The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-07-07
NOTABLE GATHERING
OF SCHOOL TEACHERS
Enjoying a Feast Of ReaS-
on and a Flow Of
Soul

Abstract of address delivered before
the National Council of Education by
Superintendent c. b. Gilbert, OF Roch
ester. N. Y:
"An definitions of education exclude
the acquisition Of knowledge, and yet
practically all educational discussion
and practise treat it as the substantial
thing in education.
knowledge is not power it is a
condition OF power
In education knowledge mas four
principal functions.
First In ITS simplest form. which
we call intelligence, it is the working
basis OF an Intelligent activity. and
hence OF all education. This intelli-
gence includes acquaintance with the
symbols used in reading, writing and
computing.
Second. knowledge serves as
gymnastic through the act OF acduir-
ing which the mind is disciplined
"The third function of knowledge is
an outgrowth of the first II IS TO ac-
quaint the child with his environment,
material spiritual and social, that IS,
60 produce a larger intelligence
The fourth function Is to FURNISH
nutriment 90 toe growing mind. follow
ing the anaiogy d an organism. The
acceptance OF this analogy is funda-
mental to any true view OF the edu-
sltional process.
"The danger attending its use is
merely the danger attending the use
o. all analogies. Analogy is not iden-
tity and any analogy may hence run
into absurdity. especially an analogy
between a material fact and spir-
itual truth. but the danger in the use
OF the only alternative is vastly great
er.
There is no language for meta
physics but that borrowed from the
material wsrld. This must be either
biological. taken from things having
life. or physical. taker from things
without life. In education the form
cr is the only safe analogy.
Those who consider the first and
third functions Of knowledge in edn-
cation the important ones, accept nee
essarily the physical analogy. They
treat the mind as a receptacle. and
education. as storing il with useful
knowledge. Those who believe that
discipline is the function of knowledge
"a education confuse figures. They
regard the mind as a tool to be sharp
ened and as something to be train
ee as trick animal is trained ac-
cording to law external to itself.
Those who accept the fourth func-
tion regard the mind as aa organism
TO be nouTished according 10 It's own
law
Emphasis upon the arst or com.
mon intelligence function has produc
cd the narrow school of the bare three
RS. Emphasis upon tRe second or
disciplinary function has produced the
formal discipline OF the alleged facul'
ties with all it's woes, Il tends TO
tho disregard OF content Any old
thing win do II has produced the
school OF dull grind devoid OF joy and
spontaneity. words without thought,
rules without understandings and On
the ethical side force, spiritual an
anchy, Hypocrisy Emphasis upon
the third or higher intelligence func-
tion has produced the school OF verbal
culture. words, words, words, every
substitute for real knowledge. En-
pasis upon the fourth function has
produced the true scchool OF spontan-
ecus joyful activity. In which the
needs OF the children determine large
W both the content and the method
of his study. II is the foe Of isolation
but rather relates school life to the
life outside by yitalities
Thus and only thus is a child best
Arted for social efficiency which is the
end OF education"