The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-10

1 POWCA "a toattai& NV - D'se -
restrain or advocate any particular SCI
Of doctrines. IL would be presumptuou'
at present to say how far political inter
ference In education will be tolerated
The outlook. however. Is far from
gloomy for the freedom that has hith'
erto characterized American education
Is still cherished and jealousy guarded
In most OF our higher fnsutu-
tions. 1t is a hopeful sign when at
tempts to exa conformity to favored
doctrines awaken such widespread in
terest and deep concern as the Brown
university Incident of a year ago. ii
indicates a strong tendency To resist
any further -encroachments on the ira
dltional freedom of American educa-
tional institutions.
In the midst of these several opposing
tendencies we are asking ourselves:
What will the education of the future
be? Which of these tendencies will be
instrumental in shaping its general char
acter? Will this age cave TO posterity
the narrowing influence of utilitarian-
ism. of an education based on a bread
and-butter principle. or will Ii leave an
education that will create nobler con-
ceptions of mans dignity and worth
than those of the present? Will IL be-
queath the deadening influence Of an
educational system in which the spirit
of free inquiry is partially restrained?
IL Is too early to say that the future Is
largely a land of conjecture. Let US
trust, however, that the education OF the
era which shall follow the revolution
now in progress will be characterized by
mental freedom. will be such a happy
combination of the humanistic elements
which means elevated thought and re-
fined sentiment. and the realistic. which
means strength; that its product will be
Emerson's ideal of the American
scholar, a man characterized by
strength. by trust-trust in himself,
trust in humanity, trust in American
humanity. II sue be the education OF
the future. then we may reasonably ex-
pect that American civilization may
rise to a greater glory than that OF any
civilization the world has yet known.
and we may reasonably hope 1t will have
those elements which will effectually
safeguard it against the fate which be-
fall the Greek and Roman civilizations.
The Expression of Thought.
Miss Knowles thesis was psychology
cal in nature and was MOI of a form to
be as popular as was that of Mrs. Glen
ny yet IL shove careful study n
thorough preparation. The subject OF
the thesis was The Expression of
Thought" Miss Knowles first defined
thought and then discussed its express
sion. 1t is only through the physical
that the mind can expires itself. With
the development of the mind there has
come an ever increasing power over the
physical conditions and thes acquire
ment of means of expressing thought
through this physical medium. There
Is a difference between the manifesto
ton OF thought and the expression OF
thought. The manifestation of thought
is any result of thought, while its ex-
preston is a particular manifestation,
made for the purpose of conveying in
formation. There are three classes or
stages OF ways of expressings thought,
the natural. the conventional and the
spiritual. The natural forms are those
that were the early means of conveying
thoughts. as gestures and grimaces.
These natural forms have been changed
and developed until we use them in
connection with other means of express
ing thought. Without them. speech
would be expressionless. 1t is probable
that. at first, man used gestures more
than voice. but they have come to be
supplementary to voice. which is best
adapted to the proper and convenient
expression of thought. These natural
forms of thought expression are not con-
fined to man. They are employed by
animals and many illustrations may be
given. Miss Knowles gave a careful re-
view of the experiments that have been
made and the research that has been
undertaken to demonstrate the means
by which animals communicate their
thoughts.
Speech belongs to the second division
the conventional. In this are included
all forms of thought expression. which.
acquired by instruction and totally UNI
like in different localities, have lost their
natural significance and are merely
conventional symbols for ideas. There
is "A difference I'm opinion as to whether
or not language belongs exclusively to
man. Recent experiments with mon
keys have led to the belief that at least
some OF the animals nver by speech
and that they have different dialects.
To the invention of speech is due much
of mans progress. Evolution from the
bases was very slow. Advance
ment was due to heredity. After the
advent of speech the movement became
comparatively very rapid. 1t was nov
possible for the father to convey his
knowledge to his son. so hat the latter
could begin where the father had left
of. Thought vas also facilitated.
Without language very little of the
thought Of to-day would be possible.
There are three opposing theories as
to the origin OF language. The first
holds that there must be a connection
the idea and its symbolic ex-
preston. From this basis has grown
the theory that when the conception of
a thing had been formed In the mind,
a name resulted as a matter of conse-
quence. This theory has not as many
adherents as formerly. but there is much
to be said In defense Of II. The second
theory is that words came from the
natural expressions of man. when
moved by JOY. suffering or anger. Thus.
when noting the cries of another under
going suffering, when he was hurt he
would initiate. The last Is called the
onomatopoetic, and holds that words
come from mans observance of the
cries of animals: for instance. noting
the cry OF a certain animal. he would
reproduce that sound to signify that
There is not. after all. much
In one man initiates him
self. in the other he copies after ami
1t may be hat primitive man
up many of his words arbitrarily.
Third and last of the divisions hat
are made is the spiritual means of
n EXPRESSION. This il the highest