Editorial: ECONOMIC EDUCATION

Author(s): H. B.
Source: Challenge, Vol. 12, No. 6, ECONOMIC EDUCATION (MARCH 1964)
Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd.
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40718814
Accessed: 27-09-2015 17:01 UTC

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lenge has a special interestin economics,and by associationin economiceducation,as well,our broaderpurpose is to viewthedynamicsof our societythroughthe
focalpointof a unique educationaleffort.
In addition to the opportunitythat this study of
economiceducationprovidesto takea closelook at our
world,it is well worthrepeatingwhateconomiceducaare alwayssayingto explain themselves:
torsthemselves
economiceducationis a seriousbusiness,and one that
used to be a time when the term"economic is importantto all Americans.This writerremembers
education" was unknowneven to those who had
well a discussiona fewyearsback betweena historian
workedin educationall theirlives. When this writer and an economist-turned-economic-educator.
The hisfirstheard the words "economiceducation" 14 years torianwas annoyedat what he consideredundue presago, he thought,perhapsbecause he was in an aca- sure from"organized"groups to introducemore ecodemic environment,that referencewas being made nomicsinto the high school curriculum.Not the least
to "inexpensive"education,"efficient"
education,or of his annoyancecould be tracedto the fact that the
was unusually economic education movementhad acquired sizable
educationwhose"returnon investment"
"What makesyou
high. Few people in educationtodaywould make the sumsof moneyto financeits efforts.
samemistake.There are evenmanyoutsidetheschools fellowsthinkthat economicsis more importantthan
of "economicedu- history,
who could now give a fairdefinition
or politicalscience?"The answer
or literature,
cation,"which is, of course,a tributeto the workof thehistoriangot was: "Because ignorancein economics
the economiceducatorswho want to increaseand im- hurtsmore."
of the
provethe studyof economicsat all levels of the eduUndoubtedlythis was an oversimplification
cationalprocess.
and
raisond'etreof theeconomiceducationmovement,
It should not be surprisingthat this publication, it said nothingof whytheproponentsof economiceduwhichdescribesitselfas a "magazineof economicaf- cationhave receivedmorefinancialsupportthan those
fairs,"is devotingan entireissueto theeconomiceduca- who would like to furtherthe cause of,say,musicedution movement.Challenge itselfis a child of that cation.This latterpointmakesa good storyon its own
movement.But quite apart fromthe ancestralconnec- count,whichis told elsewherein this issue.
tion,it appears to thoseof us who are responsiblefor
thepublicationof Challenge thatthereis moreto the
economiceducationmovementthan meetsthe eye of
onlookers,and of even some of thoseactivelyengaged
of theAmeritheeconomicunderstanding
in improving
can public.This specialissuehas not been preparedto
servethe needs of secondaryschool teachers,although oversimplificationor not, it is a factthat in today's
and pro- world, particularlyin American society, ignorance
as well as instructors
it is hoped thatteachers,
both
find
the
will
fessors,
stimulating about the economicfactsof lifedoes hurta greatdeal.
followingpages
and enlightening.Our purpose is to serve a broader And it hurtsin the one place wheremostAmericans
in the pocketbook.
audience,and we thinkwe have in economiceducation have a low thresholdof sensitivitybetween
economicsand
connection
the
To
be
sure,
a subjectthatwill challengetheintellectof an America
is
usual
household
the
and evaluation.
budget rarelyappreciatedby
quite accustomedto self-appraisal
Economiceducationhas becomea uniquelyAmerican mostcitizensof thisnation.But thereis a connection
as sure as the one that exists betweengross private
movement.There is nothinglike it anywhereelse in
and the bread and butterin the
the world.True, economicsis a prominentsubject of domesticinvestment
educatorcannot be faultedfor
The
economic
has
been
it
but
there
Iron
behind
the
Curtain,
pantry.
study
recastinto the political dogma of a monolithicstate assumingthat economicsmakes the world go 'round.
It does, because that is the way we like it.
mechanism.Nothinglike this fitsinto the desireand
Most economiceducatorswill grantthat a studyof
like
what
and
aimsof our economiceducators, nothing
no less todaythanit ever
in
other
exists
in
this
achieve
to
want
historyhas greatimportance,
country
they
the
other
for
did.
The
same
World.
Free
the
of
disciplines.The plain
goes
parts
a courseof studyin
as
economics
that
truth
different
however,
is,
is
there
distinctly
something
Apparently
diluted
in
the 20 years beso
became
about Americansocietywhichat once createsthe need our schools
II
that
it
no longercomWar
World
fore
and
as
the
for an economiceducationmovement,as well
during
in spite of
and
this
once
it
mands
attention
the
is
Much
of
this
did,
has
taken.
formthat the movement
made explicitin the articlesthroughoutthis issue of the economic forcesthat have been predominantin
and
Challenge. Implicitare the failuresand the successes shapingthepostwarworld.A curiouscontradiction,
one at that.-H. B.
an unfortunate
thatmake the nation what it is. Thus, thoughChal-

Editorial

ECONOMIC
EDUCATION

... anditssignificance

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