Los Angeles herald., 1908-02-26
ALARMIsT BULLETIN

a the request OF the bureau VI Suu-
n cation, department of the inte-
- rior, Edward L. Thorndike, pro-
fessor of educational psychology,
teachers college, Columbia university,
conducted an Investigation into charges
made by John Brisben Walker, foun-
der of the Cosmopolitan Magazine, and
by editors of several religious periodi-
Gals. who acted upon complaint of min
listers who saw secular conditions re-
1ected in their Sunday schools. that
the so-called reign of prosperity had
been characterized by a slump in
American education unparalleled in
history. Among other accusations, that
which aroused most comment declared
that the number of boys and girls now
employed in gainful occupations in the
United States at ages when they should
be at school was about TWO MIL
LIONS. The government could not
without investigation deny such seri-
Gus charge. Believing it would be easy
to secure data that would give the lie
to the sensation mongers-so called
the secretary of the interior. whose
Jurisdiction extends over matters OF
national education. as we HAVE NO
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN
OUR GOVERNMENT. took up the
subject. The secretary. not caring to
trust departmental routine in mat
ter which could be handled efficiently
only by a qualified expert, engaged a
specialist, Professor Edward L. Thorn
dixie. of the chair of educational psy-
chology, teachers college, Columbia
university. 1t is needless to say Pro-
lessor Thorndike is not politician
For four years the professor devoted
himself to the subject, and the signih-
canoe of this period of time is that 1t
shows that the government took alarm
at the very first publication of maya
zine articles relating to the educational
lapse of the republic. For the length of
a presidential term the official inves-
tigator has pursued his labors with con-
scientious assiduity and with PAINS
taking patriotism. The result of his
investigation is contained in bulletin
No. 4, 1907. whole number 379, depart
ment of the interior. bureau of educa-
ton. Whether viewed as significant
contribution to modern sociological
science or as an unintentionai cam
paign document for the Democratic
party. the monograph is extraordinary.
Let us be grateful for the demonstrat-
ed fact that the politico-moral atmos-
phere of Washington is clean. There
have been administrations under which
a document like Professor Thorndike's
would have been suppressed ruthlessly,
or which would have contrived delay
of publication until after the presiden-
tial election. Professor Thorndike's re-
port proves every charge that has been
made as to educational lapses in the
United States and as to the sacrifice OF
the youth of the country to the great
business growth and what many have
been in the habit of calling the pros
perity" of the Countrywide creation OF
trusts which destroyed the individual
ism of the producing employees without
giving and without attempting to give
the return for the loss of individuality
that even Socialism proposes to give.
Let us bear in mind that the most
potent argument advanced by econo-
mists who combat Socialism is the peril
of what they call individualism. Con-
servative philosophers believe that con-
ditions which produce the greatest
good for the greatest number of people
tend to create fiocks of human sheep.
Conditions among the southern negroes
before the War of the Rebellion and
in Russia among the peasantry and
minor mechanics today show that the
tendency to concentration of power in
the hands of favored individuals pro-
duces sheepishness among the masses.
The demonstrated facts do not support
the conservative theory.
If we do not put stop to the opera
| ton of powerfully wealthy individuals
| and of vast masses of combined wealth
in the United States it will be only a
question of time. says the government
expert, until wealth" and higher ed
ucation" will be almost synonymous
terms in this country; until the wealthy
| class will be the educated class
Professor Thorndike. on page So of his
report, says that ALREADY a college
degree is a symptom of certain de-
gree of health, ambition, WEALTH
and capacity as we'll as of training.
Since we must needs supply for our
selves a plutocratic aristocracy, since
we must clamor for King Stork to reigr
over our frog pond, let us pray thai
the ruler may be educated When q
rich mans son honestly earns uni
versity degree he is probably far more
entitled to credit than is the pool
mans son who takes degree. But
why should we produce and counte'
nance condition of affairs that makes
a college degree a rich mans privilege
rather than a poor mans prize?
DTEIITo