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Show H CULTURE . B 'j It is culture which gives character, in- H M tellectual and spiritual atmosphere to a B man or woman. The Danes attached the B j greatest importance to this. The founder H v ' of their high school system realized that B " it is of the first importance to make a H l man a good human being, more import- m j ant even than it is to make him an effi- H , cient business man-or to equip him with B ,. scientific knowledge. Therefore as the h. j center of that education Danes werfc H a 1 taught the history and literature of Den- H ' ! mark, the story of their national heroes, I H the poetry, folk songs and music which B J were "peculiar to their dountry? together H , i with a survey of, world history; in fact, H f ' they imparted a culture, a knowledge of H ') the best which had been thought or done H l by Danes. The children at our national H schools are laying the foundations for ac- H j I quiring knowledge rather than acquiring H l culture, an economic policy qr scientific H f. education. They are too youjng to com- H j preliend all that is in volved 'in the idea " H h of a national culture. An Irish rural uni- HJVi versity would impart to its pupils a H : knowledge of Irish literature,!the legend- H : i ary history, the story of national heroes, M ! j ajl noble deeds, all exaltation of mind M J manifesting itself )n poeti, music, song, H t ' ol; action. We were made by that past; iH I we are the inheritors of it. But all that H vast literature and tradition is today al- H j most unknown to Irish people. Its beau- H a ties are only known to scholars. Yet H til generation after generation of our an- H i testors had dreams of beatuy, sacrificed !H y themselves for causes, did memorable iH n tilings and they were recorded, but that I record is little known. The music is ex- traordinary in its appeal, but it also is M !known but to few. Without a culture of '. 1 some kind a man is spiritually a boor. H ; I He may be an efficient worker at his H , ff "business, but he will make any educated l j t person feel that behind his business effi-HS effi-HS g ' ciency his soul is empty and he is hardly n 1 more than an intellectual animal. One of Hl the aims, the central aim, indeed, of an B 4 i Irish peasant university should be to give Hil I access to that vast treasure house of Irish Hi I tradition, song, story and music to every H jj person enrolled as a pupil.--The Irish B I i Homestead. |