Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-08

~ days like these, when the necessity
of education, technical or otherwise,
is strenuously insisted upon by all
IL the learned. worshpful, governmental
and dictatorial who sit" on county
councils or talk the precious time reckiessly
..way in parliament without apparently ar
irving at any decision of definite workable
good for the nation, it will not perhaps be
considered obtrusive or intrusive If a sug-
gestion be put forward as 10 the importance
II one point-the necessity of teaching peo-
pie TO read.
This essential of education is sadly lack
ing among the general majority of ''edu-
Gated persons in Great Britain and l think
1 may say America. especially among those
OF the upper classes in both countries.
When we speak of these upper classes we
mean. of course. those who by chance or
fortune have been born either to such rank
or 10 such sufficient wealth as to be lifted
above the toiling millions and who have
had all the physical, mental and social
advantages that tuition, training and gen
craI surroundings can give them. Yet 1t
is precisely among these that we find the
very ones who cannot read, who frequently
cannot spell and whose handwriting Is so
bad as to be well nigh illegible. When 1t
IS stated that they cannot read, That state
meut is not 10y any means intended TO con-
vey the idea that if book or newspaper
be given to them they do not understand
the letters or the print in which the read
ing matter is presented 10 their eyes. they
do But such letters and such print i'm
press no meaning upon their minds.
Any one can prove this by merely asking
chem what they have been reading IN
nine cases out of ten they don't know.
And II they ever did know during one uH-
usual moment OF brain activity they for
got. The thinking faculty is with them
zt,E "a
thtug runs easily and drops TO waste. The
news of the day, be it set forth never so
boldly In no matter what startlinglS stout
headlines. barely excites their interest for
more than a second. They may perhaps
glance at 4 couple OF newspaper placards
and lazily observe Russia at il again,
but OF the ms and outs Of policy, the diff
Culties of government. the work of nations
they grasp absolutely nothing.
Thus Il happens that when they are
asked their opinion on any such events
OF the hour as may be making history in
the future they display their utter igho-
rance in such frankly stupid fashion that
any intelligent inquirer is bound 10 be
stunned by their lack OF knowledge and
viii perhaps murmur feebly, Have you
rot read the news to which will come
the vague reply: oh. yes: ! read all the
newspapers, but I really don't remember
the particulars just now,-' What they do
remember. these cultured persons {aud
the more highly they are cultured the more
tenacious is their memor yon the point). is
d divorce case. They always read that
carefully over and over again. They com
mcnt upon &c afterward with such gusto
as 20 make Il quite evident to the merest
tyro That they have learned all its worst
details by heart. II they can only revei in
the published shame and disgrace of one
or TWO Of their very dearest" friends they
enjoy and appreciate that kind of mental
fare more than all the beautiful poems
aud idyllic rOmances ever written.
The million have long ago learned to
read and are reading. The last is the most
important fact and one which those who
seek 10 govern them would do well TO re-
member. for their reading is of a most
strange, mixed and desultory order, and
who can say what wondrous new notions
and disturbing theories may not leap out
sprtelille from the witchs caIdron of seeth-
ing ideas round which they gather. watch
ing the literary bubble, bubble. toll and
trouble" wherein the EYE of newt and toe
of frog In the book line may contrast with
something which is altogether outside the
boiling hotch potch--namely. that sick
eagle looking at the sky. which is the
true symbol OF the highest literary art.
But the highest literary art particularly
in It's poetic form, is at n discount now
adays. And why? Simply because people