Realism as an educational philosophy has long been with us in one way or another but it tends to assert itself most in times of turmoil. It is almost as if we have other educational philosophies when we can afford them, but realism is a necessity. The claim is that we will always have some need for basic factual data and subjects like reading, writing, and arithmetic. This tendency seemed to be pointed up particularly when the Soviets launched the first satellite. Many people believed our second-place technical position in this respect was due in large measure to the schools, which were not teaching enough basic subject matter, particularly in the areas of science and mathematics Rickover pointed to the dearth of competent scientists in this country as compared with the Soviet Union. He also praised Swiss education for its adherence to basics and believed that the American system should do likewise. He laid much of the blame for our lack of technical know-how and creativity at the door of John Dewey and the progressives who were promoting an education that Rickover thought was not only superficial but actually dangerous in terms of our survival. An even more caustic critic was Max Rafferty, whose Suffer Little Children was an extremely popular book, and who believed that basic subject matter and other staples of American education, such as a concern for religion, patriotism, and capitalism, were being neglected.