ABSTRACT
The other day I had lunch with a graduate student from my Philosophy of Education course. This particular student has his bachelor’s degree in history and political science and is presently completing his initial certification in social studies. He will begin his first year teaching at a coeducational Catholic high school in an inner city setting. As we were discussing some points of John Dewey’s Pedagogical Creed, he pointed out what a life span John Dewey had from his birth in 1859 to his death in 1952. Just from the perspectives of wars, we identified that Dewey lived through the Civil War, the Spanish American War, World War I and II, and the Korean conflict. From the perspective of human development and innovation, Dewey’s life saw the advent of the telephone, car, airplane, and other modern appliances and conveniences, as well as the development of a variety of hair and clothing styles, including the bathing suit. I was more moved in this conversation about the reality that each of our lives spans a period of human history which has its affects and effects upon us during the period of our own personal history. It is this insight that moves me to reflect upon and share some of my own history with Catholic schools.
