The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-03-02
PLEA FOR HIGH
MORAL CODE
DR.. William ]. Shearer
of Elizabeth Wants the
School Standard of Nor
ality Raised
WHERE CHARTERS FORM
LACK OF ATTENTION TO THE IN
CULCATION OF HIGH PRINCI-
PIES AT HOME AND IN SCHOOL
MEETS WITH CENSURE

In an address delivered at the Conven-
tion of the Department of Superinten-
dence of the National Educational Assoc
citation, at Nashville this week, DR.. Will
liam ]. Shearer, Superintendent of
Schools of Elizabeth, spoke of the rela-
ton of schools to morality He said
'sAll must agree that the most import
ant duty Of home and school is the fixing
of right principles of character and con-
duct. Few will deny that moral training
is of greater Importance to the prosper
ity and happiness of the individual, as
we'll as to the welfare and life of the ma
ton, than is a knowledge of the common
branches. In spite of this fact, but little
attention is given either in school or at
home to systematic instruction in this
subject.
''Acts involving moral questions are Of
most frequent occurrence. Facts learned
may or may not be used. Moral acts are
performed almost every minute Of the
day, and there is scarcely an intellectual
exercise which does not include number
Of moral acts This is especially the
case in school, Moral acts are not only
the most frequent, but they are also the
most important Other acts may deter
mine reputation. Moral acts establish
character Other acts may seem to aid
to success. Moral acts make certain the
highest success.
'4The field of the moral Judgment is
voluntarily human action, The intnition-
lists hold that moral judgment has to do
entirely with motives. The utilitarians
claim that it depends entirely on the in
tentions. Be that as it may, the eondi-
ton of the moral sentiment is obligation.
.'The moral law is imposed not by
Others, but by ourselves. Its application
is wider and it's aims are loft;er than
those Of the civil law. 1t deals with the
motives, while the civil law deals with
actions. The moral standard differs with
times. places and conditions. First Gus
tom was the standard In one country it
was considered right for children to sup
port their parents; in another to kill
them. The imperfections of both of these
being apparent, wider and deeper
standard was found in conscience.
The origin of the moral sentiment is
in the feeling of authority developed in,
the family where the good results in
pleasure and the bad in pain. The child
soon associates right action with one as
the result and wrong action with the
other.
Embryonic moral Judgment suggests
the adyisability for one lines-of action
rather than another AS the child grows
in intelligence. he is able to distinguish
the better between right and wrong, and
embryonic. conscience leads him to wish
to do what is right and avoid the wrong.
Slowly he develops from his environments
a sense of duty. Gradually he develops
the feeling Of subjection to moral law.
The object Of. moral training is subjec-
tion of the lower feelings to the higher,
the improvement of the moral Judgment,
the observance of the moral law, the
strengthening of the feling of moral
obligation. This can only be done by
leading the child to will to do the right.
Conscience gives us the idea of right
and wrong and leads us to approve the
one and disapproye the other. It does
NIT teach us. what is right or what is
wrong. This must be learned by the ex-
crcise of reason and by experience. The
idea Of right and wrong is primary, and
cannot be analgzed. In every one Of
Thousand dialects and languages are
found the words right. wrong, ought and
duty.
The whole social life is rooted in CON
science. but for this sense of justice So
ciety could not exist. You say it is laws,
or courts, or police. or prisons, that hold
society together? You are mistaken. The
law is for the lawless. but the great ma
jority do right because of the prornpt'n 'ngs
Of conscience which has been educated.
Our first duty. is 10 educate the con-
science; but we must not stop there. The
conscience can no more be kept healthy
without exercise than can the body The
best exercise fer the conscience IS in
training It to hold fast to the right IN
small things. Society, church and State
all depend upon character, and eharacte,
depends upon eonscisnes. 4 i. therefore.