Show t r 11 r i 4 sli I THEs OF ED EDUCATIONS D oa 02 oD d 3 y AFI t ff l V I We e H car V much l h hd day to-day y about practical ed edca education ca o W C Car are told t d' d that it itis is useless l and worse worse to to td devote ones one time and strength to the excavation of Greek roots t to the minute study of ol old and dead literatures and to the thoughts of men men t who who o died centuries centuri s ago We should it lis' lis is Said turn our attention to science it to the acquisition of useful knowledge and acquire such a training as will fit fitus us s to answer the demands of modern life ife What is the use of c cooping young men men and women up up in college and ann seminary for from four to seven ears years and then turning them loose on on the community ty with only flown high flown ideas of art rt of bf of dead languages of worn out thoughts mixed with a large proportion n of conceit and a c conviction that that they are bet better er than the their r fellows and deserve to to take a higher rank in society Better educate them to keep leep books to d dig g mines nines to assist in the material development of civilization Give them them a a practical 1 education which they can turn into bread and butter into stocks and corner torner lots lots' No Monkish life for our young men and women of day to-day say these advocates of what th they y call pr practical education these would would be be reformers reformers reform reform- ers ers of universities many many of whom have never seen the inside of a school above the grammar grade i men who love to style themselves self j It Itis is time we are told that we should abandon the old notion that ideas are are re the important things thinKs in life and learn that facts are the great and only valuable realities The f finger nger of scorn is p pointed at the old-fashioned old training training train train- i ing g which was given to our fathers who managed to make a mark in the world in spite of the load of Greek roots w which hid they carried on their backs EThe The Th study of the humanities as they were called which aimed to train men mento to to id ideas as and to sympathy with the best ancient and modern thought is con con- The Philistine has has' invaded the camp of the classics and would fain banish b nish from the earth the study of ancient literature and philosophy For of what earthly use can a a knowledge of Homer or of Greek tragedy of Virgil or or of early English or German poetry be to a man in his struggle for daily bread Give us men who can open mines bu build d railroads operate steamship lines construct elevators and erect factories Business is the chief end of men meri therefore let our colleges and universities train our you young g men and women women s so so that th they y may successfully engage in iri the material pursuits of life Fit them t to get money for the then they will have atta attained ed the end and aim of existence If these are not the words yet this is the spirit of much of the opposition to to t and criticism of education to today Practical l education in the minds of some of its ardent advocates seems to 10 mean a knowledge of facts and such ability to to use them as will enable a man or woman to earn money for is not noth h money money ney the greatest thing in the world Give us not not th theory ory but facts is the cry ry Not ideas but deeds are want not book learning but a knowledge knowl knowledge know- know ledge l dge of every day life not an acquaintance with the dead past but an in inmate intimate intimate in- in mate knowledge of the throbbing present Keep no company with dead men men but hut mingle with the living t throng on i the street and in the market place Not N t the study but the counting room counting r n not the library but the stock-exchange stock not t the room class-room but the mine the railroad and the office is the place for forit it r 1 I j. j c. c I J. J j Ii J i O V F the h. h YO youth of today d Let us examine a i t this s P position i i l a little W We are r to g get t j 1 facts facts facts- w we are r told Very e 1 well Y p. p let ois Js ha have e them em the more more the better tetter ett r The Theman man who today is a radical conservative radical conservative n t ve 1 ii in hi t ed education ion if f w we we may ay use use e the w word word rd is the he man who knows no s the p past past t and d its s wp worth th arid and who desires t to conserve conserve Ve what hat good it contains contains and who y yet t is is' in jn touch ouch with the life of the pr present se What at does such a m man man n see e 1 He e scans cans the lii history tory of the world he noles notes ot s the progress of mankind he observes the d development nt of civilization ti n arid and nd he perceives that not dead bare fa facts ts are and have been the rulers of hum human n destiny es ny but butth th that t all the p progress S of f the race race rac has come ome come through ideas Not material t rial fa facts t but bu ideas are re ih the springs of f fac ac action on Not ot steam and electricity ity mighty as they are but ideas 64 Th Thoughts that wake to perish never are the springs of evolution the movers moyers of civilization th the redeemers of mankind Not the isolated fact fact as a bare brute reality realty but the the fact as interpreted as related to other f facts as as co o with with a system stem is important Not the the Am American rican Revolution as as a brute conflict of arms but the American merican Revolution Revolution ti tion n as the expression of a tl thought t as a a a struggle for i the e realization realization of f the idea a of pf liberty has a never never-en never ending li g i importance ance in t the e history of the world Not N Not t the fact itself but the sig significance of pf that fact in the development of humanity n ty tyis is what interests us It Itis is the Rev Revolution in its results co- co coordinated co with facts ts and interpreted by th them m which gives ives it its importance in human history y It is not the isolated facts of f science but these same facts in relation to I r i others hers as s interpreted as theorized as s arr arranged int into a system which which are i im important im i'm- port nt and worthy of attention sot N Not Qt st steam am as issuing from t the the e nozzle of a a tea kettle k ea-k but as imprisoned in the cylinder anc and m made de to to serve man is cant cant Not electricity y as sparkling on a cats cat's back but as chained ned to f th the e telegraph the telephone and the electric light and so made a servant of ma mari mari- man man- kind is important The matel material ial appliances of modern civilization so so oft often 1 the subject of eulogy and md boast are are if isolated from the pro profounder founder relations relations s of life of little value It is only as they serve erve serve f for r the he dissemination of ideas ideas' s 11 for the dispelling of darkness for the increase of opportunity for the culture culture r of mind heart and will that they are valuable i Thus we find ourselves brought back to the old position that not facts f but ideas are th the re really lly valuable elements of f life Here arises again the ques question on what is the aim of education if it be not the mere acquisition of off f facts and the ability to win money money and material advantages but the interpretation interpretation tation and ordination co-ordination of facts in the service of other than material matters matters' I answer that the one broad and inclusive all aim of education is to produce men and women not machines which are fitted fitted- to turn out bread butter butte stocks and factories s. s By pra practical tic il education tion as it is is s' s commonly understood is wi make T This is is well but ut if meant such a training a as will I fit a man to ma e a living it fits him to do nothing more it has ha rendered him a sorry service If i in fitting him to d dig g a mine or r b build a railroad railroad it t does oes not als also make him a a man man with th broader mind clearer clearer thoughts a a more gener generous us spirit a larg larger r sympathy with his hi's men fellow if it it it'd d does es n not t give him a love for honesty conscientiousness conscientious conscientious- u ness ss in his wor work a firm mor moral l purpose e and nd a h hearty art appreciation tion of f righteousness righteousness righteous righteous- sess s- s ness ness ess in in hims himself If and and others other a a a- a broader view view jie of and n a deeper deepe sympathy y pat y with Ii v j 1 1 i a V 11 Vall T t or I a all l that is el elevating va t true e and manly then it has failed in the most imp important tant points points' Technical l' l schools are good if in addition to their mechanical appliances they train the mind cultivate the moral nature and deepen the love for goodness and truth If th they y fail in these respects their other training is of f doubtful utility If they turn out machines for the production of material materi l lr r wealth and fail to produce men for the advancement of society they have signed their own warrant warrant of condemnation The true aim of education then is to produce men and wo women en of cle clear r intellect responsive heart and cultured will who make their business or professions professions pro pro- the means not merely of gaining a livelihood but of serving the moral interests of themselves and of society Hence technical and special education is to be supported for thus men are trained to such callings as bring them into contact with the toiling millions and affords them an opportunity to know and relieve the needs of their less- less t fortunate brothers So too th the study of science of literature of language of history art art philosophy and theology is to be fostered for all these branches of learning bring the mind into contact with other minds They enlarge the horizon broaden the sympathies and if right rightly y pursued train the will to to- righteousness and the life to gracious helpfulness Universities and other institutions are aie est established that the beneficent and elevating influences of art science science literature and philosophy may be thrown around the young so that when the mind is pliable it may be given such a as s direction as will enable it in after TearS to grow in in the ways of beauty and Ito to bear the fruits of truth honor and honesty The university aims to so educe and train the powers of body mind and heart that all subsequent life may be bean bean an education and a school for foi the learning and teaching of lessons of fidelity of purity clear thinking sympathetic and just feeling strong and virtuous n action All life then becomes an education and we may sum up the whole matter in the words of Browning I count life just a stuff to try the souls soul's strength on educe the man 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