Contributed Commentary on
Volume 4 Number 8: Stone Developmentalism: An Obscure but Pervasive Restriction on Educational Improvement

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2 May 1996

John Stone

STONEJ@EDUSERV.EAST-TENN-ST.EDU

On May 2, 1996 (#2) Sherman Dorn wrote:

Educational researchers conduct surveys of principals and teachers all the time about such things, and it seems to me one could try to have a *rough* gauge of such influence. Having evidence of its influence back to the 1960s is what I doubt one could have. But that is what Stone is suggesting, and I doubt it is true. When reasonable people differ on questions like this, anecdotes are insufficient. One needs detailed case studies or broader evidence.

I will see if I can find some survey evidence. Surprisingly, I think I can produce a great deal in the way of neoprogressive exponents of developmentalism. The 1962 ASCD Yearbook "Perceiving, Behaving, and Becoming featured Abe Maslow, Earl Kelly, Art Combs, and Carl Rogers-- all claiming that the central purpose of schooling was the personal (i.e., psychological) development of the student. The 1972 ASCD yearbook edited by J.R. Squire is titled "A New Look at Progressive Education." It favored many of the same authors and presented approvingly most of the developmentalist concepts that underpinned the then discredited progressive education movement.