Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-12-26
ON MORAL EDUCATION.
Felix Adler Advances His Views on
 the Public School Problem.

ouC LULU DCuOOl 1TOUlGm.
 "The Necessity of Moral Education
 for the Young" was the theme on
 which Felix Adler, professor of politi. cal and social ethics in Columbia uni. versity, spoke in the entertainment hall of the Church of Redeemer We'd
 nesday evening in Hartford. The lec-
 ture was attended by a large au-
 dience.
 Before entering on his specific theme, Professor Adler said that dur,
 ing the last six years there had been
 q growing need for improved methods of moral education. There has been
 too much mental and scientific broad
 ening and too little moral training
 The assassination of President McKin-
 ley, the many lynchings, the present
 revelation of lOoseness in fiduciary re-
 latiOns, have brought about a wave
 of public sentiment. Even now, how
 ever, it seems to be subsiding and
 things working back to their old basis.
 The reforms will not be permanent
 until the occasion is seized to make
 it permanent. The manner of seizing
 the occasion lies in the moral educa- ton that the people need.
 What is commonly known as moral education is only one part of this training. There are two other fac tors ill moral education, the first of which is the administration of the
 law. The sense of justice should be awakened in people, for they will learn after a. time to respect the rights they find they can no longer violate. The other factor is public opinion. The old ethical codes no longer fit the new conditions. At the present time we have what we may call "long range" and short range" sinners. The speaker illustrated long range sin ner as being a railroad director, who sits in his Wall street office, and op- poses some device on the road which doing without would later cause the wheels to run red with blood. The long range sinner may be endowed with all the short range virtues: he may love his family, he may be sin cerely charitable. Thus it happens that an minimizing public allows his short range virtues to overshadow his long range sins. If this is not per mitted, if there is sterner public opinion, there will be course In moral education.
 The public schools should be one Of the factors in educating and pro noting such public opinion. Pro- lessor Adler emphasized his favor of religion but said that he realized the inadequacy of religion to do the work. The chief reasons of this are made clear when we consider the three plans considered for religious training in the schools. The first is that of a com promise training. When we consider that we. would be obliged to bring about a compromise not only between the various creeds. but would have to deal with the moral and honest man, who, for some reason, would not care to have his children receive re- ligious training at all we at once see its unfeasibility. The second plan is that of allowing each religion to be taught by its own representatives This. however. is superfuous and is doing what the Sunday schools are do- ing. If it were said that it would reach many that the Sunday schools would be unable to reach. the forcing of the child to receive religious frain- ing would be infringing on the rights of the individual. The third plan is that of dividing the school fund among the denominations and allowing them to conduct their own schools under state supervision. But this would mean the doing away with the public schools. the thing dearest to the American heart and the thing which the instinct of self preservation prompts us to keep.
 After discussing the public school problems and telling of the methods found best for the promoting of moral betterment. Professor Adler took up 'he question as it deals with the home fife and the relation and attitude that should exist between the parent and he child.