The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-07-15
THE NEW EDUCATION,
Dr.. Blanchard's Sermon at Congress
Square Church Yesterday.

Rev. DR.. Blanchard preached a sermon
yesterday morning at Congress SQUARE
church on 1.-THE Great Service which the
New Education renders to the State and
Church. He took as text the words, 81
am come that they might have life. and
that they might have it more abundant
ly, which President Chase of Bates
college had used in his admirable address
in City hall.
DR.. Blanchard began his sermon by re
ferring to the scene of beauty in Deering
Oaks on Wednesday afternoon. One
might ask if it was not Gods will that
man should toll less than now he does.
If he ever shall, the change will be
effected by new education. The Ameri-
can Institute of Instruction represented
this. 1t is the education secured and
taught by the patient, brave and conse-
Grated men and women who see the errors
of education in the past and strive to
make the education of the present more
completely satisfy the demands of human
nature. Its characteristic is to turn from
books to things. Books have their place,
but text books have often kept pupils
from obtaining full knowledge The new
education uses books less and things
more. Hence we have the kindergarten,
nature studies, manual teaching, the
rules OF good citizenship, the search for
truth and devotion to service.
This new education will serve the state
prpat1u A TOO
from farm life and from manual labor.
Nature study will help men to put brains
into their work and to get enjoyment
from it. The young are taught to revere
duties to the state The love of truth and
service is profoundly impressed. Presi-
dent Eliot said: "We are not interested
here in producing languid observers of
the world and spectators at the game of
! life. We wish to produce by the hundreds
and by the thousands devoted workers in
the world of today. That is the aim and
achievement of the new education So
shall it serve the state. The new educa-
ton, also, serves the church. That needs
knowledge, fraternity, unity. AS the
new studies show what the scriptures are,
and how baseless are the dogmas of
resurrection of the body and eternal
punishment by fire, men will be brought
| into fraternity and unity. We are to re-
we're, therefore, our institutions of learn
ing. There is parrot like talk about
public schools. We want to see clearly
what this new education in grammar
school. high school, academy. college is
doing for state and church. We are to
revere the profession of the teacher. 1t is
highest of all. Man and women are to
make it their life work. The community
is to honor it. Teachers are to be better
paid. Penuriousness towards them and
schools is evil. The citizens must stand
back of school committees and insist on
larger salaries. The ministry must CO.
work with the teachers. He was glad
that the American Institute had come /;
that the Board of Trade had received it
with such courtesy and hospitality; that
the noble words of able educators had
been spoken, of President Andrews.
Presid ent Whitman and all the rest that
SO many. had listened. May Portland
teachers be consecrated to their work
May the schools be prominent for their
service to state and church. Teachers and
clergy belong to one body. They belong
to the Respondent company whose
greatest one is Jesus-the Rabbi-the
teacher who came 'that they might have
life and have it more abundantly."