A study of physical education in the non-graded program

In Greek mythology, we can read the story of the notorious character, Procrustes, When weary travelers stopped to find rest or shelter with Procrustes, he tied them to a bedstead. If It happened that the traveler was too short, Procrustes merely stretched him to a length equal to that of the bed. On the other hand, if the traveler was too long, Procrustes again made him fit by cutting off his limbs. Procrustes shaped both the short and tall until they were equally long and equally dead. (8 - 1) Several years ago the above passage was discovered in a text concerned v/ith a modern educational trend. In that particular context the passage was employed as an analogy to the situation existent in the graded form of education. This system traps many youngsters in a way analagous to the way in which Procrustes trapped the travelers. For each level there is a specified amount of material to be covered and hopefully absorbed. Those who are slow to learn are pulled and stretched, far beyond their maximum capabilities in many cases. On the other hand, those who are quick to learn must somehow be slowed down to the pace of their grade level. In either case the consequences are detrimental, If not severely, at least to the degree that the child has been forced into learning situations not in harmony with his individual rate of growth and development