The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-07-08
The Education OF the masses.

There were some interesting thoughts
in the address with which President
Skinner opened the Milwaukee conven-
ton Of the National Educational asso-
citation. Recalling the remark of Gov
ernor Berkeley. of Virginia, who little
more than two centuries ago thanked
God there We're no free schools and
printing presses to teach disobedience,
he noted that today as nation we
spend $500, 200, 900 upon our free common
schools while our printing presses fur
nish every year on an average two
weekly newspapers and a printed book
for. each family in the land, and daily
newspaper for every two families. He
added:
The United States, today the young
est of all. is the only great nation of the
world which expends more for educa-
tion than for war. France spends an
nually S4.0O per capita on her army and
20 cents per capita on education: Eng
land, $372 for army and 62 cents for
education; Prussia, $2.04 for her army
and 80 cents for education; Italy, N.52
for her army and sc cents for education;
Austria $136 for her army and GO cents
for education: Russia, $204 for her
army and cents for education; the
United States, $0.39 for her army and
$1.35 for education. England six to one
for war! Russia II to l for war! the
United States to / for education. The
United States spends more per capita
Io oIa a
France and Russia combined"
But these in the main are quantita-
tive figures. Is our money well spent
Does ii produce the best results? Presi-
dent Skinner well says: THE dangers
which threaten us today spring not
only from the classes being uneducated,
but also from the character of the edu-
cation which we are giving these
classes. We sometimes consider that
this danger comes alone from the in-
portation of ignorant foreigners. But
we may well ask ourselves if the danger
does not come as well from the care
lessly educated masses of our own peo-
pie as a result of badly adapted courses
of study of superficial instruction, and
of failure on the part of the teacher to
grasp the vital influence which these
masses of plain people exert upon our
social and national life"
What is the best education for the
masses? The reply of Mr. skinner is
worthy of our close attention. 1t is,
says he
An education which will teach boys and
girls their capabilities, and which will
give them power to grasp opportunities,
10 accomplish results, to realizC worthy
ambtions--to know themselvcs--to apprc-
ciatc their limitations as we'll as Their
capacitieS-which will give them courage
TO endure adverse fortune should it come,
and wisdom to enjoy prCsperity;-an edu-
cation which vii. help people to help
themselves--which will diminish suffering
and discomfort and Increase happiness
which will encourage thrift and discour-
age shirtlessnoss; which will lead people
to enjoy that which they possess without
envy; which teaches the dignity of lahO-,
the value of money, the proper relation
of labor to capital, and how they can be
made to work together for the highes;
good of the state; which teaches how to
earn a living honestly and satisfactorily
the necessity for diligence and economy;
how to live within their income; how tC
accept life as they lind It; to know that
poverty is neither crime nor a disgrace
If an honest life stands near it; and that
riches alone cannot bring honor and hap
piness or make men great and good. Such
an education would seem to he that
which develops the noblest manhood and
Nomanhood gives the best equipment tor
lIfe's duties, its pleasures and its hard
ships which teaches unselhshncss found
ed on the common brotherhood of man
which give attention to good morals and
good manners, which leads children to he
honest, temperate and vrtuous; which eX.
ats pure thinking and places the highest
value upon purity Of life and conduct.
DO our free schools afford such ar
education today? Can any one con
scientiously answer 'yes?"