The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1903-07-02

TERMs: igRen Biz Months tSss5 e. ta cents. aasancs
made one assertion or brought forth
any proof that such statement is in-
correct. He has not done so because
he knows it is aR.incontrovertible fact.
In his second paragraph he again en-
ploys the lawyers prerogative and flies
off at tangent, seeking to prove that
many children who are compelled to
attend school become eminent scholars.
L must have misunderstood him, for
thought his first paper referred to
adults. I am under the impression
that to try to make scholars of those
who do not desire scholarship would be
like the task Mrs. Darlington set for
herself when she tried to keep the tide
back with mop.
E. E. E. states that it would be as
easy. to compel men to learn as it is to
compel them to work. How SO? What
standard or law could be laid down as
guide to punishment, ETC., for nom
attainment Of the task set? If you do
not enforce study such plan would
surely fail. And how, in justice and
impartiality, can E. E. +. decide whether
man is simply dense or willfully stub
born? To force man to literary
bent against his will is as hard task
as supping hot broth with darning
needle.
Once more, in his paragraph on farm
life he entirely ignores my statement
that education has tendency to make
young people dislike certain manual
trades and employments. need only
say that any daily paper will prove my
assertion. How about the problem of
hired help, both domestic and farmf
Why is it so difficult to obtain such
help2 In the first sermon I heard in
Minneapolis, the minister stated that
he could find domestic situations for
$50 girls if they would go to them, but
they would not accept. They all wanted
to be clerks. Can E. e. E. tell us why
the mass of young men and women de-
spise manual labor If it Is not through
mistaken notions wrought by so-called
education?
! His apostrophe to the flag is fine
theatrical speech and only wanted the
proper audience to awaken the echoes.
It is too bad that such patriotic dis
play of indignation was not based on
facts. It sounds as if our friend had
been celebrating the Fourth of July
just before he penned it, the last glass
having been one too many for him.
Now for facts. I stated that it would
be we'll for all to learn that evil doing
recoils on the doer, and that we reap
an hundred-fold the tares we sow. And
will leave it to any serious thinking
man to say if this is not the truth.
4 Just word on fiction. A proof that
fiction in literature is considered the
great vehicle for conveying truths to
the masses is that large number Of
prominent pastors on this continent as
we'll as in Europe SO use it. lean, If
necessary, give list of forty of the
most eminent clergymen of the past
thirty years who have, through fiction,
! preached to thousands, publishing
book after book. L said that fiction is
accomplishing more good than our
churches and believe it. Thousands
who read well told story do not go
: inside church, and in the guise of
$ tale truths are taught that people
otherwise would never listen to. So
! we'll is this recognized that fiction IS
: being made the vehicle of social, po-
litical, scientific as we'll as religious
themes, reaching myriads who would
otherwise remain in ignorance of such
matters.
To sum up: Education is fitting
a oneself for ones life work, and SO far
!. as we fail, our education, no matter
: what it has been, is a mistake. The
lot of the bulk of mankind is physical
9 labor, to earn their bread by the sweat
), of their brow; and any education tend
o ing to unfit them for that work, by
: causing discomfort or by teaching that
+ certain kinds of labor is degrading or
II dishonorable, is faulty. Does not much
of the present day education do that
q very thing? It would seem so. Is it
S mot fact that most young people who
y have passed through the high school
o have contempt for those who toll
n Do they not bow down to fine clothes
Ie and white handsp Answer, oh learned
it Daniel come to Judgment. sd.