The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-11-15
True Education.
By LADY HENRY SOMERSET.
: I'D who have studied the social

above all, those who have
n ~ made IT their life work TO com
bat the gigantic evil Of In
temperance, must be aware that there
are merable reasons that lead to the
prevalence OF this vice, and that II we
desire to destroy the curse OF drunkenness
and to lessen the flood Of evil we must
make a hundred channels. In order to
divert the strength Of this mighty tide,
and propose briefly to give my Views.
after many years experience. OF what In
my opinion those channels ought to be.
and how they would affect the main ques-
ton OF Incompetence.
OF COURSE in dealing with this ques-
tion am looking at It from the point
OF view OF my own country. for dearly as
love America, and often as have had.
the privilege Of visiting that great coun-
try. 1t is impossible to be sufficiently con.
versant with the ways Of any other nation
to be able to speak with authority as to
whether the methods that should be
adopted In ono country are equally neces.
eary for another.
First Of all, In England. think we mead
a great return to Nature.
Unless our people can be dispersed
from the conge.ted districts OF our cities,
or our cities can be rendered more habl-
table, with open spaces. trees and gar.
dens. It Is impossible to keep normal
and healthy life In our midst.
Drunkenness is a symptom OF deep
evil In national life.
1t shows us. as unfailingly as q clinical
thermometer shows the health Of an In.
dividuai that our life is unhealthy. and
that the existence Of our people Is mon
otonous and dreary.
Education OF course IL the, great hope
toward which we have to look--educa-
ton not OF one class only. but all classes.
from the governing body to tho dweller
In tho slun,.
remember one OF the greatest educa-
tional authorities In this country being
asked what his opinion was OF the manner
in which we were carrying out our nation.
al education. and his answer was to this
effect:
II we could suppose for moment that
fend was charged with the task Of
constructing system Of national ele.
mertAry education. for the purpose Of
keeping the LIE OF It's people at the lowest
possible level. but which would have It's
perversity so far limited that Il might
be capable OF being defended by argu-
ments likely to be accepted by body Of
men ignorant. probably. Of all the prin-
ciples Of education. and by electors who
appoint those men II possible even more
Ignorant, Inc IlISt VCucCLUn 81 LILdI ASIlO
would probably be that every human being
has body with appeutes and needs so
strong that II the owner OF It be not
taught how he might control 1t by rightly
guiding It. and be enabled to form the
habit OF doing so. he will most certainly
form bad habits, and therefore ruin the
body and heart and the mind together.
Tho aend therefore would carefully set
about abstantnE from allowing children
to be taught at school pleasant games.
full Of healthful recreation.
He would urge that schools be built
without Fairgrounds and gymnasia. and
therefore he would know that the moment
this children left school they would seek
their recreation In saloons. music halls.
in the streets. In gambling end In every
other evil way. and II he wished to salve
the consciences Of those who were carry
ing out such an educational plan he would
probably urge that exercises and drills
be. allowed which could not possibly be
carried on by the children after they left
school.
And then think his next object would
be to eliminate from the minds Of the
children everything that could make them
see In Nature anything attractive or
beautiful.
Indeed he would hide Nature entirely
from their eyes. because he would know
that persons who succeeded In keeping
their hearts and minds healthily active
by love OF or strong interest In whole
some things all belong to two great class
es: First. those who study or delight In
the contemplation OF Nature. and second.
those who delight and study and par
ticipate In the best work and actions and
thoughts and feelings OF man.
And that is why hcnd would exclude
As far as possible from his schools any
first hand knowledge Of Nature. Moreover
the great object In the schools would be
to make children detest their books, hate
their schools, get away from the influence
Of their teachers. and above all keep
them absolutely ignorant of flowers and
birds and woods and fields. and all
that is ennohling and inspiring In the
works OF God and man.
He would allow the curriculum OF their
education to be mere Jingle OF facts
learnt from books OF which they would
understand little. and string Of ideas