The farmer and mechanic., 1907-02-26

and large, that our young men are
hardly out Of ths high school when
they begin to turn into the avenue Of
trade and manufacture. The call Of
the higher culture grows faint IN their
ears and many Of them are in peril
# losing themselves in their business
Here emcrges the critical situation Of
the higher education The new &C
mocracy ought to send forth into the
college q larger student body han it.
restricted class constituency could have
supplied The new prosperity ought to
equip. enrich and teautify the college
The RIGT or EDUCATION FOR
with it's wealth. But the success and
comfort of the times distributed
through all grades Of society tend TO
discTedit the claims of the life OF cul-
ture and the bearing OF college train
Jug upon efficiency in the actual life
Of man. and unless this tendency be
checked the college will find itself Sc
verely restricted in its influence. if not
ultimately without mission and
with ut a constituency.
The salvation OF tho New south
against this peril lies IN the right edu-
cation The right education viii rec
ognize two fundamental principles
l. The inherent worth OF man. ire
spectiye Of antecedents or surround
ings. or calling We are at last learn
ing the Christian definition Of man
When Jesus brought life and immor-
tality to light in the Gospel. He con-
fer.ed unon every human being
an essential dignity and worth by
investing him with an eternal
dcstiny AccordingIE il is the man
hood IL every man that is Of value
The man is superior to his circum-
stances. The man IS more than his
calling The education which he re-
uuires IN democpacy is clearly that
which is suited to him in view of his
inherent worth as man. Educate the
man first. the farmer afterWard. the
man first the banker afterWard: for q
democracy knows him not as a farmer
or q banker. but as a man.
Moreover q mans duties and re-
SponsibiitieS overflow the boundaries
of his calling For example the farm
er i q man with Il man s responsible
ties and work in the world, in addition
to = farmers work and possibilities
He is i father Of 4 family with dOnes-
tic obligations. He is q citizen of the
community with civic responsibilities
He is a member Of the Kingdom O..
Heaven under bonds TO the call of
Christ And it 50 turns out that these
extra-professional ailegiances are in
that precise section of our nature
which distinguishes it. No education
can be adequate which ignores them
. The right education for the New
South Will recognize, secondly, this
1undamentaI demand. naIflclS. tfldJ
shall prepare for life. There is truth
in the demand that education be prac-
teal that is to say. adjusted to actual
life conditions. It has hitherto too Of
ten been remote from life. and the
ridicule which men Of affairs have
heaped upon higher education has not
infrequcntly been justified by the Sc.
clusiOn and the superior airs of those
who are responsible for it. There has
been not little talk about communion
with the far past, about the vulgar
roaring. rushing materialistic present
about the sweet serenity of academic
shades. and the refined delights of the
life of culture. Who wonders that the
practical man sneers at the ineficiency
and helplessness of the products OF
culture in such an atmosphere. It is
not surprising that he speaks con-
temptuously Of "culterine." So much
may be admitted.
It must be observed, however. that
the practical man has gone astray in
the definition which he has given Of
practical education. He insists that alt
the education one needs is that which
fits him for his calling. and inasmuch
as the great majority Of the caIlings
CONCLUDED on Page SIX