The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-09-11
Is Il d Superstition?

Barrett Wendell has been writing
a magazine article on. our National
Superstition" which is his name for
education II may seem odd TO some
people that this Harvard professor,
lwho is one OF the most carefully edu-
Gated of beings, should refer thus to
the business by which he makes his
living, but the reasons for his view
will be apparent to any one who has
read a novel of his called "Rankell's
Remains which appeared some years
ago. and is not as well known as it
should be His reason for calling us
superstitious on this subject is, in
brief, that he thinks we have an idea
that education will do everything for
anybody, and he believes that this is
not so.
A great deal, of course, depends
upon what one means by education.
The definitions are various. Some
people are opposed to educating the
negro, meaning that he should not be
taught to read and write, or at any
rate not more than that; others con-
tend that an educated man, meaning
q man with a thorough technical
training in his business, is more use
ful than one who had to leave schooi,
in the grammar grade and pick up
his knowledge anyhow Anybody
ought to be able to see that the fact
that man can read and write, or mas
been through college for that matter,
has nothing to do with his moral
character, and does not prevent his
being a thief, a swindler, muir
derer, or a saint 1t ought also 70 be
easy to see that a population in
which all the people can read. write.
and understand something of natural
laws and the world in which they
live, will be more responsive to new
ideas. and more amenable TO good in
! nuences in general, than one in which
ideas have to be communicated by
word of mouth,-that is. of course,
other things being equal Much of
the prejudice against popular educa-
ton avowed by many people ought
rather to be called prejudice against
l popular ignorance. OF course, when
/ you undertake to educate people
1 whose ancestors have been i ignorant
for untold generations, the results are
often peculiar, but that is not the
fault of the learning, nor is it a proof
that ignorance is better.
It is folly, of course, to educate a
man in a way which does not heir to
fit him for his life work IN some way
The farmer should have enough edu-
cation to enable him to make the
most of his farmland that meanB q
good deal in these days, and the
training should be of a peculiar kind
and, in addition TO this, he may
well have a liking for general liter
AZURE and culture, that he may
play his part as citizen and man
4 The same is true of the skilled work
man, of the doctor, of the lawyer, oil
/ the clergy man. Inc mere ldDOTei
should know how to read, write and
cipher, as the old phrase goes, and the
State should provide him and his
children with the opportunity to learr
something more if they have the
ability They need the rudiments oil
learning in order to be effective In
any line OF work. for the man NhC
cannot read is far less useful to his
employer than the man who can;
and if there is in this family one in.
dividual with the ability to becom,
skilled workman, or something in
tellectually finer than a laborer, tn,
State should furnish that individual
with the necessary training to enabl,
him TO make the most of himself. tt
put all the children in the communIt,
through the same mental training Il
foolish and useless, and in some case
: apositive injury to the children. T,
/ give them training which will enabl
them to do better work, earn NOR
money. make better citizens, is tn
duty Of the State