Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-30
THE ARGUMENT FOR CULTURE.

Training Tor NocatlonS IN DcmoSrdcy,
Dr. Suzzallo delivered n clear and
forcible argument In favor of what ia
called culture as the necessary basis
of education in our American schools
We summarize here in our own way,
from memory, not having the text be-
fore us.
1t may be remembered by some oi
our readers that the students of the
Mccormick Theological Seminary re-
Gently burned their professor OF He
making them learn the Old Testament
tongue. This idea of culture that 1t
consists in studying ancient languages
was expressly refuted by the lecturer.
No man is truly cultured. the Doctor
holds, unless his education has brought
him into close relationship with his
fellow men. The ideal of culture that
has been derived from ancient or
medieval times Is no longer possible.
Then the cultured class was a leisure
class, the rulers of the state, who en-
gagged in politics, fought. sang, wrote
or read poetry. Their culture studies
were those that glorified the doings OF
this ruling class. and it had no relation
to the work of the classes who sup
ported them by their labor and handi-
craft of every form.
Today there is no such class. All
nre citizens. Nearly all are workers
Every one may participate in the af-
fairs of the state. The culture of to-
day is simply that training which pre-
pares for this participation in the vari-
GUS affairs of mankind. What is that
training?
DR.. Suzzallo's next argument was of
moro Importance. He showed that In
dustrial training alone apart from
some sort of hurnanizing culture, Sim
piy prepares the student for efficiency
In the making OF articles, and gives
a certain skill in the turning out or
saleable products; 1t does not neces-
sarily enable him to participate in the
various other interesting and more
vital phases OF life. Industrial train
ing of itself simply fits a person as
cog into the wheel of the vast industrial
machine of today and 1t may not have
any relation TO the making OF a man
the preparation of a unit of society,
with work to do among his fellows
A person - cam become a skillful
mechanic OF. workrnan and yet be an
ignoramus as to his duties In the home,
in the community, in tho state, or in
the nation. ,7-e,sf { 49,
Again the term industrial train
ing'' needs to be broadened so as TO In
clude agricultural and professional
training. il 1t is to be taught to all the
pupils That Is. says DR.. Suzzallo. 1t
should be vocational rather than
merely Industrial training. 1t should
prepare for the work of the farmer. tho
teacher, the doctor. the lawyer, as we'll
as for that OF the industrial worker
Only SO win it be preparation for
life. since not all are to be mechanics.
Moreover, in order that any system
OF education should prepare for life,
1t must give to every one an insight
into the lives OF others
II man is brutal or selfish, It Is be-
cause he lacks thought and imagina-
ton: and these come from the human
izlng studies 1t Is In our dealings
with other people. as to kindness. con-
slderation. sympathy. and love for
them, that We are primarily judged,
rather than by our expertness In tho
M fnplG al ~ ba
latter is important in its place
In order that man may become
truly cultured In the modern sense.
his training must have been such that
1t has given him four things-four sets
OF attainments, which the Doctor
enumerated as follows: First wide
knowledge: second. good judgment:
third. correct and spontaneous feel
ing: fourth, a cultured manner of ex-
preston.
The first qualification, knowledge. Is
often mistaken for culture. and by somo
Is made identical with 1t. But a mass
OF information may have almost no
culture value. It is the second element
the power TO think rightly and to esti-
mate clearly the relative values OF
things, that signifies culture.
The third of the culture clements is
the power to feel rightly under each
new set OF circumstances. SO as to
sense the truth by intuitivc insight
since only thus can the new problems
which arise daily be grappled with
onG \
habit are good only for old situations
right attitude. which comes from
knowledge thought through and ap-
piled. is indispensable to making our
habits OF life conform to our knowl-
edge.
Lastly. the act of volition. or will,
which Is the test of all our thinking,
knowledge. and feeling, is that which
enables the cultured person TO express
his life Ill a well-mannered way. 1t
is not enough to be right There are al
ways two or more ways of doing right
One way may be coarse and offensive:
another is refined and agreeable Man
ners are not morals. but are the cloth
ing of good action-the ways devised
To make action easy AS such they
arc important to all right doers. and
are often successfully used as a cloak
by evil doors.
These four elements in the eduatior
OF the worker are necessary In order
TO make OF him, first of all, a man
and in order to protect society from,