The Palatka news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1905-03-31

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youth. it should be in harmony with
what is best in the state. 1t must
prepare the youth for citizenship in
the state. Now in the state thus
analyZed the spirit of morality must
| be the atmosphere of the school.
Like the grace and spirit of the fine
woman, it is of the essence of the
school and it must manifest itself,
! because of the law of expression.
"Out of the heart the mouth speaks"
| Out of the soul the face shines. Out of
the state, which is in the moral or
der of the world, the spirit of morali-
ty must express itself. And so also
is it it'll the school. The spirit of
morality must be the dominating
feature. We say th" spirit nf NOR.
ality purposely. We are not now
| speaking of Il branch of study, but of
personal magnetism, the radiation
of power from the individuality of
| the teacher, something like what the
poet had in mind when he wrote of II
''bright-eyes vaining influence"
! This is not matter of instruction.
You cannot teach sunshine. You
cannot instruct thirsty child in the
righteousness of cool springwater.
These things are felt They are TAX
IN in, iInbibed, absorbed. They be-
come part of the life, without the
child's knowing whence the new life
comes.
We have then these two ideas of
education. One is the qualifyin OF
youth to become promoters of the
material welfare of the state. The
aim and end of the other j. good citi-
Genship. This last means much
more than the first. 1t aims to make
the youth come to n realization of
themselves as moral beings, and as
such to find their work in the indus
trial or some other life of the nation
Considering the state as Il part of
THE moral order of the world, it would
seem to be an obligation of the
school to teach this truth. Not sell
fish ends is the first aim of the good
citizen, but his work In the moral
order of the state. The course on
moral instructions in the city of An
derson, Ind, begins. "The moral
instruction of children is the highest
duty imposed on teachers"
Preachers should give positive
|
This sentiment seems bound to in
crease.
The State is moral personality.
II is all the while working out moral
ends which affect the welfare and
destiny of the nation. The state
therefore must be true to itself in
the administration of the school. 1t
should provide that the result OF
school life in character shall be help
full to the work OF the state.
We do not overlook the fact that
what is lacking in present school
conditions is i'll many cases made up
by the individuality of the teacher
This work on character by the good
teacher is the saving element in our
system of public instruction. 1t works
silently like the work of the spirit OF
God. But the state (Florida) renders
no aid. So far as the state is con-
cerned the school does not give the
impression that this realization OF
the pupils duty to sustain the moral
order of the state is needful to good
citizenship. Later when grown VI
and entered on life, they see the
state prosecuting officials for breach
of trust, they see the penal work oil
f courts. But these things are not
part of the moral education of the
state. The state Furnishes the want
of that moral character in the either
which it made no effort to create il
the citizens school life.
: The state must be true to its char
= acter The state is a moral Organi
zation. This is not the place to argue
out this point. | assume it. AnC
not as all opinion of my own. 1t il
the teaching and philosophy of the
hest authorities. Philosoph ical stu
dents of history tell us that the life o
) nations reveals u purpose governin.
it all, and contributing to the pro
gress and perfection of humanity
Each important nation has had 1t,
part to perform. Israel developed
J religion. That WAS her mission
, ''There was in Greece u conscious
moral spirit" She created Nemesis
the goddess of divine .retribution
\ The lessons of her tragic poetry ar,
intensely moral. Rome developed
law. These contributions to the
l moral order of the world show thu
proper work of the state. History
. conveys to us moral lessons, becaus,
! the nations have been working on
: moral ends.
) How to secure for the school the
| teacher with the needed individuals
= ty is serious problem. 1t wOul(
2 seem that the method OF selection
+ should make this individuality o.
Z chief consideration. Then, shall in
5 struction from text books be added
to moral influence? Can the STATE
= leave the most important part o
education entirely to undirected in
: dividuality? There is hope that thu
= moral earnestness of the nation es
= pecially of the teachers, will develoI
? some kind of instruction which shall
r. furnish basis of righteous prin
l ciple for the conduct of life.
/ Many object to the introduction o
5 religion into the public school. A
= part of the objection arises from con
founding systems of doctrine anC
Z denominatinnalism with religion
t This is an error. Religion is Il mat
| ter of personal relation to God. Doc
| trine and denominationalism arr
f human deductions and in some de.
e gree human speculations. Religion
, pure and simple has no concern witt
5 them. Religion and morality are in
! separable, They both are in thu
t nature of the child. You cannot sep
arate them there. Morality need.
| the support of religion. Religion
= needs the support of morality. Re.
t ligion cannot do its work withou
t morality, cannot keep house with
e out morality. If she tries to do 81
= the house is not kept clean. If NOR
4 ality tries to do so without religion
: the house is liable to be proved TO b.
= built on the sand. Like husband anC
S wife, religion and morality are TIVE
= divided halves, each incomplete