The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-10
EDUCATION AND SCIEN CE.
Address by Commissioner Eaton, at
Ocean Grove, N. j.
The Opening Sessions of the Chautauqua
Acknowledging Session of the Society
of American Baicroscopists.
EDUCATIONAL MATTERS
The Address of Commissioner Eaton on
Education as a National Benefit


Education a National Benefit
OCEAN GROVE, n. Y. Aug. 9.-At the edu-
cational convention, to-day, a number of ad
dresses were made. General Eaton, United
States Commissioner of Education, in the
course of his address said: ''The dangers of
war and the profits of peace have been teach
ing the nations of Europe the value OF edu-
cation as practical power in human life.
Prussia and the other German states first
made this discovery. The German sover-
eigns educate their people for personal ag-
grandizement, no doubt but the German re-
formers with higher motives, insisted that
the people should be educated for the better
protection of themselves, of society, the
church, ana the state. Carry out this prln-
ciple as thoroughly as it has been done in
North Germany, and neglect it, as Austria
has done, and Sadowa is the legitimate re-
suit of conflict when an army, containing
2H per cent of illiterates, beat an
army having II per cent. of ignorance.
Taught wisdom by her misfortunes,
Austria for several years, labored earnestly
for popular education, without however,
giving freedom of religious belief, and lately
has yielded to a reactionary impulse. France,
with its early schools and ardent acceptance
of new ideas, might have had an entirely
different and more glorious destiny if the
massacre of st. Bartholomew and the revoca-
ton of the edict of Nantes had not EXTERN
mated, expelled or suppressed the reforming
spirit. The culture of the people was
neglected, and the evils of the great revolu-
lion and the first empire were additional
postponements or perversions of national
culture, so that in spite of Cousin and
Guizot. the hour of doom came when the
educated German met at Sedan the French
army with its SO per cent. of illiterates. Re-
publican France has learned the lesson now,
and for a dozen years has not only paid off
the war debt, but has literally expended
money for schools of every grade.
Infants are systematically cared for, at
tendance on school has been made compul-
sorry, education is freed from all control save
that of the state, the better education of
girls begun, instructors for schools of all
grades have been sedulously trained, civic
and moral duties are firmly inculcated, free
dom of conscience has been given, and supe-
rior education has been fostered. The apos-
tie of popular instruction, Monsieur Jules
Ferry, declared publicly and emphatically
that democracy possessing only primary
schools is poor society and poor democ-
racy. Thus new ideal is becoming appar-
ent in France, and, through the school she
is trying to organize, regulate and make eff
cent the freedom she has gained"
Commissioner Eaton, in a similar vein,
discoursed OF other nations of Europe, and
continued: THE English colonies, some
before and others since the
action of England, established public schools,
universities and libraries. Among these the
province of Quebec is a noted example of the
backwardness of popular apathy, while the
province of Ontario equals any part OF the
world in its educational provisions, and its
normal school is the best equipped in Amer
lca."
The speaker then observed that even the
most advanced nations have vast necessities
yet to meet, and great opportunities for i'm
provement; that the quality of the education
determines mans improvement, especially
if aided by free thought, conscience and &C
ton; that the task of public education is
one too great for the church to undertake,
and that it is best for her to furnish high
motives for human action rather than at
tempt to work organizations, while yet its
efficiency as a spiritual guide is often i'm
paired by its neglect of vital precepts. The
llIlAl euOTtS Vi great moral movements ike
those of Luther and Wesley, is to be meas
ured by their educating power.
AT the opening session Today Rev. J. c.
Hartzell, assistant secretary OF the Church
Extension Society of the Methodist Episcopal
church, presided in the absence of Governor
Pattison, of Pennsylvania. who telegraphed
that the session of the Pennsylvania Legis-
lature detained him at Harrisburg E. H.
Stokes, D. D., president of the Ocean Grove
Association. welcomed the Assembly, and
DR.. Hartzell defined the purpose of the As
sembly. He said there was an educational
crisis in the nation We must have more
education, and it must be of the right quail
ity. This Assembly, he said, meant plat
form in America from which the united edu-
cational forces of all sections and ereeds
might direct public sentiment on the ednca-
tlonal work from a Christian standpoint.
Other organizations studied methods of gov
eminent or questions of exact science. This
Assembly proposed TO formulate a sentiment
that would check the tendency to take
church out of the schools.