Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1903-07-25

or any apprcciable part of 1t, at the
end of three decades. 1t Is this ''pro-
longation of infancy" that gave John
Fiskc so much material for study and
discussion. Without such prolonga.
tion. said Fiske. the human race couli
never have reached its present position.
AS the human heritage of civilization
becomes greater and greater the period
which the human child must spend In
assimilating this heritage Will become
longer and longer. and human infancy
will stretch farther and farther toward
middle age. Listen. therefore. to Pres.
idcnt Harper at the convention of the
National Educational association when
he speaks about two year college
course. Listen to President Eliot when
he speaks about u three year course.
Listen to President Butler when he,
speaks about II dovetalled liberal plus
n professional course. These educators
are not only exposing the tumultuous
weltcring chaos of modern educational
thought: they are also drawing atten-
tion to one of the greatest problems OF
modern society. How shall the modern
prOlongation Of infancy, which keeps
II man In college till he Is % and defcrs
his marriage till he Is 30. he prevented
from becoming too great a burden and
evaporation both to society and to the
man himself. On the one side there IL
the obvious fact that long courses Of
study are necessary for the acquisition
and assimilation OF all the scientific,
political. social. and ethical elements OF
modern life. On the other side stands
the equally obvious fact that n man
may be kept SO long at his studies that
before he has begun really to live he Is
past his physical AM psychical prime.
How are these two facts to be recon
ciled?
1T often happens" said David BE-
lascO while talking about some of the
mechanical effects used In "The Darl
ing of the Gods" "that tricks OF the
simplest description arouse the popu
lar wonder and curiosity to the great
est extent, while. on the other hand
the most original, delicate and daring
work passes unnoticcd by all save pro
fcssional experts. 4 great man!
years ago when I was learning tho
business of mounting and producing
plays, l introduced II cat into Hearts
Of Oaks'-the play that made the late
James \. IIcrne famous. We had
live baby in the play, too, which eX
cited a tremendous amount Of inter
est, but l think the cat created more
talk and wonder because every ont
Is familiar with the habits Of tina
domestic animal and knows how din
cult 1t Is to teach one to perform eyei
the simplest trick.
Every night ut n certain cue thi
cat came upon the stage, walked
across to the fireplace, stretched her
self ana then lay down in front of tn
blazing hearth, for we burned rea
lire in n gas log In order To make tn
scene more realistic and natural. Til
cat did her part so easily and natul
ally that she frequently got a ro'ln'
of applause, and 1t always happcnc'
that before we had played three night
In Il town the most popular topic o
conversation was, How did they eve
train that cat to come on the stag,
stretch herself ana lie down in from
Of the fire!'
Might after night the eat took he
cue and went through her little nc
to the wonder ana delight of all bt
holders. 1t really seemed like I,
markable performance on her part
but, after all, her education was
very simple matter. A few minute
before 1t was time for her to go o
we used TO put her in basket jus
large enough TO hold her cOmfortabl
without giving her Il chance to chang
her position and then leave her In
cool place in the cellar. At the prOpC
time she was brought upstairs and n
leased in the entrance In time to al
. swcr her cue. OF course she wake
across the stage to where the fire wa
, burning and when she got there whi
, was there to do except to stretch he
, self as measure of relief after III
: cramped position in the basket an
then lie down In the warmth of II
blazing log? The fact is, 1t wOul
have very difficult indeed to trai