The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1902-07-10

language is located; if we have strong
desire to get and acquire, including
those things that do not belong to us,
the fullness would be in the region of
the acquisitive organ. We often hear
reference made to so-and-so's "bump of
curiosity" but did we ever stop to
think that an examination of curious
PERSONS head would probably disclose
a ful1ness near the faculty of curiosity? /?
By this process it is claimed to have
been discovered that the faculties which
make man selfish being are all loca-
ted in the base of the brain, those which
indicate sociability in the back part,
intellect in front, while benevolence,
conscience, hope and the instructive
faculties which distinguish us from the
brute creation and give us the spiritual
nature that impel us to moral duty
are all side by side in the top of the
head. Then if a person be socially in
clined, he would have a well rounded
back head, if he be devout he will have
high head.
Now many of you will probably say
that this is all nonsense, or very nice as
theory, but where are the facts to
sustain such precious chimera? All
1 can say is that from what have read
of the subject the theory seems to have
been borne out by practical demon
stratiOns and is not mere Imagination.
To me, it seems that the theory is not
only reasonable but a practical one.
If, for instance, in studying the mind
of child we found that it's strongest
faculty was one which if. unrestrained
or perverted would eventually make it
an enemy to society, would we not cul-
tivate that faculty in the right direc-
tion and make the same child a power
for good instead of evil? If we can do
this, and l believe it can be done, would
it not be salvation to humanity, re-
duce the number of failures and save
the world from much of the degrada-
tion and vice which disgrace society
If right thinking is the result of right
education, we might then turn with
hope to the children of our day by ap-
plying the education peculiarly adapted
to each, and in that way, perhaps, pre-
vent misuse of the mental powers.
I do not wish to be understood as be-
lieving that any Of the faculties are
bad or men originally intended for evil
just the reverse is true; all the fac
uities are adapted to some good pur-
pose and were given by an all wise
Creator for the use of his creatures and
to reflect goodness, knowledge and wis
dom. The trouble they create is the
result of their abuse and perversion;
and the remedy lies in proper training
and cultivation.
Take for example the faculty known
as the acquisitive organ which is the
foundation of the desire to get, own
and possess property. I think it is the
abuse and perversion of this faculty
which leads men to steal, and you will
all agree that it was never intended for
such purpose. Now if in infancy the
predominating influence of this faculty
had been known, it might have been
restrained and educated to acquire and
accumulate honestly. So with all these
mental powers; working the wrong
way they have evil tendencies; used
rightly they are power for good.
Every one of them is indispensable to
our we'll being. SO
Nature is fixed and unchangeable
plan and there should be no existing
conditions to which we are not per-
fectly adapted. We should not be re-
quired to do anything which our
own nature is not qualified to perform.
If then, by a scientific study of the
mind, mans character and ability is
revealed, could we not assign each per-
son to his right position in the world
and thus enrich the different vocations
by putting the proper men into them ?
We could weed out those who would
be failures in one calling and put them
into something in which they would at