New-York tribune., 1907-12-03
Literary .Nes,s and Criticism.
study Of records and authorities and developed
with ability

II is an unusual treatise that Mr William
Estabrook Chancellor. Superintendent Of Public
instruction in the District OF Columbia, has
written under the title OF "A Theory OF Motives,
Ideals. and Values in Education" CHoughton,
MiInin & Coz II is not simple textbook On
Peoasoglcal theory but rather philosophy OF
lie applied directly 10 educational problems.
Cncommonly conspicuous is the fact that the
writer's views about schools and their manage
ment have not grown up out OF observation
alone Mr. Chancellor has built up a philosophy
OF life out Of extensive reading in good litera-
tuTe and still more extensive and intensive
orooclng under the bias OF a strongly idealistic
II not mystic temperament The merit and
faults Of his book may be roughly inferred
from this
II has five main features: % The assertion
Of the universal rather than the mediate place
and value Of education, as an integral social in
stitutton; 90 the presentation il hierarchical
form OF the evidences of education as its sue
cessively higher ideals: go the discovery OF the
true relation Of motives, values and ideals by
arranging these terms logically; Cd the e.1pha-
sis Of the philosophical spirit underlying and
establishing the modern course OF study and
mode Of administration: and go the develop
ment OF a system based upon the proposition
OF the complete education Of each and OF all
= heavy programme indeed! In carrying it
out. Mr.. Chancellor has TO lcok ar all social
institutions, relate them TO one another and
show the stimulus end the pressure coming
from all Of them TO the individual. IN laboring
through the amorphous mazes of sociology.
genetic psychology. race history. and what not,
Nj Chancellor frequently loses his bearings
and occasionally his temper Yearning for TN
utterable perfection, ne gets vexed over the real
world: IN marriage, in home and in family,
w. and t,a
cries Most persons are not thoughtful, and
therefore are not essentially successful" OF
religion. few manifest the fruits by the peaceful
works Of the spirit" of government, most
men and women know nothing, even in demo-
cratic America There is not e single system
OF schools whose sole purpose is the true pur-
pose Of education" The temper of the present
age in America Is democratic, scientific, practi-
cal. mechanical. n1ateriahsIic Il is therefore
out OF harmony with the characteristic temper
Of historical education The modern American
social temper is 70 be considered more out of
harmony with true education than with histori-
cal education" Indeed. the whole situation is
SO serious that Mr. Chancellor sees salvation
possible only through the medium Of a COM
plete regeneration OF educational system
We must give UP training children in pra !
branches; education for ends breaks down 81
a free democracy in consequence OF the rapid
changes in its social structure; cannot pre-
pare for ends, for there are no ends. Every
thing IS tentative" Let US therefore not worry
too much over teaching bookkeeping and type
writing, arithmetic. engineering and all other
sordid achievements. the philosopher tells
Education is nothing but religion enlightened
and energized"; and this means the conquest
Of the human mind by new Ideal the highest
Yet conceived-the employment OF this life as a
IN Lat lar Fa r1E- hA
made a heavenly university. a school OF ex-
ceeding many and various opportunities radiat
ing from .pne idea'-the possibility OF a far off.
divine event for each OF us These
cerpts suffice to show how hopelessly out &
touch with the tendencies of modern educational
leaders Mr.. Chancellor is. A closer inspection OF
his volume reveals similar lack of sympathy
and genuine familiarity with current psychology;
and the whole trouble seems be that the
author has suffered from obsession against
which scientific calm cannot prevail Whether
that crsession IS poetic enthusiasm for grand
thoughts" ~ simply hyperesthesia toward the
rough realities OF the day-to-day world, are
not sure In either case. it is a great mis-
fortune.
Threnmetology. or the principles and prac-
tees involved in the economic improvement OF
donesticated animals and plants, has long been
peculiarly
academic scientists, who have thus far found
biological study more interesting than biological
practice. and never having been properly learned
or appreciated by stock breeders, who have al
most invariably trusted 10 rules OF thumb and
vague tradition IN perfectng plants. cereals and
livestock Professor E. Davenport's book, "Prin-
ciples OF Breeding (Ginn Coz, a summary OF
the work OF the dean OF the College of Agri-
culture OF the University Of Illinois. is an at
ternpt TO present this useful and even epoch
making science in such way that both scien-
fists and practical breeders win be drawn tow
ard il. To the scientists ne seeks to show the
wealth Of material for biological theory in the
various common forms Of systematic culture OF
organisms on the farm; and he stIives TO con-
vince the farmer that 'the successful breeder
Of the future will be a bookkeeper and a stat
istician." employing at every turn the rigorous
mathematical methods and formulas of the
laboratory investigator
AS matter Of fact however. it is greatly to
be feared that the writer has produced book
which can appeal helpfuly 10 highly trained
students alone. Graduates and undergraduates
Of agricultural colleges will doubtless find Pro-
>essor Davenport's volume an admirable digest
of theories concerning variation and transmits
sion of characteristics OF the four parts into
which the work is divided the first three. con-
stituting the bulk Of the volume. set forth the
intricate details OF these two great evolutionary
phenomena, systematically and accurately, OF
course hut by no means In language suited 10
the farmer who has not spent four years listen
ing to college lectures on Darwinisn1, physiol-
ogy chemistry and mathematics. For this fall
ure to bring thrernmatology home to the
average breeder we cannot find the heart nor
-he logic 10 blame Professor Davenport: his