Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-01-11
A Dangerous and Disappointing Education
BY Bishop w. A. Gambler

An analysis of the great public benefac-
lions made in the United States during
the year 1909 makes it quite evident that
the American people have the most pro-
nounoed faith In education as a means OF
doing good and averting evil. Gifts
amounting to something like s10o,000.O 900
were bestowed upon schools and colleges
during the year which has just closed.
There we're besides these large gifts many
smaller donations not reckoned IL
this phenomenal sum. States, counties,
and municipalities made appropriations
for educational purposes which are not
included in this great aggregate.
And this immense subsidizing of edu-
cation has been going on in our coun-
try for many years In an ever increasing
volume. 1t is all very well. and it is to
be hoped much good may arise from it..
But il it were not well, nobody can ar
rest the movement now. 1t almost uni
versally believed that popular educa-
ton is an Indispensable safeguard of
popular government, and many believe 1t
lie the only safeguard to republican insti-
of the franchise in Great Britain an Eng
fish statesman said, ''Now we must
hasten to educate our masters" and his
words express the fear and the feelings of
many persons in our own country. Per-
haps some of the great gifts made to
educational enterprises last year were in
spired by some such motive of self-pro
lection: men having large interests ex-
posed to the perils of popular elections
may have thought to diminish. or per
haps entirely avert, such dangers by con-
tributions to public education. And they
have reasons for such a view. for the
people do commit blunders on account of
popular ignorance Of economic laws and
governmental limitations.
But while granting that great good may
come from popular education we may
make Of Il a sort of fetch, and expect
from II benefits which 1t can not give.
We may fall into the error concerning in
tellectual enlightenment and universal ed
ucation which was embraced by a certain
school OF philosophers among the ancient
Greeks, one of whose tenets was that all
evil done by men sprang from Ignorance
and that, therefore, knowledge would
cure every malady and secure every good.
But II did not so turn out with them.
Athens was never so corrupt as when II
was most enlightened. When men proceed
on the idea that all wrong-doing is merely
the laundering OF ignorance, and that en-
Ilightenment of the sinner will correct
the sin, they build on an unsound foun-
dalton. Our misdeeds are not the fruit of
fnisinformation, as every mans own con-
sciousness can tell him II he will hear its
unbiased voice. Our misconduct is some
thing worse than misfortune. 1t is quite
TRUE that all wrong-doing is the utmost
folly, but II does not follow from this
fact that the exposure OF the folly will
prevent men committing the wrong. Even
| the poet Ovid yas thinker enough to see
that men often sin with their eyes open;
for he wrote:
81 know the good and approve it too;
know the wrong, and yet the wrong
pursue"
If we depend upon education and popu-
lar enlightenment alone to secure national
or personal well-being, there is a grievous
disappointment awaiting us. 1t is quite
true that knowledge is power" but II
may be either a malignant or a bench
cent power. 1t was Sir Francis Bacon who
| framed that maxim, yet of him 1t was
said that he was "the wisest, meanest OF
mankind" After studying the story OF
| his life as told by his most friendly bio
grapher, and noting his base ambition and
consuming selfishness, one is inclined to
accept the indictment against him as true
He had knowledge and he had the powei
which knowledge gives but he lacked vir-
tue, and II may be doubted IL upon tho
whole he helped his country and the world
as much as he hurt both.
| King Solomon, who has reputation fol
wisdom superior to that of Bacon, did no
J behave as we'll as he ought to have be
AANed, and 1t has been said of him thai