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CHRISTIANIZING THE SOCIAL STUDIES
by
Sister Margaret Alacoaue Murphy
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for
the Master of Science degree in Education at the
New Jersey State Teachers College at Newark
April, 1951
i'7' ’ U '
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UMI Number: EP11166
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UMI Microform EP11166
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Contents
Chapter Page
I INTRODUCTION............................... 1
A. Underlying Philosophy................. 1
B. Purpose of Experiment................. 3
II PROCEDURE.................................. 7
A. Organization of Class into a Civics Club. 7
B. Integration of Civics Club with Catholic
Civics Club of America and with Society
for the Propagation of the Faith....... 7
C. Attitudes and Concepts Test............ 8
D. Class Agreement on Integrating Theme.... 9
E. Content of Course..'..................... 9
1. Character Building................. 9
2. Civics.............................. 11
3. History............................ 17
Ip. Geography........................... 32
F. Development of Theme in Actual Teaching. J>6
1. Broadening Horizons................ 3&
2. Historical Background.............. Ip2
3. Daily Meditation........ ... .......lj.2
1].. Personal Striving for Character Traits
to be Acquired........ Ip2
5. Class Leadership in Playground...... 14-3
6. Monthly Assembly Programs........... Ip3
III A SAMPLE WEEK'S LESSONS
Content and Procedure for Week...........lflp-63
IV DESCRIPTION OF TRIPS, CLUB ACTIVITIES, CHAR
ACTER BUILDING LESSONS SHOWING HOW THESE RE
LATED TO THEME............................... 61|-8lp
V ANALYSIS OF PRETESTS AND RETESTS.............. 8lj.-a-b
VI EVALUATION....................................85
A. Favorable Outcomes....................... 85
B. Unfavorable Outcomes..................... 87
C. Conclusions.............................. 88
BIBLIOGRAPHY................................. 89-9O
PUPIL STUDY ACTIVITIES....................... 91-92
APPENDICES:
A. Sample Character Building Lessons........ 93-115
B. Sample Civics Lessons....................116-128
C. Sample History Lessons...................129-136
D. Sample Geography Lessons.................139-1^8
E. Revolution Pretest and Retest........... llp9-l53
F. Attitudes Pretest and Retest............ 154-158
G. Pupil Documents........................ l59_l60
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Underlying Philosophy of the Experiment
In scrutinizing the causes of failure in modern edu
cation as a directive force in the present and after-school
lives of their students, teachers unanimously agree that a
lack of constructive philosophy is remarkably evident. The
various theories of education are either too exaggerated
in idealism or fatalistically inundated in materialism.
Such one-sidedness loudly testifies to the ignoring of the
purpose of life and the consequent inadequate preparation of
the children for their role in it. Appealing only to the
humanistic or naturalistic aspect in man, these so-called
nsystems of education*’ fall far short in educating for the
complex demands of our existence.
The accent on the individual in the ’’child-centered”
school, or the over-emphasis of the significance of the
community in the ’’socialistic” school, both represent ex
tremes in their point of view which if properly evaluated
would coalesce and function together.
The true concept of the child, then, is the ”whole
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child," in his spiritual, intellectual, and physical poten
tialities. Clearly, in his encyclical, The Christian Edu
cation of Youth, Pope Pius XI., defines the total subject of
educational endeavor: "In fact it must never be forgotten
that the subject of Christian education is man whole and en
tire, soul united to body in unity of nature, with all his
faculties natural and supernatural, such as right reason and
revelation show him to be; man, therefore, fallen from his
original estate, but redeemed by Christ and restored to the
supernatural condition of adopted son of God, though without
the preternatural privileges of bodily immortality or per
fect control of appetite. There remain, therefore, in human
nature the effects of original sin, the chief of which are
weakness of will and disorderly inclinations."^
Realizing that she has the correct view of the child
as expressed by the Holy Father, should not the religious
teacher question whether or not she is permitting her knowl
edge of the child and his needs to permeate every teaching
period of the day? Is she merely relegating the Christian
Idea and Ideal to the religion lesson in the morning? Should
she not utilize the manifold opportunities of classroom liv-
Pope Pius XI., "Subject of Education," Christian Education
of Youth, New York, The Paulist Press, 1929, P»23
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ing for more specific formation of the Christlike man and wo
man of society? Considerations such as these challenge to
more realistic and consistent integration.
B. Purpose of Experiment
With the recognition of the problem to be solved, namely
the application of Christian principles to everyday living of
the pupils in school and out, comes the concomitant question
as to which subject fields possess the most valuable possibil
ities. Logically the social studies, namely the areas of
man's relationships to God, to himself, and to society, offer
the best media for experiment with the validity of the prin
ciples to be tested. The classroom becomes a ”social stud
ies laboratory” where the acquisition of attitudes, concepts,
and skills indicative of the Christian Way of Life is at
tempted in motivated and purposeful activity.
At best, however, the ”laboratory” or classroom provides
a narrow or artificial atmosphere for living. Therefore, the
child’s environment broadened to include his community, state,
nation, and, finally, the world, comprised the other inte
grating factor in the educational experiment undertaken. By
means of visual materials, trips, visits, interviews, and
vicarious experiences, the pupil explored his surroundings
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