Attitudes Toward the Mathematics Curriculum and Post‐war Planning*

Abstract

Five years ago alert teachers of mathematics were thinking about the role of their field in the preparation for a war which for us in the United States was then two years in In the early stages of the "national defense55 movement there was widespread recognition of the low level of achievement which seemed to characterize the majority of our students. There was also a tendency to say that boys in various branches of the military services needed "a course in algebra/5 or "a course in trigonometry,55 or some similar sort of "blanket55 prescription. Then, as the situation became urgent, the "refresher55 and other pre-induction courses took the spotlight. Later, as more of the time and the services of capable consultants on secondary mathematics were made available, the character of the authoritative recommendations changed. Reports and articles became increasingly definite concerning the kind of mathematics actually needed for specific purposes, so that today the minimum content is defined much more precisely than before.As planning for the post-war period comes to the focus of attention there is substantial agreement among the writers on several points. Especially significant is the current emphasis on the importance of having the student acquire a genuine understanding of the material. In the literature, at least, it seems to be recognized that "drill on the fundamentals55 is not the sole remedy for low achievement. The ends or goals to be sought, expressed in terms such as "mathematical literacy for all who

SSM legacy

“…Especially significant is the current emphasis on the importance of having the student acquire a genuine understanding of the material. (Hartung, 1945, p. 273) Carnahan (1945, pointed out, "We need more emphasis on understanding and less on mechanical manipulation" (p. 467).…”

“…Especially significant is the current emphasis on the importance of having the student acquire a genuine understanding of the material. (Hartung, 1945, p. 273)…”