1955. Nila B. Smith, professor of education at New York University wrote the following excerpt published in the NEA Journal, “In the future, reading instruction must concern itself with much more than pedagogy. It must mesh more directly with the gears of vital social problems.” The purpose of reading is to solve social problems? No, learning to read should stand on its own legs for the singular purpose of developing literate individuals. Literate adult citizens can then determine for themselves what societal problems need to be addressed and how best to tackle them.
