The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-07-10
A "PREssING PROBLEM"

"A r kESSiNG FROBLEM
President Butler of Columbia Univer-
sity, under the head Of Some Pressing
Problems discussed two very live
questions before the educational associa-
ton Tuesday night. These pressing prob-
lens were, first. the problem Of waste in
present methods Of education, by, which
the pupil is subjected to loss which he
ought not to be made to sustain-loss
chiefly In time. A better adaptation OF
our system OF instruction ito the needs OF
the child, and wiser employment OF the
time given to education. WAS ably and
forcibly presented. -
But the pressing problem Of more popu-,
lar interest, and apparently. from the
applause which it received from the audi
ence, Of not less professional concern,
was the place Of the Bible in our modern
scheme of public education. ~
President Butler referred with great
regret to the fact that, owing to religious
differences the Bible had been shut out
of the public schools, and to this fact was
attributed to a deplorable degree OF igno-
rance among the rising generations as to
that great classic. To illustrate one eff
feet of the exclusion of the Bible from. the
popular educational scheme, he read a
few of the Introductory lines Of Para
disc Lost which he said he had read on
one occasion recently to twelve college
students, and not one Of them could cor
rectly state the authorship. "a
From this he urged the Importance OF
knowledge of the Bible as literature to
an intelligent and satisfactory study OF
all literature and all life affected py
Christian civilization. When we study the
ancient civilizations, he said one OF the
first things to which 3we give attention
is their religious books. And, yet, we are
trying to teach Christian civilization and
knowledge, of Christian literature while
excluding . frenni that Instruction. AL
knowledge of that book which is the basis.
Of all that is best in our literature. From
Chaucer to Browning our literature
draws literally from the eternal springs
Of our sacred scriptures, And, yet we are
undertaking to educate our children ana
make them scholars in literature without
putting into their hands that great literT
ary masterpiece, which is the foundation
of the whole literary structure.
President Butler made no argument Tor
the introduction of the Bible into the pub,
lie schools as a basis of moral tnstrnc-
tion and religious teaching. His argu-
ment was confined to the single consid-
Grafton of the value of knowledge OF the
Bible to the highest degree of scholar shlp.
!. The elimination of the Bible from zthe
public schools, and the fact that SO many
children grow up without any knowledge
of 1T whatever has come to be g. matter
OF serious concern among religious teach
ers and Christian people of all denomina-
tions, and the restoration OF the
Bible to the public schools 1s
strongly urged. 1T has been urged
yheretofore, however, almost ex-
clusively upon the side of the imp rtanee
Of developing the moral nature along with
the Intellectual, and the desirability Of
the employment Of the Bible In the
schools as a basis of moral instruction
There is undoubtedly q growing Seon fv1''-,
ton that the public schools are Enpt rem rem
dering to society the service which they
ought to render in the formation OF moral
character. s.fy$Szzs. q 5t.
It is felt that this service has been too
much neglected in the insistence upon
other features Of public school work; and
the incornpleteness of the system in this.
narticu1ar-as the means Of training citi-
zens for citizens responsibilities - has
come to be a matter of serious concern
in many minds. The difficulty, however,
has been to satisfy the jealousies and an
tagonisns Of religious denomination
whose differences led to the exclusion Of
the Bible from the schools.
+ whether President Buffers argument
for the study of the Bible as literature
without comment and without effort to-
Impress Its moral lessons, will escape.
the objections which have heretofore Jed
TO it's entire exclusion from the schools
remains to be seen. But certainly the
strength of his argument and the force of
his demand on the side of more perfect;
knowledge OF literature and life must be
admitted by all and may contribute n-no,
small degree to the restoration OF the
sBible to the place which 1t should hold:
in our educational system 1t certainly
is to-day matter which the friends OF
education, regardless of their concern for
the moral. interests involved, can afford
to urge with great persistence. They are
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