The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-04-17

The many definitions of education
given by prominent educators are a
source of perpleXity to teachers, and
! give rise to confusing and conflicting
| opinions among people generally.
! This paperis written in the belief that
a more definite understanding of the
term is desirable, that it is possible to
| at least partly unity the various state
ments made regarding it, and with the
hope that inquiry may be pushed fur
Their in this direction.
The different views concerning this
subject may be seen from the following:
A popular idea is that education is
| something which assists a person to
earn a living more easily, and that it
should embrace those studies only
which may be termed practical. Defini-
tons like the following by Professor
Tate help to perpetuate this view:
''One great end of education is to com
municate to the pupil that sort of
knowledge which is most likely to be
useful to him in the sphere of life
which Providence has assigned him. -
Russlin complains that the same utili-
tartan idea is prevalent in England.
Many parents write him regarding the
education of their sons and daughters,
and the thought of advancement in
life" is always uppermost in their
minds.
Among the many narrow views that
find expression, this one from Scudder
is characteristic: Education in the last
analysis is the influence of one person
upon another" This carries the i'm
preston that education is something
done for the individual rather than any
thing he does for himself. The infiu-
ences of nature also are excluded.
The state insists that the object is to
produce a. good citizen. Our commits
sioner of education, w. T. Harris, says:
Education is the preparation of the in
dividual for reciprocal union with so
ciety, so that he can help mis- fellow
men, and in return receive and appro-
pirate their help" This may be called
the social view.
The humanists consider that the CEN
trail subjects of study should be Ian
guage, literature and history, believing
that the culture and discipline derived
therefrom are most valuable.
The scientists, on the other hand, af-
firm that the sciences furnish the best
means of instruction, they are the most
valuable studies, and at the same time
give the best discipline. Herbert Spen-
Ger, the greatest representative of this
class, tells us: 1.-THE first duty of man is
to be a good animal" and Education
is the preparation for complete living.
The best preparation for complete liv-
ing is to live completely, which is GER
tainly much to be desired. This defini-
ton is comprehensive and satisfactory
to many.
The Herbartians declare that the
chief end of education is to develop
character.
Nothing in this world has any alb
solute value except will guided by the
right"
The requirement of a disposition to do
right simply because it is right is the
demand of this moral view.
But the church expects man to subor-
dinate all other objects and purposes
of life to his relationship with his Gre
ator. There must be "a constant new
birth out of the grave of the past to the
life of a more. beautiful future"
Everything pertaining to this life is
finite and transitory; man must free
himself from the external things of this
life before he can enjoy true existence.
This idea demands that education be
considered the discovery of mans rela-
tionship to the divine. and that he live
in accordance with that conception.
Another class, which may be called
harmony definitions. unites several
phases into one statement. This is typ
ical: 1.-The province of education is the
full and harmonious development of all
the faculties" 4
Probably with few exceptions the
many views ON education may be clas-
sified within the above statements.
An attempt to unity these apparently
conflicting views would seem to be
hopeless, and indeed the attempt may
not be satisfactory. If, however, a gem
eral principle may be discovered upon
which all the above statements are
predicated, the undertaking
may not be so difficult as at first sup
posed.
From careful study of the being to
be educated, there is at once impressed
upon us the wonders of that vital force