The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-04-21

In order to get an understanding OF
the nature and limitations Of education,
1t has been necessary to nnalyze habit
ana intellectual force; and 1t remains to
inquire whether knowledge itself Is not
subject to an analysis that Will throw
some light on the problems Of cducn-
ton, thus completing the analysis of
the three branches of education.
a liberal education is devoted almost
entirely to book-learning. Polite learn
Ing, the bellies lettrea of the French, is
book-learn.ng. Education and. knowledge
are both popularity supposed to denote
nothing but understanding. These OBJ
servntions must therefore largely concern
book-learning.
In the study Of books the almost cx-
elusive instruments of the education of
the schools, we learn knowledge of two
kinds:
/. Real knowledge.
.. Formal knowledge.
The German public schools make this
distinction: by realism are meant the
branches which convey knowledge of real
things-actual knowledge not merely the
form Of knowledge" Realistic studies
include geography, history, clements Of
natural history and natural science" in
the peoples schools of Germany.
One would naturally suppose that the
chief study of books would be for the
purpose of learning the facts therein re-
corded But we study the form in which
the knowledge of our own books is ex-
press. and then we go further. and learn
the languages in which other nations
speak, write and record their knowledge;
and thus the form of knowledge becomes
the chief cornerstone OF the educational
structure.
1t has been the universal tendency of
the human mind TO mistake form for
substance. Old systems of education
have always run to such nominalism.
The schoolmcn of the dark ages furnish
the leading example of this pedagogic
tendency. The education of the Chinese
to-day Is purely literary and formal; and
when tho practical AngloSaxon Is not
exploring classical poems of expression,
he is studying modern languages be-
cause lie seems to think form and not
substance is educational.
The Greeks were mcasurably free from
this tendency. They refused to learn
any language OF the outside barbarians.
This was n case of good law based on
bad reasoning, good intellectual force
and bad learning. 1t was wise not to
learn languages, and especially inferior
languages, for educational reasons not
on account of prejudice against the bar
baran. Greek learning remained fresh
and vigorous a thousand years and never
did suffer complete eclipse from formal
ISM
Although languages. especially the
classic ones are usually learned out of
books. and mostly for the sake of the
booksh exercises OF translation, languages
are not necessarily recorded in books
They did not originate when books We're
in use; any they may be best learned
entirely without books; for example, by
the child, and by the photographic meth
od They are simply vehicles, very i'm
perfect at best. by which men record
their knowledge They are of the form
of knowledge without use as knowledge.
AT the Revival of Learning, five hun
dred years ago, there was little real
knowledge in existence. nothing but the
form upon which the arch might later
he built. But this formal knowledge,
then made the basis of the school learn
ing perforce. has never been abandoned
and not much extended. so far as the
schools are concerned.
Industry and science have been revo-
lutionized many times over, but educa-
ton has remained at the same stage OF
development, furnishing a strange exam
pie of unvaryng tradition among other
wise progressive peoples; and showing
conclusiely how little influence educa-
ton has had on development. Chinese
education and development have both
remained stationery. There education
has had more apparent influence.
Perhaps the leading distinction In the
concept of knowledge Is between:
First. That which we may call BOOK
learning. and.
Second. Operative knowledge, that
which Is practiced by the people In their
habits trades. occupations, customs, gov
eminent and religion. 1t Is this last
which Is most essential to civilization.
If every book in the world were destroy
ed tomorrow, as, it is understood, was
tho Alexandrine Library, operative civili-
cation would so on without any setback
whatever.
There is a very essential difference be-