wartime policy adopted by the National Council for the Social Studies, The Social Studies Mobilize for Victory.

"Total war mobilizes civilians as well as armed forces. It mobilizes chil dren and youth as well as adults. It mobilizes the minds and hearts as well as the physical strength of all the population. This war is a war involving every citizen-a people's war . . .

"Total war requires an informed and thoughtful population, aware of the task to be done, determined to preserve a democracy which it understands, and convinced of the responsibility of each citizen in the drive for lasting victory. The stamina of a fighting democracy depends upon widespread understanding of the issues at stake, of the stark necessities of total war on a global scale, and of the complex tasks of achieving a peace. An informed and aroused citizenry is the foundation of victory in both war and peace."

What we do during the

BLUEPRINT FOR TOMORROW. war will determine in very large measure the kind of post-war world in which we will live. I believe, therefore, that there should be as little delay as possible in putting into practical effect, wherever they have not yet been adopted, the principles herewith enunciated.

1. The democratic way of life must be understood and appreci ated by all citizens of a democracy. In all social studies courses, attention should be given to the history and practice of the basic civil liberties. Attention should be given to the development of social and economic as well as of political democracy. The responsibilities as well as the privileges of citizenship should be stressed in all courses, and pupils should be given opportunities to exercise them in school and community affairs. This principle should be applied through whatever means are available to the instruction of adult citizens as well as young people.

2. The world-wide setting of modern life must be emphasized. World geography, including the economic foundations of an enduring peace, must receive greater emphasis. The qualities and characteristics of other peoples should be studied, with consideration given to likenesses as well as diversities. Suspicion and dislike based upon ignorance and misunderstanding must be eliminated.