Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-25
CULTURE FOR THE MASSES.

must be the work Of those who have the
elevation of their community at heart, AMI
the leisure to make personal appeals to
benevolent people for their interest ana
support. Not only must there be a lecturer,
but he must have place in which to speak,
well located and sufficiently commodious
for the audience. The sort of audience
mostly desired is not the fashionable ele-
ment which would patronize it only for
amusement, and who have time and leisure
for their selfimprovement, if they desire it;
the classes that the movement is really in
tended for are those of our public school
teachers, who desire some incentive to get
out of the rut that they so easily fall into:
for men and women who feel their short
comings in the mental field and would like
to improve themselves, if they only knew
how to occupy their little leisure to better
advantage; in short, for all who believe that
intellectual and spiritual things are higher
and better than material, and want some
help and direction toward acquiring them.
Funds Must he Forthcoming.
ALL this cannot be done without the
aid of money; and there must be local
committee to collect a guarantee fund, to
get the use of an appropriate hall, to adver-
tise the movement, not only in the press,
but personally in the schools, the stores,
the workshops. Not the least important
duty of this committee is the choice Of a
lecturer or lecturers and the themes to be
treated. In every community national
history and Institutions should be .taught;
then other topics, according to the taste
and employments of the people. 1t cannot
be too strongly emphasized that this move
ment is primarily intended for the eleva-
tion of the people at large, and not for those
who have time and money to secure culture
in the ordinary ways. Accordingly it ought
nay for itself; and if it is taken in hand by
Pittsburg, as We sincerely hope it will be,
let it be with the idea that the wealthy will
pay for the instruction of the poor, not how
ever. by giving the lectures absolutely tree,
but at such price that the cost of ticket
for tine course will be within the means of
all. Let each manufacturer and each en-
plOyer of labor do something to enable those
under him to acquire some healthful knowl
edge and receive the incentive to spend his
leisure hours profitably. 1t will be bread
cast upon the waters, which will surely
return, though it may be after many days.
Mr.. John Morley has well said: "What we
see every day with increasing clearness is
that not only the well being of the many,
but the chances of the exceptional genius,
moral or intellectual, in the gifted few, are
highest in a society where the average in
terest, curiosity, capacity, are all highest"
Let this be borne in mind by those who
have any means to spare, and they will see
that in helping others to rise in the intel
lectual scale they are indeed improving their
own surroundin- 8, just as much as when
they plant flowers and tend the grass plat
in front of their own doors.
Personal Influence Important.
IN previous article the work of the
"class' was spoken of and It's Importance
limited at. Here also the committee can do
most important work, in using personal in
fuence with men and women and thus en-
cvin 1at To tuIx n tOrr
selves to express their ideas, both in con-
versation during the class and by preparing
written papers on some topic connected
with the course of lectures. The generality
of people have no idea how much more in.
teresting subject becomes when they are
able to expounj 1t to another. and the reflex
action thereof is most valuable for the one
attempting it. Then, too. the committee
can be OF great service in getting together
the best books on the subject of the lecture
ing them to interested individuals, or hav
ing them open for reference at stated times
to all comers. In England many reading
clubs have been formed in connection with
University Extension, and in them the SUBJ
ject of lecture course continued to be
studied over summer and until new course
was delivered in the autumn. There is no
doubt as to the value of such work; and the
local committee can, by furthering it. be-
come real power for good in the commu-
nifty.
plan for the issuing of graded certif1cat tes for
work done in connection with University
Extension. and hope to have the recognition
of leading colleges as to their vslue. There
will thus he added the incentive of ambition
to the desire of gaining culture, as these cer-
tificates will doubtless prove an object of de-
sire, just as the diploma of our High School
or the Western University is an object of
pride to him who has won it by hard and
honest work. The closing days of the pres
ent month are expected to witness great
r. @F D1,sl,r rol
phia. all interested in the work of University
Extension. Five hundred delegates from all
parts of the Union and from Canada will
probably assemble, and the work receive
sure great broadening in its field Of activ
ity in the near future.
This Is Splendid Field.
ALLEGHENY COUNTY is wealthy and
energetic and has a vast working popula-
tion, many members of which would gladly
embrace an opportunity for self-help in the
acquisition of healthful knowledge. The
Academy of Science and Art, the Carnegie
Library of Allegheny, the Western Univer-
sity, the High Schools of both cities, all
would be good centers for the spread OF a
higher knowledge ana could become CEN
ters of new power and good in the COM
existing organizations for charity, could
lend helping hand and do work that
would be charity of the truest kind;for what
charity can be better than helping men and
life? A republic, of all forms of govern
ment, has most need OF intelligence in its
people, and one of the noblest fruits of pa
triotism would be to help along the intel
lectual enlightenment of those about us.
Every one can.do something, and by the aid
of many hands the work will be lighter for
EACH "What we can do" said the author
above quoted, ''is by diligently using our
m IilluantlV extend
our own opportunities to others, to help to
swell that common tide on the force and the
set of whose currents depends the pros
porous voyaging OF humanity"
THE DISPATCH has brought this matter of
University Extension before the COM
and it remains for our progressive
citizens to take the matter in hand and
organize centers for the instruction of our
people. We have able men in our midst,
who have already done much to popularize
knowledge among us, and have in many
cases given their time and knowledge gratis.
But the time has come when such instruc-
tion should be systematized: and when the
workers should receive the reward of their
labors. Brain work is paid little enough at
best among US; and it is asking too much to
expect men of hard work and little pay, to
give the best product of their brains for
nothing. We trust that the community will
appreciation of higher things, BY inausurat-
ing and carrying on this movement, which
is capable of doing SO much for the improve
ment of our sister cities.
The American Society for the Extension
of University Teaching has on hand a large
number of syllabi of courses of lectures
which they are prepared to offer. The office
OF the society is 1902 Chestnut street. Phila-
address its Secretary, Mr.. George Hender-
son there.
Chicago's Temperance sanitarium.
CHICAGO, Dec. PA sanitarium for the