The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-11-29

ny BISHOP SpulllilS up
on the trend Of thing:
in this country, more especially
the trend of our educationa
progress, which fills the goot
bishop with alarm. 1t seems now fail
to give hearing to the other side
to those who are not of the belief thai
development of character is wanting
among the American people, notwith'
standing that our school system ir
great measure has been separated from
ecclesiastical control.
In the Worlds Work for December
a most instructing and inspiring per-
iodical-appears the text of the notable
recently delivered before the Rhode
Island Institute of Instruction. in which,
while pointing out in well-matured de-
tail how our schools may be very ma
terially bettered, he made Il mastery
defense of them as they are and gave
reasons for confidence in their saving
influence upon democratic institutions.
This was an address that every think
ing citizen should read. We wish that
it might be put into every home. Here
we shall have to be content with only
one or two brief quotations from it.
In looking back over the past half
century OF our history, President Eliot
observes that education is the one
agency for promoting intelligence and
righteousness which has gained
strength and increased it's influence.
He thinks that by no positive fault of
their own, but by a sort of negative
incapacity, our legislatures, courts and
churches seem to be passing through
some transition which temporarily i'm
pairs their power; but the schools and
colleges in the United States, while
changing and developing rapidly, have
suffered no impairment of vigor or in
tluence--on the contrary, education
as an uplifting agency was never so
effective with the democracy as it is
today. In proof of his opinion he sub
mits it to certain tests, indicated as
follows:
concerning an educated individual
We may fairly ask, can he see straight? :?
can he recognize the fact? Next, can
he draw a just inference from estab-
lished facts? Thirdly, has he self-con-
troll? or do his passions run away with
him? or untoward events daunt him?
These are fair tests of his mental and
moral capacity. One other test we
may fairly apply to an educated indi-
vidual--dOes he continue to grow in
power and wisdom throughout his life?
His body ceases to grow at % or 30
years of age-does his soul continue to
GROVE" And while these tests are diff
hcult Of application to a nation, Pres
ident Eliot makes them, we think, con-
vincingly.
One proof that the American people
are seeing straight and recognizing
what they see is the success with which
they get their livelihood. "The people
live by agriculture, mining and manu-
featuring; and these great concerns
cannot be successfully managed unless
multitudes Of men recognize essential
facts, and draw the right inferences
from the truths they embody." Again,
their ability to get over a delusion, as
for example, the silver deluaon, proves
that millions OF them must be able to
That their passions do not run away
with them is shown, DIR. Eliot thinks,
by their forbearance following both the
civil and the Spanish-American wars
and by the self-control manifested in
The intelligent withdrawal of our SOL
tiiersi from': China. To the question, Do
alntoward events daunt the people? the
negative reply is commanded by our
entire history. DR.. Eliot cites only two
Instances:
= "The country lately lost its singularly
beloved chief magistrates, and lost him
IN an intensely mortifying way; but
our government never staggered even
for q moment, and the whole work and
ife. OF the people went on without a
halt, or even n CULVER, excepting the
momentary thrill of horror and humil-
tation. In the recent coal strike, which
doubled the price of necessary of
life and caused widespread injuries and
anxieties,. the attitude of the much-en-
during public was calm and discreet.
The public took sides with neither
party, looked on quietly at the irration-
al strife, accepted no bad advice, tried
90 unconstitutional remedies-just bore
the losses, and waited five months for
the, coplbatants to accept that method
OF inquiry, discussion and mutual con-
sideration which ought to have been
adopted when the conflict first arose.
phe strike has furnished a good illus
tration of popular self-control under
very irritating conditions" ..N
7 Such are some of the Indications cit |
ed by the president of Harvard in sub
sanitation of his proposition that
American education has not wholly |
failed of its high object. He cites many
more. He instances with detail the ad- !