New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-24
SCIENCE IN EDUCATION.
AN INTERESTING LECTURE BEFORE THE
ETHICAL ASSOCIATION Ely Mr.. GATES.

WAS THE SPEAKERS TIiEME-TIlE CHANGES
IN HIGHER EDUCATION WHICH HAVE
BEEN BROUGHT ABOUT by THE
PROGRESS OF SCIENTIFIC
RESEARCH
Nelson J. Gates Of the Brooklyn Board OF Edu-
cation read a paper before the Brooklyn Ethicai
Association at the Pouch Mansion last evening o"
Natural Science as an Educational Factor The
paper constituted the tenth lecture in the course on
evolutionary principles as applied to education Mr.
Gates said in part:
The true place FOR scientific training In currc,
the pupil to his probable life work Is asceItaheu
and this is likely 10 be reached UNI, ne i pout
10 enter higher education. 1t is evident that the
whole current of mental and moral culture in our
schools and colleges has been RAPIDLY chanslne ana
adapting Itself to the changed conditions under
which we live. The rapid advance of applied science
has changed the attitude of skilled mnor TO I'm, ,me
Ly tho aid of science has been made ten times more
productive: hut with this enormous increase o.
crease in the wants of man. Such are the funda-
mental conditions that underlie ne industrial sti
ture Of our civilization one thing seems clear-
there should be break at any point in the purpose
of education If the chief object in elcmentary
education is technical training. the same purpose
should be carried TO the higher
CAUSES OF THE CHANGE
II NAV be well to inquire briefly into tho causes
of the change in the quality of higher education
Why are the modern languages and the cassics re-
ccving less and less attention in the coi'ges ana
uniycr:ltie OF the world? 1t is not because these
branches are of lcss intrinsic value In themselves
for they rank high as clements Of mental and moral
discipline and intellectual; culture; Dut th"y are o.
less relative value for two reasons In the first
Mace the languages are less significant. for rea,
sons patent to all familiar with the irtni
OF modern clvilzlt'on ime c nr,Scity practi
cally the civilized world Is one IN comin'IC, ON
in the adoption OF scientific app.ianc,s 4nn mi has
l. univ Al llrglHge y
only one language Tor al nations so tn' nui,iI
tongue should have only one Irwin ns of scenti1c
thought that has found oppression IN an .An'ta,
less field of research. Each division IN ,niS i,n
uense field IS articulated with our m'h'ai anu
y, ri,orv that In the selection OF any pos
and this pcrplexing problem has been forcea uiy'
by the rapid pr9yr.I m nam isc Il" nonc;ssion mat
applied science. which has unified n Sonn,' t'Hi
relations Of the world on the one manu- anu ,t m,
has driven - The BACKGROUND many nral'n'S ~l
learning hitherto considered Of sI'..,e i,.r ; nv
mere y re- however. some branches oi earning n.
classified among 1ne is one II furnishes food
{or ,honrhf' Guickcns the Imagination and crea'.s
ard rultIvates 4 spirit OF rein ment important 10
mental growth Add 70 this mqsic anH 9r rlh au rs
and fragrant flowers that Tighten the bnfu'"S %
the weak and wear.
HOW MAY IT BE USED?
And now what has science TO suggest as to IN"
hest use that can be made or THIS mass ~ d"
tollectlal material? Does Il not seem 'l'Ai 'i"'
the spirit OF the present axe Is ein'nen'y u''a' Ia,
bevond all other periods in the history OF 'h'
o-,do II insists that the standard OF exceilehce
shall BE measured hy It's fitness for some use
purpose To this enl all courses OF s'nIy mus ~
a1.n,.a urhcr education must be Specialized
ana TO a ' ~ EDUCATION efIectivc AMI useful
M n,b,~ vsv to make education contribute a par
Of nT what no w SSsi 10 the the reaton q eh
culture is question thai cannot De S,,,t ir
rs consequences. and science has r." h'sheI iu'',
lions than TO Gctern.n" M fe'st'vn Va ma tI,h.sf
tho consequences that nOw the'tli ON. ~ mo-"
sanction Tor ethics Is found In ihis test
LIBERATION Neutrality-suspicious.
cc,orce has been the most powerful moral force IN
,ha history OF the world. Il has fought iis way
against ignorance ana organized superstition. Tic
unspeakable horror with which death ana 'he R''''
have been surrounded. thanks to science mas "'"
passed away. and We are al i"'' pe'ii''', 70 ~
nroach the grave "as one who wraps tho dTdp'iF "'
hts couch about him and lies down 70 PHEASANT
dre,ms" |, science had never forged bar OF
steel or built a locomotive. or laid a 1907 OIL '''e
trc wire Il would be entitled to the i'7''"f R''"
tuae Of untold generations for us mora "'"'''''
IN llberat!ng the human superstition but s.l.l.I
-, n,,h ali lis achievements docs not accoi"i!''.
eyervthjrc and can AFFORD 10 be modest. ~ 20 49,
risen 10 The infinitely great Oh ih' one 20 -
lIr.e.,'Ii ., fh. infinitely small on the other. y
Goo,es an. thing IN terms OF another. dhi '.''' ny
Soi.ra1 S1 iovs nothing OF The units % force and
nothiug 81 the nature OF those inVslhl" lyl', '''
$3.50 he n"Tsis,once - force ana g." iniesirucN
bty Of matter IL has not bcea able to CONCEIVE 10
Tb,,9 Within The sphere Of the possible theF'
remains enough o! The und,s .o',i-' =. III ,c,~,
eniri, az luguiry and research ior uhtoi' b''''A-
ions 10 come. To-day the most alfan,'u
stands in the yestibule % the tempe OF Kho"
l,, 90 massiv, doors VIII yet be forced "rh 81
man viii enter the inner court OF the tempt mo
Intellectual forces are ALREADY al WORK -, .'S
,o,W ~; be- no man can forctel. Certainty. no
h,eher ambition inspire the intellect, i9r u
IN ~ e,nden,s OF science today stand upon the
watch-tower and challenge the hS'alis OF ta,h'
and wherever truth leads they VIII Follow. II thr
n ruin Of chemistry and astronomy lead back 10
alchemy and astrolosy. science VIII follow thom'
NAPOLEON AND Won HUMBOLDT
A little less than hundred years ago two
noteworthy men attracted the attention OF the civ
iized world OTy was Napoleon. the AMBITIOUS
leader OF armies. whose military genus h"d
changed the political map OF Europe. The other
was Alexander Won Humboldt, whose tircless ap-
plication TO natural science had changed the cur
rent Of human thought. tbs hero Of the Cosmos
did not seek 10 destroy NE. but 10 preserve H.
The life OF every human being upon the sea to-
night is safer because OF his study OF variations
of the magnetic needle and the IRE OF every poor
OF the earth, is safer because OF his contributions
to science.
Napoleon died in exile. upon an ocean rock.
mourncd by few and scorned b. most Of the world.
Iut his ashes repOsc In the most magnificent
mausoleum IN Europe The great German scientist
died al the ripe Of ninety surrounded by weep
ing friends. who received messages o. coincidence
from every capital In the world Princes ur"ov-
cred their heads the body OF this simple stud ut
OF nature passed along the streets Of Berlin Hum
boldt's lnausOleum Is the world. canop.ed rs the
stars and his name and tho priceless legacy he has
left mankind shall endure az long rs mountains
stand and rivers flow.
BOSTON'S Crying NEED.
| From The Boston Transcript.