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How is it that we in America have begun to lose this freedom, and how can we regain it forour nation's youth? I believe it has started slipping away from us because of three misunderstandings.
为什么我们在美国会开始失去这一自由呢？我们怎样才能为我国的青年重新获得这一自由呢？我认为这一自由之所以开始从我们身边悄悄溜走是因为存在着以下三种误解。
First, the misunderstanding of the meaning of democracy. The principal of a great Philadelphia high school is driven to cry for help in combating the notion that it is undemocratic to runa special program of studies for outstanding boys and girls. Again, when a good independent school in Memphis recently closed, some thoughtful citizens urged that it be taken over by the public school system and used for boys and girls of high ability, that it have entrance requirements and give an advanced program of studies to superior students who were interested and able to take it. The proposal was rejected because it was undemocratic! Thus, courses are geared to the middle of the class. The good student is unchallenged, bored. The loafer receives his passing grade. And the lack of an outstanding course for the outstanding student, the lack of a standard which a boy or girl must meet, passes for democracy.
第一种误解是对民主含义的误解。费城的一所名牌中学为一些出类拔萃的学生实施一份特殊的教学大纲竟被视为不民主，结果校长被迫大声疾呼，要求人们一起来与这种观念作斗争。又如，当孟菲斯的一所很好的私立学校不久前停办时，一些有识之士极力主张公立学校系统接管该校，从而培养才智高的学生；他们还主张该校要规定入学要求，为有兴趣又有接受能力的优秀学生制订高标准的教学大纲。这一提议竟遭到拒绝，理由是这样做不民主！这样一来，各门课程都去适应班上的中等水平。好学生受不到挑战，对学习感到厌倦。懒散的学生却能混得到及格的分数。没有为优秀学生开设的高水平课程，没有一个所有学生都必须达到的标准，反而被认为是民主。
