Content area
Abstract
Essential to a democratic form of government Is an Informed citizenry* The increasing complexity of society, the current world struggle between the ideologies of communism and democracy, the role of the United States as a world leader, and the necessity of seeking solutions to current problems of great magnitude necessitate a competence in civic affairs of the highest order on the part of the people of the United States* The very survival of our way of life depends upon the ability of citizens to meet and solve the problems of current society* To a large degree, the responsibility for formal education for citizenship rests upon the schools of the nation - elementary, secondary, and institutions of higher education* However, the major responsibility must rest with the elementary and secondary education since a large number of individuals do not continue their education past the twelfth year* Within the curriculum of the secondary school, the social studies program, by its very nature of content, must bear much of the responsibility for educating for civic competence* As one author sees it, Although certainly other areas of the curriculum make important contributions to education for democratic citizenship, the social studies forms the basic core of that education.
