The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-03-26

gerous example to the community. Yet
we are sometimes forced to recognize the
educational value of other agencies.
When we look at the type of manhood
produced early in the history OF our
country, when the college represented
the high school standard Of today, it
gives us pause What has our modern
system to show AS results compared
with the career of Washington, Franklin,
Hamilton and Jefferson? Two of these
men never entered college; one held the
Office of secretary of State, another wrote
the Declaration of Independence, at
thirty three-an age when our young
men are just settling in life. Work as
one of a community is great educa-
tional force. Don't read books" said
the orator "read men!"
The standard of morals and manners
is discouragingly low in our colleges,
as every football match and boat race
evidences. Why is this? Because the
boy has never known any tests but in
tellectual ones. He has never been
taught to ask himself whether year by
year he has advanced in notions of honor
as well as of algebra, whether he has
made progress in knowledge OF MS
rights and duties as member OF the
family and the State, or in that carriage
of mind and body which we call man
ners. Competition is confined to intel
lectual and athletic achievement. There
is no ethical stimulus. A student
deemed too young to conduct a course OF
study alone, and whom no one would
dream of leaving to himself Tor the
physical training before boat race, IS
left absolutely to himself as to the regu-
lation of conduct, SO long as he Keeps
out of the police station. This is not a
plea for supervision, but for some KIND
of stimulus, some strong personal 1nf1u-
ences toward right living, such as Ar
mold supplied at Rugby and Phillips
Brooks at acknowledgements magnetism
making for righteousness.
The simplifcation of study would
leave more time for this personal con-
tact, and also for the consideration of
questions of public ethics. which in our
time SO deeply need the influence OF
educated men and women.
The present system of education bears
harder on women than on men, from
Kindergarten to college. The boy has
vigorous vitality, which constantly
fights against his letters. The girl is
more sensitive, physically and mentally,
and more influenced by desire for appro-
baton. The discipline of school and col
lege life is quite as necessary to her as
to her brother, but she is less able to
be hurried or worried. "Then," say the
teachers, Hlet her take more time" This,
of course, has the effect of postponlng
marriage, and introduces problems OF
the most serious nature. Putting aside
all questions of the effect on public NOR
atty, the fact remains that the older
two people are at the time of marriage
the more difficult they find it to adjust
their temperaments to one another.
Habits are more fixed, character more
rigid. Ii children are born of late
marriage they are SO far removed in age
from the parents that there can be little
cvpo pathv and nutJlhi understanding.
That family life approaches most nearly
to the ideal where che interests are in
common and the education of all is go
ing on at the same time.
This we are more apt to secure by
lowering than by raising the college
an earlier independence for men, and
earlier marriage for both men and
women. We shall hardly lose in higher
scholarship if we follow the example of
Germany and separate the college from
the university, throwing open every
avenue to higher culture to those who
can devote more time TO it's pursuit,
but granting the degree of Bachelor of
Arts to those men ana women who have
mastered a course of study such AS
could be finished by the average student
at twenty, a course which should repre-
sent the rudimenTs mastered. the classics
famiIiarized and the love of study Inn
planted. The pessimistic philosopher
said scornfully of women that they
wished to know everything, but to learn
nothing Let us rather aim to teach the
ioy of acquiring, and trust to the whole
life" time to perfect the work which at
best, with any system, can be only begun
in school and college. Then
the heart
May give useful lesson to the head,
And Learning wiser grow without his
books.