The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-12-02
A SEVERE ARRAIGNNENr.

IN a recent address before an aSso-
citation OF teachers President Chas.
W. Eliot. of Harvard University. ar
raigned the public school system Of
today, and in attempting to show
it's shortcomings made the following
severe indictment:
Failure TO discover a successful method of
dealing with drunkenness. the legislation
OF most OF the States in that direction
having been variable and lacking in NOR.
al significance because of deficiency in
reasoning power on the part of a major
ity OF the people.
The persistence ofgambling, AN extra
ordinarily unintelligent form ofpleasura.
ole excitement, prevalent vice among
all savage people. but one which "a mod
crate cultivation of the intelligence a
very little foresight aud the least sense
ot responsibility should De sufficient TO
eradicate"
The production Of bad government. e.
pecialy IN large cities, by universal suf-
frsge, popular obtuseness reaching its
climax in a display OF "a real foolinV of
the people by catchworis and plausibili-
ties, a sacrifice of the large public inter
est to small private interests. and a
widespread application 10 a republic of
the methods habitually used by aristo-
cracies TO corrupt and rule the plehians.
including one of the most dem Oralizinr
OF those methods. the establishment of
numerous sinecure Offices" because the
mass OF the people have neither seen
straight nor reasoned clearly about The
undemOcratic, corFupti.g and fneffic: Mt
quality OF the patronage system. and
nave not understood how dem oralizing
10 youth is the hope of getting on in the
world by the nnearned favor OF powerful
persons"
Grayest crimes of violence committed
10y individuals and by mobs with a larcre
measure of impunity, the population
producing considerable mum Der of burg
lars, robbers, rioters, lynchers murSierers.
Labor strikes and industrial wars. Of
ten begun and maintained for reasons
anu by weapons not made public. aud
resisted by methods demonstrating lack
OF faith in publicity. the great SECURITY
Tor democracy and the best weapon
against political, social. industrial or
commercial wrongdoing."
The nature OF the daily reading matter
supplied to the American reading public
aud the purchase by the people of thous-
ands OF tons OF ephemeral reading mat
tiers which is not good in either form or
substance.
The quality Of the popular theaters of
the day ministering TO a taste Tor trivial
spectacles, burlesque. vulgar vaudeville.
extravaganza and melodrama. audiences
being Often unmovei by scenes and sit
nations OF an unwholesome sort.
The curious subsection OF Americans To
medical decisions, their notorious pr
miership in the consumption of patent
nd f1,.t-. al.
OF ali sorts OF medicine men aud women.
This is a severe criticism OF one of
the leading institutions OF this conn-
try, an institution that today has in
Its control the destinies of 20. OOO. 900
children.
DR.. Eliot believes, if we are TO take
his indictment as true representa-
ton of his thoughts, that popular
education should OF itself result in a
correction of evil habits: in the pre-
vention OF crimes of violence: in the I
sane adjustment of industrial diff
in a heightened press and
popular literature; in a pure and dig
nihed stage; in adhesion to principles
rather than co party spois in poll
ties, and in self-respect and indepen-
lence on the part of the individual.
We have always believed that edu-
,ation had the power to assist in all
Of these things, but we are not ready
to accept the general indictment of
the public school system alone and
overlook the part that is being play
ID byprivate institutions of learning
1t is true that there is much room
or Improvement in the public school /
iystem, but it is not alone response
de for all the existing evils of the ,
lay
Doubtless Harvard University it
ELF could be found wanting in many {
particulars. {