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Richard Thomas Alexander (1887-1971) was an American educator and influential education theorist. An early proponent of the progressive education movement of John Dewey, Alexander was the driving force behind the creation of the New College, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York.〔George W. Lucero, (2009) "New College, A Demonstration Experimental Teachers College" doctoral dissertation (Normal, IL:Illinois State University), http://proquest.umi.com/pqdlink?Ver=1&Exp=04-03-2017&FMT=7&DID=2128966761&RQT=309&attempt=1&cfc=1〕 He was its chairman from 1932-1938. Alexander was described by his contemporaries as a hard-working, pragmatic man and a common sense academic with a genius for organization and a love of education.〔Goodwin Watson, “Utopia and Rebellion: the New College Experiment” In M. Miles (ed.) Innovation in Education. (New York, NY: Teachers College, Columbia University, 1964)〕 ==Early life (1887-1913)== Richard Alexander was born on July 3, 1887, in Smicksburg, Pennsylvania, to Mary Elizabeth Wilhelm Alexander and William John Alexander, one of four children. He had two older brothers, John Wilhelm Alexander and Wallace P. Alexander, and a younger sister, Ethel M. Alexander.〔 A move to Kirksville, Missouri was precipitated by a tenuous family situation that led to the separation of young Thomas's parents when he was very young. William John Alexander, who was at one time President of Beaver College (now Arcadia University) in Beaver, Pennsylvania, ended up in San Francisco, California, where he died in 1926. The relationship Richard Alexander had with is father is not known, as there was little contact between them. By the age of 14, he was enrolled in the Kirksville Public School system graduating from Kirksville Public High School at the age of 16 in 1903. He attended the First District Normal School (later, Truman State University) in Kirksville, graduating with a Bachelor of Pedagogy (Pd.B.) in 1905 and later receiving a Master of Pedagogy (M.Pd) in 1907. While working on his master's degree, he taught in Kirksville, rising to the role of principal by 1906.〔Thomas Alexander is listed in the 1906 Kirksville City Directory as the principal of Willard Public School.〕 Alexander applied to the University of Missouri only to find disappointment when he was told he would not be given credit for the work he had done at the normal school. Alexander started Columbia University studying German on September 25, 1907 on a trial basis. Coming from a rural setting, Alexander did not let himself be bored in the big city. He obtained employment during the week downtown as an usher in the theater district, including the Metropolitan Opera House. It was very good pay, however most of the performances were at night which ordinarily might interfere with studies. Alexander sensibly saw an advantage to the situation. Reminiscing years later to his son, Alexander said there wasn’t much work to do as an usher.〔George W. Lucero (2012). ''The Cultured and Competent Teacher, the Story of New College'', manuscript/dissertation, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, http://proquest.umi.com/pqdlink?Ver=1&Exp=04-03-2017&FMT=7&DID=2128966761&RQT=309&attempt=1&cfc=1〕 He went down to the theater every night at a certain time, showed people to their seats, and after the first act started, he was basically finished. After seeing the show a few times he then took a book to study and read. Later in his life he would tell students that if you must get a job, try to get one where you would have the opportunity to learn something. Alexander knew that every experience could be a learning moment. In finding employment, even part-time, one should seek a position where the brain is challenged rather than numbed in robotic drudgery. Alexander always advocated pedagogy of “lifelong learning” and lived it as an example of a positive life choice. After receiving the undergraduate credit he sought, Alexander applied and received a year’s leave of absence to spend the 1908-1909 school year teaching overseas and studying German at the University of Jena with Professor Wilhelm Rein. He had obtained employment teaching science at Robert College, a boy’s school in Constantinople, Turkey, until the Adana Massacre〔American victims of Turkish riots. (1909, April 17). New York Times, p. 5.〕 prompted him to Germany.〔 Returning to New York, Alexander completed all the academic requirements to graduate in 1909, but had to wait until, 1910, to receive his A.B. diploma because of a certain physical education requirement. Alexander needed to demonstrate his ability to swim the length of a pool and receive a certificate of completion. It was not that he did not know how to swim; he just thought the requirement was silly and so he put it off until it was too late to register for the 1909 commencement.〔 This event caused Alexander to think that there was something seriously wrong with an education curriculum that was so structured. The philosopher Dr. Mortimer J. Adler suffered a similar fate as he failed to pass the required swimming test for a bachelor's degree at Columbia College. Like Alexander, he considered it a nuisance. Adler never received his A.B. degree, but so impressed the faculty he was allowed into graduate school to complete his doctorate in psychiatry. Dr. Adler later received his A. B. degree in 1983.〔For 7,300 at Columbia, a day full of Balloons and Diplomas,” New York Times (1983, May 18) p. B1〕 Alexander accepted a position teaching science at Heathcote School(also known as Heathcote Hall) in Harrison, Westchester County, New York, about twenty-five miles north from Manhattan. This was a private boarding school for young boys. During the summer break Alexander returned to Europe to continue his graduate studies. At Columbia University he skipped the desire to complete a master’s program and registered as a doctoral student with Dr. Paul Monroe during which time he was also a graduate assistant to Dr. Edward L. Thorndike.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Richard Thomas Alexander」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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