Education: Teaching responsibility Part I

In the 21st century, no one will be "responsible," at least not in the way we think of it today.
Just like in the last century, you and I were not moral, at least not in the way our great grandparents thought of it. 

We were in a auto repair shop up north, in the woods, where old fashioned values still exist, and saw this sign in the shop office, "To educate a person in mind and not morals is to educate a menace to society."  - Theodore Roosevelt.  And suddenly it all became clear.

In the agrarian age of the 19th century, when schools meant one-room rural schoolhouses, teaching morality and morals and character was all important.  That's because society needed, and so demanded, good moral character. 

But the teaching of morality and morals and character was not some vague philosophical concept like it is today.  Some 100 years ago it meant morals meant specific behaviors.

In the Industrial Age of the 20th century, you didn't have to be of good moral character to work in the factory. But you did have to be responsible.  And so teachers in the 20th century schoolhouse and college taught (still teach) responsibility.   And by that  teachers mean specific behaviors. 

Those behaviors are now obsolete. They made sense in the factory (see photo).  But not in the virtual office.

Tune in tomorrow and take a morals test from your great grandmother and teachers of 1908.

Comments

[Kassia]

I teach undergraduate courses at the University of Oregon and notice a distinct change since 1990 when I began. Students behave more as colleagues than mentees, school is just one of many places they can find out information, and they expect to make lots of money right after they graduate....no "working your way to the top" - rather starting there.