The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-01-23
ONE SERIOUS DEFECT.
Our System of Education Fails i'm the Develops
ment of Character.

grade schools If 1t is to have much COM
mercial value. a good foundation of
character will last through life and prove
It's usefulness In many unexpected ways.
There Is pathetic absurdty i'm the uni
Nersal acceptance of the formal PROPOSE
tion about virtue, while in practice it Is
the main chance that our minds are really
intent upon. We are at no loss how to
answer the question: What shall II pro-
fit man If he shall gain the whole world
and lose his own soul?" Yet it Is the
whole world we are after and very few
are quite contented with anything less
Some of us have little feeling about our
souls but in our secular lives il Is shown
mostly in a decent regret that other things
have actually such u preponderating i'm
portance. The Clergyman's living depends
too much upon pleasing his congregations
the maintenance of a Church, too often,
upon attractive entertainments and pay
ments for secured seats. In the schools
we demand not infrequently against the
better judgment of teachers, results which
enable children to memori2e and cacu-
late, rather than to think, and, as has
been pointed out, we so far ignore the
question of morals as to set apart no time
for direct ethical teaching. Like other
people, we make too much of the obvi-
ously successful man. Even our great
foundations for higher education, en-
dowed as the churches are not, and there
fore in way more Independent, are not
always without the taint of concession to
the idea of measuring all values by COM
mercial standards. There are few
thoughtful people who will not admit that
our higher intellectual and spiritual life
has suffered in the sharp struggle for
material prosperity; that we have accept-
ed too frankly in business, politics, reli-
gion, and education, standards which are
not the highest. This feeling, that with
all our material success there is still some
left tn hn lAsir ral hoe
entirely wanting, and it has been quick
ened by the threatenings of the last few
years. Consciences are awakening with
the perception that certain kind of sue
cess has not succeeded as well as we fan
cied. our people nave a bottom too much
moral sense too much faith in what is
sane and sound in public and private life,
and. let it be hoped, too much reverence
for the divine purpose which founded this
republic, to be needless of any dangerous
| or degrading tendency. That we are not
| unconscious of the Importance of the pub
| lie schools at the starting point for bett a.
| ing the national life, Is attested by tho
| great attention which they have lately re-
ceved, and the constant efforts of teach
| ers to get fuller equipment for their
| work. While The discussion is under wav,
we may as well remember that there is n
| beginning of Knowledge as was said by
| them of old time, and see if there is not
some way by which the public school can
| become more effective in making accepted
! doctrines about public and private virtue
| more vital as principles of conduct. If we
are asked for suitable textbook, we say
! that really good one has not yet been
| written for this country, but there is no
reason why one should not be prepared, as
| it is possible to find at least helpful sug
| gestions in much that has already been
done here, and in textbooks now in use in
| other countries.