William Albert Wirt (educationalist)
Encyclopedia
William Albert Wirt was a superintendent
of schools in Gary, Indiana
. Wirt developed the Gary Plan for the more efficient use of school facilities, a reform of the Progressive Movement that was widely adopted in other cities.
, in 1874. After attending school in Markle
and Bluffton, Indiana
, Mr. Wirt entered DePauw University
and graduated with an M.A. in Political Science. He began teaching in Redkey, Indiana
and assumed the post of superintendent of schools in Bluffton in 1899.
of education partially based upon a set of values derived from his rural background. He viewed the self-sufficient family farm as containing all of the characteristics necessary for a student's development, particularly vocational training, physical activity, and character growth. Work and productivity characterized rural life, and Wirt believed that the rapid urbanization occurring in the early twentieth century threatened the rural values necessary for total development of children. Wirt maintained that the public schools should provide an oasis to instill the values of family, work, and productivity among urban students and produce an efficient, orderly society of solid, productive citizens. In short, Wirt believed that, "Public schools, endowed with the mission of 'the ennobling of daily and common work by making it beautiful'" could solve "the great economic and social problems of our time'“
or work-study-play system. Above the primary grades, students were divided into two platoons—one platoon used the academic classrooms, while the second platoon was divided between the shops, nature studies, auditorium, gymnasium, and outdoor facilities. In the Gary plan, all of the school equipment remained in use during the entire school day; this system promoted efficiency in the school operations while developing the intellectual, manual, and recreational skills of the children.
The platoon system gained acceptance in Gary and received national attention during the early decades of the twentieth century. In 1914, the New York City
hired Wirt as a part-time consultant to introduce the work-study-play system in the public schools. In the following three years, however, the Gary system encountered resistance from students, parents, and labor leaders concerned that the plan simply trained children to work in factories. By 1917, the Gary system in New York became a political issue and after the election of an antiplatoon plan candidate for mayor in 1918, the New York schools abandoned the work-study-play project.
Despite the failure in New York, Wirt's system continued to achieve popularity during the 1920s. In Gary, the schools grew rapidly to serve the growing population and enrollment. Buildings, staff, and funding increased with the higher demand for education in the city. Outside of Gary, over 200 cities in forty-one states experimented with the platoon system, and in 1925, the National Association for the Study of the Platoon
or Work-Study-Play School Organization formed to publicize the advantages of the platoon system. Wirt not only received national recognition, but also gained worldwide fame from England to Japan.
program. In the first years of Wirt's implementation, over 600 students participated in off-campus religious education.
and the University of Chicago
. In 1948, Mrs. Wirt earned a Ph.d. in education from Jefferson College in Jefferson, Texas
, with a thesis entitled, "Educational Philosophy of the Gary Public Schools."
policy in the schools.
's New Deal
programs, charging that the New Deal threatened American
individualism by attempting government planning of the economy. He wrote pamphlets, articles, and addresses on the economy, particularly regarding the manipulation of the dollar to solve the economic crisis. Finally, Wirt accused the New Deal of being infiltrated by communists designing the collapse of the American system.
Wirt's charges received national attention when the school superintendent
appeared before the Bulwinkle investigative committee in the United States House of Representatives
in 1934. After his testimony against the Roosevelt Brain Trust, he was denounced as a reactionary by Democrats and those on the left, and defended by those on the right. Although the committee rejected Wirt's charges, the superintendent continued to write and speak on the dangers of the New Deal economic programs.
Within two years, much of the work-study-play plan fell from favor among school officials, and William Wirt's platoon system of educating the "whole child" disappeared from the Gary schools' organization. Historian Ronald D. Cohen summarized William Wirt's contributions to the Gary schools by stating, " at their worst, the Gary schools were places where bored, frightened students were endlessly herded from room to playground to auditorium; at their best they were free, exciting, creative environments, assisting and enriching the lives of rich and poor, black and white, native and immigrant children. For many, they surely promoted opportunity."
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of schools in Gary, Indiana
Gary, Indiana
Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known...
. Wirt developed the Gary Plan for the more efficient use of school facilities, a reform of the Progressive Movement that was widely adopted in other cities.
Early life
William Wirt was born on a farm near Markle, IndianaIndiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, in 1874. After attending school in Markle
Markle, Indiana
Markle is a town in Huntington and Wells Counties in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 1,095 at the 2010 census. It lies along Interstate 69, U.S. Route 224, Indiana State Road 116 and Indiana State Road 3 .-Geography:...
and Bluffton, Indiana
Bluffton, Indiana
Bluffton is a city in Harrison and Lancaster Townships, Wells County, Indiana, United States. The population was 9,897 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Wells County.-Geography:Bluffton is located at ....
, Mr. Wirt entered DePauw University
DePauw University
DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, USA, is a private, national liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,400 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the Great Lakes Colleges Association...
and graduated with an M.A. in Political Science. He began teaching in Redkey, Indiana
Redkey, Indiana
Redkey is a town in Richland Township, Jay County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,353 at the 2010 census.- Geography :Redkey is located at ....
and assumed the post of superintendent of schools in Bluffton in 1899.
Philosophy of education
While in Bluffton, Wirt developed a philosophyPhilosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
of education partially based upon a set of values derived from his rural background. He viewed the self-sufficient family farm as containing all of the characteristics necessary for a student's development, particularly vocational training, physical activity, and character growth. Work and productivity characterized rural life, and Wirt believed that the rapid urbanization occurring in the early twentieth century threatened the rural values necessary for total development of children. Wirt maintained that the public schools should provide an oasis to instill the values of family, work, and productivity among urban students and produce an efficient, orderly society of solid, productive citizens. In short, Wirt believed that, "Public schools, endowed with the mission of 'the ennobling of daily and common work by making it beautiful'" could solve "the great economic and social problems of our time'“
As superintendent of education
In 1907, Wirt became superintendent of schools in Gary and began implementing his educational values in the local schools. He initiated teacher hiring standards, designed school buildings, lengthened the school day, and organized the schools according to his ideals. The core of the schools' organization in Gary centered upon the platoonPlatoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
or work-study-play system. Above the primary grades, students were divided into two platoons—one platoon used the academic classrooms, while the second platoon was divided between the shops, nature studies, auditorium, gymnasium, and outdoor facilities. In the Gary plan, all of the school equipment remained in use during the entire school day; this system promoted efficiency in the school operations while developing the intellectual, manual, and recreational skills of the children.
The platoon system gained acceptance in Gary and received national attention during the early decades of the twentieth century. In 1914, the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
hired Wirt as a part-time consultant to introduce the work-study-play system in the public schools. In the following three years, however, the Gary system encountered resistance from students, parents, and labor leaders concerned that the plan simply trained children to work in factories. By 1917, the Gary system in New York became a political issue and after the election of an antiplatoon plan candidate for mayor in 1918, the New York schools abandoned the work-study-play project.
Despite the failure in New York, Wirt's system continued to achieve popularity during the 1920s. In Gary, the schools grew rapidly to serve the growing population and enrollment. Buildings, staff, and funding increased with the higher demand for education in the city. Outside of Gary, over 200 cities in forty-one states experimented with the platoon system, and in 1925, the National Association for the Study of the Platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
or Work-Study-Play School Organization formed to publicize the advantages of the platoon system. Wirt not only received national recognition, but also gained worldwide fame from England to Japan.
Released time
Wirt was also responsible in the implementation of the Released timeReleased Time
Released Time is a concept used in the United States public school system wherein pupils enrolled in the public schools are permitted by law to receive religious instruction...
program. In the first years of Wirt's implementation, over 600 students participated in off-campus religious education.
Business ventures
In addition to his duties as school superintendent, Wirt became involved in several business ventures including real estate development in Dune Acres, president of Gary's National Bank of America, a partnership in a city planning firm, and owner in a Nash automobile dealership. Unfortunately, all of these projects yielded little financial gain and eventually failed with the onset of the Great Depression.Marriage
In 1927, Wirt married Mildred Harter, the general supervisor of speech in the Gary schools. From 1919 to 1926, she taught at Froebel School and became the director of speech and drama in the Gary school system in 1929. During her career, Mildred Harter Wirt developed a philosophy of the role of auditorium training in the school curriculum and wrote several articles on auditorium theory. In addition, she taught summer courses in auditorium subjects at Northwestern UniversityNorthwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
and the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. In 1948, Mrs. Wirt earned a Ph.d. in education from Jefferson College in Jefferson, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, with a thesis entitled, "Educational Philosophy of the Gary Public Schools."
The Depression
While the 1920s saw the growth and expansion of Wirt's influence and organization plan in Gary, the 1930s brought controversy and dissent among Wirt's proponents and supporters of the Gary schools. The Depression resulted in smaller budgets, program cuts, reductions in teachers' salaries, a shortened school year, and cancellation of night school and summer courses. Although these programs were restored by 1937, teacher discontent over salaries continued to appear in the late 1930s. In addition, arguments arose over the proper role of vocational training in the schools, and Gary's black community became increasingly impatient with segregationRacial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
policy in the schools.
Attack against the New Deal programs
In addition to these concerns, William Wirt launched an attack upon Franklin D. RooseveltFranklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
's New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
programs, charging that the New Deal threatened American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
individualism by attempting government planning of the economy. He wrote pamphlets, articles, and addresses on the economy, particularly regarding the manipulation of the dollar to solve the economic crisis. Finally, Wirt accused the New Deal of being infiltrated by communists designing the collapse of the American system.
Wirt's charges received national attention when the school superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
appeared before the Bulwinkle investigative committee in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 1934. After his testimony against the Roosevelt Brain Trust, he was denounced as a reactionary by Democrats and those on the left, and defended by those on the right. Although the committee rejected Wirt's charges, the superintendent continued to write and speak on the dangers of the New Deal economic programs.
Death
Wirt suffered a heart attack and died on March 12, 1938.Within two years, much of the work-study-play plan fell from favor among school officials, and William Wirt's platoon system of educating the "whole child" disappeared from the Gary schools' organization. Historian Ronald D. Cohen summarized William Wirt's contributions to the Gary schools by stating, " at their worst, the Gary schools were places where bored, frightened students were endlessly herded from room to playground to auditorium; at their best they were free, exciting, creative environments, assisting and enriching the lives of rich and poor, black and white, native and immigrant children. For many, they surely promoted opportunity."
Further readinmg
- . Cohen, Ronald D. and Mohl, Raymond A. The Paradox of Progressive Education: The Gary Plan and Urban Schooling, (Port Washington, New York: Kennikat Press Corporation, 1979), p. 13.
- Lane, James B. City of the Century: A History of Gary, Indiana (Indiana UniversityIndiana UniversityIndiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
Press, 1978), p. 65.