National Integration though "Discipline" : Rethinking of W.C.Bagley's Theory about "School Discipline"

Abstract

"Discipline" was a key concept in W.C.Bagley's theory. For him, "school discipline" meant "self-government, " the art of government as "mental attitude" in a socialized "self." At the same time, "school discipline" enabled "self-government" to be compatible with the "exercise of individual freedom" in the context of "democratic government." Bagley asserted that "disciplined will" was a part of "national preparedness" and that national order was basically derived from school order. His theory of "nationalism" also had a "social" or "spiritual" nature as that of "school discipline." For Bagley, "discipline" had to be acquired with "intelligence." He demanded that the Americans should have "intelligent devotion" within the "duty of intelligence" and that through "discipline" with "intelligence, " people ought to be intelligent national agents for "democracy." He thought that America should become a "community of culture". By 1938, Bagley's theory, which related "discipline" to "democracy, " had gone through two steps. One was the integration of "discipline" and "freedom, " that is to say, "disciplined freedom." Only through "freedom" based upon "discipline" could "democracy" in America struggle against Fascism and Communism and attain "world dominance". The other step was Bagley's declaration of deep belief in "educability" and "humanity" brought by "disciplinary function." He had discussions with two famous psychologists in that period, C.C.Brigham and L.M.Terman. From the standpoint of an "anti-determinist, " he criticized their ideas as being a "sweeping denial of disciplinary functions." Through "educability" and "humanity, " he intended that "democracy" be realized with "collective supremacy of the common man" and "cultural integration." However, Bagley didn't refute the eugenic viewpoints of Brigham and Terman. He supported "cultural integration, " with which he tried to avoid the "plend of blood, " through education. In other words, he strongly supported the purity of "blood." His concepts of "democracy, " "freedom" and "humanity" weren't necessarily in conflict with his eugenic thought. In conclusion, Bagley's concept of "discipline" can be summarized as having the following four aspects. First, he used "discipline" to analyze the daily art of child government. Second, he adopted "self-government" or "self-control" as being the inner art of government. Third, he related the macro power, which formed modern nations through "democracy" to the micro and inner power of "self-government". Fourth, through "discipline, " Bagley illustrated not only the problems of power but also the problems of shared knowledge or intelligence.