The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-13

That the question, What is education
should be urged and debated upon all sides. Ia
asiRntfcant omen OF disturbance and OF changes
and not only the academi 81 curriculum but the
political and social structure may be profoundly
affected by the final and decisive answer. The
old processes Of intellectual training are dis
credited. their aims viewed with misgving. and
their fundamental principles subjected to sharp
scrutiny. But while we can perceive how much
must be abandoned. we know not yet what shall
take its place Nor is the problem as we have
limited. limited to the evolution OF the mental fac
uties in the direction ofthe amplest fruit and the
least waste but Its solution bears directly on the
expediency. II not the feasibility of reconstruct
ing the social framework. IT, as under the old
theories. large amount OF leisure il inds-
pensable to education. then the dislocation of
the present relations between capital and labor
will scarcely commend itself to the disciplined
and sagacious ntellects OF a community; for a
system which denies leisure will seem to hold
the germ OF barharism But Is the fscund and
harmonious development Of the brain incom-
patible with productive labor2 Is there not such
thing. in other words. as education by work.
1t is obvious that this inquiry goes to the root
OF the whole matter. and that an affirmative
answer might 20 far to sweep away the ago long
distinction between Plato's guardians and
workmen. between the creators and the de-
positors OF capital, between the functions OF
production and OF regulation In common
wealth. There Is no subject. therefore. OF more
comprehensive and urgent import than the in
vcstigation into the true basis. object and pro-
cesses Of education-than the query how far it is
possible TO substitute for mass OF arbitrary
rules and empirical appliances a body OF simple
formulas deduced from established principles
| In accordance with the scientific method.
| 1t il this wide and interesting question which
| Or. ALEXANDER Balm has undertaken to an
swer in his work Education as a Science issued
| by the Appetons as the latest volume In their
International Scientific Series. In this treatise
! the author examines first the psychological in
| quiry touching the true order to be followed In
the unfolding OF the faculties. and the amount
OF influence that should DO conceded to that
| order in the arrangement OF studies. In the
next place he considers what may be called the
| logical or analytical branch OF the problem.
namely. the natural sequence that 10 found to
grow out Of the interdependence OF the subjects
themselves. Having thus set his compass. as 1t
were, by dsposing Of these preliminary mat
| ters. the writer enters upon the practical Ques-
ton Of knowledge teaching. And in this part
OF the book. the so-caled obiect-lesson receives
a careful handling while the specific methods
applicable TO geography. history. and the ac-
! duirement OF languages are minutey canvassed.
In connection with these topics an investiga-
ton is made into the worth OF the various sub
| jects embraced in the normal routine OF in
struction. and in this sppraisemsnt OF educa-
ton values a chapter is assigned to an estimate
| OF the utility OF Latin and Greek at the present
| day. We may add that the scope Of the inquiry
| includes some discussion OF moral education.
as well as OF art teaching. with = special en-
deavor to clear away some prevailing miscon-
ceptions concerning the relationship OF art and
morality.
II is clear that the FIRST step toward iormulat
ing the true work OF the school should DO a
definition Of education. Yet both students and
organizers Of educational schemes have often
failed to hit upon terms sufficiently narrow and
precise. For example the ideal announced by
the founders OF the Prussian national system
was the harmonious and equable evolution Of
the human powers "a definition levelled at
the one-sidedness which cramped tuitional
methods at the beginning Of this century. But
such theory Of education plainly does not
accommodate itself to some OF the most import
ant conditions OF the problem. such. for in
stance. AS the superior aptitude OF individuals
for some things rather than for others: the
advantage to society Of prominent fitness for
special functions although gained by one
sided development; and what ought still less TO
be overlooked the practical limitations on the
poMcl VI NV tuuNhApA NhlNh AAuppHo Nho hSSSo-
sity OF selection according TO relative import
ance. The same fault OF over-Rrasp is noted in
the we-known formula propounded by James
Mill In whose view the end OF education was to
render the individual as much as possible an
instrument OF happiness. first TO himself and
next TO other beings. Obviously this statement
OF the case offers few distinct suggestions TO the
average schoolmAster. and DR.. Balm suggests
that 1t should DO given as an amended answer
to the first question OF the Westminster cate
chism. What is the chief end OF man The
Younger Mill has offered two definitions hut
there is want OF delniteness and adaptation
to practice in even his narrower formula.
namely. the culture which each generation
purposely gives to those who are to be It's sue
cessors in order TO qualify them for at least
keeping up and II possible for raising the inn
provement which has been attained" DR., Balm
considers Spencer's coupling OF the art OF
health with education as an inadvertence. be-
cause the discussion Of the former subject does
not in any way help US In educational matters.
OF course the fact Of bodily health is a leading
postulate in mental training. but the trainer
cannot take upon himself to lay down the rules
Of hygiene. The author Of this work. on the
other hand, excludes from the schoolmaster's
task all matters belonging to wider departments
OF human conduct, and concentrates his view
quired intellectual powers Of human be-
ings. According to his formula. edu-
cation In the Ineligible. practicable
sense would not embrace the employment
Of all our intellectual functions there being a
different art for directing the faculties In pro-
ductiys labor. as. for example. in the proies-
sions in the original investigations Of the man
Of science. In the creations Of the artist. In his
Judgment the first and central fact TO be con-
tenn plated In defining the exact scope and pur-
pose Of the schoomasters labors Is not the Gre
alive. but the plastic property OF the human
mind. On this depends the attainment not
simply OF knowledge. but OF everything that can
DO called an acquisition. No doubt the most
patent display OF the property In question con-
sists in memory for knowledge impaired. In
the view, therefore. taken by this treatise the
loading subjective inquiry In the art OF educa-
ton Is how TO strengthen memory, although the
writer Is constrained TO scrutlnlze with the ut
most care all the mental apttudes that indl-
rectly enter into the retentive function. From
a cursory glance at this definition 1t might be
supposed that the author would support the old
scholastic methods OF tuition. II IL Just be-