The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-01-12
DRAW COUNTRY SCHOOL
! NEAR TO COUNTRY LIFE
Not Only Better Farming, but Better and Happier
HumanlL Life Upon the Farm Will
Be the Result.

Allf I'D LIZ Vic
One OF tho most important as we'll
ms most entertaining addresses deltv-
cred at the recent Teachers Conference
In Roanoke was that Of Dr. Elmer p.
Brown, Commissioner OF Education.
His subject was "rhe Educational Lad
der" After a general survey Of the
educational progress Of the country,
DIR. Brown said
Here in your own Virginia, within
the past five years. tremendous effort
has been put forth. over three hun
dred local education Leagues have been
established to gather UP the diTusc
educational sentiment OF scattered
communities and make 1t effective to-
ward definite ends. Two hundred new
school houses were built in the year
1906, at cost OF $45O,000. Two hun
drcd small schools were consolidated
into sixty larger schools within the
same year, with consequent Improves
ment in the extent and quality of TIE
education provided. Within the years
1905 and 1907 the number OF your rural
high schools was Increased from 10 to
40. This Is a most astonishing adj
vance, for which the special appro-
.
propaganda carried on from your State
university. and the activity Of your
State and local voluntary organizations,
are doubtless In large part responsible.
Other signs abound OF that self-sacri-
ficIng endeavor which would make the
Democratic educational ideal a full
reality In this great State. Not the
least OF these Is the increase by more
than so per cent. within five years of
your expenditures for public education.
Right OF Personality.
The building UP Of our systems OF
educational opportunity COOS forward
in accordance with characteristic
American sentiment, that which an
appreciatiye European visitor has de-
= scribed an our American regard for
the right OF personality. We do indeed
hold that personality as such has
rights which society Is bound to re-
spect. This sentiment secures In our
education wide play for individual
becomes, in fact. decisive influence
making for individualism.
But we must not blink the other
fact that this situation has dangers OF
its own. And chief among these Is
the danger of self-centering, of refined
self-seeking. This form Of selfishness
sometimes appears as the pursuit of
lGulAuTe dnQ learning LOT the mere tQe-
llght or honor of possession. In our
colleges we sometimes see a dilettante
spirit awakened which makes of the
college course. for some collegians. a
revel of intellectual and aesthetic. or
IL may be even social. self-indulgence.
The thought OF useful service in the
great world does not allure. The four
years OF the college course are a time
Of precious enjoymenf.s all too soon
acf yv,1 hxye to ~, -
sad time of return to the practical
things of life may be Alittle post
poned. Happily this lis not the preva-
lent spirit of our colleges. 1t Is found
In them however. and IT Is found. too.
In schools of lower grade. Ina variety
of forms this danger of accentuated
selfshness Is the great danger OF a
civilization which provides deliberately
for unlimited individual opportunity.
Accordingly in such system there Is
special need of euphasIs upon indi-
vidual responsibility. Unto whomso-
ever much is given. OF him shall be
much required"
Kesponslbiiity and Opportunity.
Let us consider now one definite way
in which responsibility is TO be CO.
ordinated with opportunity, and that
way is the connection OF general edu-
cation with training for vocation. We
have built up our well-knit system OF
education with thought all of the
time for liberal culture. for the max
ing of manhood, pure and simple. We
have largely put aside the thought OF
training for special functions in civil
society. Now we need to supplement
our view of liberal culture with the
view that every man is responsible for
special service to his fellow-men-
for that is the larger significance OF
AZ rI,a ~
his trade and be master Of his trade.
Prepare for Some Vocation.
We may state the newer view of this
matter IN the form of general prin.
ciple: No mans education Is complete
till it has been rounded out by regula,
preparation for some vocation in life
Our educational systems must accord.
ingly be SO organized that the genera
training of each pupil shall eliminate
in special training for some honorable
llfe-occupation. This principle does
not necessarily imply that the voca-
tional training shall be furnished di
tied question which must work itselt
out, as 1t is working itself out, by
experiment, discussion and comparison
of experiences. The essential point |.
that general and special training shall
be recognized, as both OF them are
necessary to society and to the indi
vidual. and also as necessary each q
them to the other The education
which makes one self-supporting ant
contributing member OF society Is t.
come into honorable recognition alont
with that which makes one a general.
Intelligent and literate member OF so
ciety.
1t will be asked whether this new
principle does not contradict the prin
A. N...A
not indeed, propose return to
stratified society, in that each climbe
up the educational ascent is at SOM