New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-12-02
THE SOCIAL SCIENCE CONGRESS.


DRoETASr PAPERS READ 81 THE REV. MARK PAT
TisoN AID Mi. PoYNlER-raE MIDDLE cLAssEs
UpBluoED FOR ruEE LACK Or ARTISTIC cUL
TCEE AND NDHFERENCE TO UNIVERSITY EDU-
CATION.
fFBON Az OCCASIONAL COHnIsPoNDET or TiIH ItIBCNEI
LONDON, Oct. 2I.-TA8 Social Science Congress,
which this year sat AZ Liverpool, and which has this
week concluded It's Labor. has been rescued nom tho
reproach Of dullness Ly tvo papers. These, though
on totally different subjects and By men whose lines
Of travel are very widely apart, lead very much TO
the same goal if their conclusions are 20 be accepted
The Rev Mark Pattson the distinguished head Of
Lincoln College, Oxford, introduced the subject Of
education and Mr. R. j. Poynter, who is the present.
head Of the Art Department of South KcnsingtOu,
spoke Of the effect OF artistic culture the NATIONAL
life. Both Mr.. PattisOn and Mr.. POyuter have low
estimate of the culture and even Of the Intellectual
capac ty OF the great masses Of their countrymen,
and Dir. FalJi,On was not sparng IN the terms IN
which he spoke of It. As q foreign writer has re-
Gently called attention to what he considers tho
same state Of things among Americans, 1t may not
De unnteresUng TO follow and to consider what two
representative men here think Of their own country
men and countrywOmen.
First Of all. then In regard to Dir. Patti-on. Ho
spoke Of "Educaton,7 and treated his subject from
the most comprehensive point Of view 10 mere
essay on the primary school system, the term edu-
cation too often implies but a thorough pbOsophic
review of the highest effects and aims Of knOwl-
edge Mr. PattIsOn declared that the British middle
classes qroy up In wrcJched destitutOn Of al in
tellecrual u0urshment, that there Is an absence IN
all midd e-eass homes Of al intelligent interest aud
an incapacty for ideas. Their self-complacent ex-
istence is PASSED in az outcr darkness, while the IN
exhaust5a riches of the several worlds OF science OK
literature of poetry and art are unopened 20 them.
An increased and more general diffusion OF wealth
had made the absence of refinement among tho
middle classes more obtrusiye by contrast, and yes
all this was not owing 20 the schools, for the schools
would not be improved while the homes remain
what they are. The universities are neglected by
the middle classes. and only loose sort Of founda-
ton for knowledge is laid in inefficient schools
This deuuuciatiOn Is surely strong and sWeepnS
enough bat IL is not alleylated when one follows
Mr. Par-0n through the Of all tins lntellec-
tu3l darkness. Tho universities cOmp0ra-
lively deserted, not, he says because Jhey arc eA-
pen~Iye OK even eEJa'ag1ut, buJ IRE 81 ie calso
which operates among the lower classes ia inducing
them to keep their children lrO41 5chooi operates
with mdls-class parents IN regard TO sending their
Sous Co uuiy-rsity-they DO not see the good OF ~
The idea OF education If l0st ldea among tno
middle classes aud says bir Pattison: " lue MS
fortune Of our age and country Is not rs being over
rich hr+ its ignorance of how 10 employ its wealth.
The know ledge of the beautiful and the good when
it is the aim OF education 10 give y warning 10 vs.
and without q vision OF The beautiful! and ne good
6nowled-e of tle true and the iseldl Is an imp.i-
fpCt knowledge"
MIR. POINTER is not so strong in his language or
perhaps quite so c0ndemuatory IN his views Dut 10
- clearly ot opinion thai what Ar. fat lEoh caiis
the knowledge of the beautiful and the good -
grayely deficient at all events WITH the ORDINARY
rim Of u.nule and IN the L"tcCial Surroundings OF
everyday ife. In the race 10 make money which
charao5ciaes the present &c, be thinks al artistic
considerations have been sacrlhccd 10 those OK
utility. III uvenIenCc m any one shape and nigh
art come INFO collision IL is ere when has 20 go 20
the wall lir POyuter is great 9dnlref Oh 0tee1
art, but tho causes 81 rs in sJhuSIu can lever %
repeated In The worlds history ana nov Uths OK
its completeness is possible 90 day lhe arr or sol
ence of engineering l5 rec p'nsinie lor many on inc
'bideous ryesOres' which are inflicted on Cur " I'M
haDp,v cities That whole districts should be given
up ia large towns to desOlJ0u through the lnyas9n
al RAILWAYS and their appur-euances is unavoidable
under the present hapGaZlrt arrangements when
govern the growth OF che railway system but tha5
the few spots favored by pcturesq lencs OF group
ing or real architectural beauty should have Their
charm destroyed at one blow Dy the intrusion or
some IiI.lrs RAILWAY bridge OF station shows an
amount Of hoJTiesness on tie part Of the engineers
who construct them amt Oh the puuHc Wnlch per-
plif- thrw which would surprise u5 did We not
know that p large section OF the community admire
In their hearts what Is supposed TO be- me PRACTICAL
preference for utility over sentiment" NJ fOyAteF
r. iers TO several of the most Migrant instances IN
London Of the evil Of which be speaks To those
who know London and who can adsllre some Of lts
few brautirs these VIII suggest themselves. WI
only refer CO. one the blocking OF the view OF ~
PAUL. Cathedral from tire foot OF Ludeate nun 6y
the railway bridge which crosses the stsect, ana no
sprs only d very moderate quota OF tue NATIONAL
sentiment which was tle property " he ancient
t.r.. k-.t.0u would have prevented the possibility
of Inc erection of the bridge IN such spot.
OF these two speakers perhaps 1t j. hr Fattison
who has received the greater asugaJiOh-ptoDa'iy
because be struck the first blow that direction.
Yet thougu be has used many hard words toward
the laTu and possibly the predOnln &tng Class IN
English society, he has neither raised III leelng nor
produced a 1.-THE of his own enthusiasm Mr.. Patu-
sous views may be some what strained ana possibly
little pcd8utc, but there Is large back aground OF
truth They can scarcely be read a. an unbiased
opinion of The condition " the middle classes in This
country and / only augdg 10 them IN COnJuncuon
,yirh fue words of Air. Ioyuter 10 show that while
American life and the American people can Do
roughly handled by foreigners thoughtful aud rep
re-euraiye men over here are not altogether salts
lied with the condition Oh the old country ITSELF