Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-01-20
FORMER GOVERNOR
SCORES B|RDs-EYE
EDUCATION PLAN
Modern Methods, Says E. G.
Stokes, Prevent Making of
Men Like Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln" was the subject
OF the talk delivered by former Gov
efnor Edward c.. Stokes at the BAN
quet of the Wednesday Club, held in.
the continental Hotel last night. The
martyred presidents education, he said,
was directly responsible for his great
ness. Mr.. Stokes also criticized the
Fbird's-eye education of today, which
he said, enables the student to cover
many subjects, but makes him master
Of none.
Mr.. Stokes said in part.
Most great men have had patrons
who guided the formation of their
ideals and intellect and who supervised
the training of their youth. Lincoln
taught himself, yet so thoroughly did
he master the few books that came to
his HAND that he became a master, or
the English language. =
On the walls of oxford University,
an Institution founded six centuries
ago. there is a copy of Lincoln's letter
to a woman whose five sons had fallen
In battle, emblazoned there as a specl-
men of purest English. Despite the
accumulated learning of that great in
stitutlon, Oxford reached across the sea
to place the laurel crown on the brow
OF that ~self-educated man, born in the
kentucky wilds, without a cradle for
his baby days, with no godfather but
poverty n no heritage but hardship.
"Lincpln's greatness proved that 1t is
not four walls and books that make a
university. 1t Is the educational spirit.
Lincoln's self-education was not the
superficial education of today, when the
attempt is made to cover everything
with the result that so many subjects
are given the student he gains mastery
of none and only a bird's-eye view of 1t
all.
"Aonther great evil of today is gen
eral and superficial reading. demoraliz-
ing by contast with the foul and I'M
clean, and leading to hasty and often
erroneous conclusions. Lincoln escaped
all this and also the false notion that
one must know evil to overcome 1t. The
only books he read were educational
n uplifting, and his youth knew
nothing of sin. If I could I would wipe
out all reference in the public prints
to crime, divorce and wickedness, for
when the day comes when the good
that men do and not the evil Is chroni-
cled 1t will indeed be the year of
jubilee.
Lincoln trusted the people, listened
to their advice and from them re-
ceived his inspiration. He always
answered his critics, having none of
the cowardice betrayed In some public
when they meet criticism with
silence. There is moth
Ing more unmanly han n mar in
public life failing to reply to his critics
upon all possible occasions.
I'm Lincoln we find united greatness
and goodness, qualities not always to
be found In men in the public eye. He
endure human suffering. We
are all familiar with the countless
Of how he reprieved con-
demned soldiers at the pleas Of their
parents, to the despair of his generals.
They told him he was. running dlscip-
line and he only replied: The enemy
are killing enough of our boys withoutJl
OUR killing more Yet this great and
man was not spared from the
most bitter and cruel ridicule. 1t is a
characteristic of the American
who profess such love of fair
,lay. h a they are amused by ex parte
criticism and abuse their public men.
Lincoln believed sincerely in God
ind relied on the aid of the divine
He, tempered power with
Justice and justice with mercy. He
reated all men alike. The private
meant just the same to him as the gem
raj. He did not p~atronize the one or
,end to the. other. Time is the test,
md his fame n face grow clearer as
he years roll IN. Fame cannot be
by human standards. He I
and went as the messenger of
;od. and may we not believe that he
sent to be the Moses of the new
world, to lead its people out of the
vilderness?"