Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-23

.~oncies upon the man, Jesus
-, nav be shown to AFFECT all men.
-. N. -,se OF this workingman OF
C.Y,a. 70 he the leader Of workingmen' out
- .ho same qualities that make Tor
,..aersn,p in the present. With 1t all MT.
unite holds fast to the great and pas
.,onate Dersonality expanding itself In q
warming love for mankind. Suggesting
,h;. IN he the true source Of the divinity
~ J.sus as of all The effect or this
s,udv in electrifying. Jesus energies from
the shadows Of falling church into the
radiant daylight. He becomes act1ve
again. workingman. the great Pro'uespe
Of the proletariat today. one whose nldn-
ner of protest against tyranny OF every
SORT. whose pattern of reform Is as wise
and efficacious today as 1t was IN tne
days Of Tfberius and Herod the Ietra,Sm'
The ethical value Of this absorbing stuoy.
its originality. it's sincere sturd1ness OF
manner, its courage. its devotion to a
common cause, round it into PROFOUNDLY
significant and useful social instru-
mentality.
We AND OUR CHILDREN. BY Woods
Hutchinson. A NJ. N. D., author OF
''Instinct and Health" etc. New
York: Doubleday. Page Co.
Woods Hutchinson. physician and ex-
pert in eugenics. has produced notable
Allied knowledge-history, psychology. So
cioloey-broad experience. the scientific at
titude. a wide horizon OF aim and design.
coup,ed with specific purpose and plan,
and a. great number and variety OF prac-
tical supplemental facts contribute to the
substance Of this study Crisp o1rect
and vigorous In manner, the book IS quite
free from the heayiness that so COM
monty marks the handling of serious and
important subjects. 1t is a stimulating
thing. a provocative one as well; Inc
kindergarten Age, The Dencate
worked Children are among the sisnif-
ieant topics to which the author bends
himself with energy and thoroughness
OverwOrked children are classed as those
author says: "The school curriculum's
utter lack Of appeal to the working boy
of thirteen or more Is one Of the princi-
pal causes of the rush Of child labor into
the shop and the factory" 1T is my
unwilling judgment that, while the fac
tory may become a sweatshop. the aver
age school in the United States today is
little better than mental treadmill for
the average boy of the working classes
after twelve years OF age: that the edu-
cation IL so purely formal SO boOkish.
30 ladyiike, 50 irrational and impractical
in word, that 1t stunts his mind. be-
wilders his senses and fills him with a
dislike for real education and training
which warps him mentally as badly as
the factory does physically. Many a
boy of this class and age. as our anti
quated curriculum stands at present, is
better OF working six hours day in a
well ventilated thoroughly sanitary work.
shop. conducted on kindly and intelli-
gent principles. than he would be in the
schoolroom dronins and daydreaming
over classical absurdities, in which he
can find no interest nor profit In the
total. the school is probably doing more
physical damage to our children than the
factory
This is but small part of what the
author has to say about the schools in
their relation to the general welfare Of chill
dren. vehement and indignant disavOwal
from educators will be the immediate sequel
to this statement. That the institution
OF common education is belated. the edu-
Gators will declare. in single voice. to be
untrue. That it's attitude as a whole to-
ward the meaning of life-toward the
direction. the sweep. the goal of life-is
that of an alien. a bewildered and timid
stranger. they will also unanimously re-
fuse to admit. The schools are hard to
weigh. They are hypnOtiZing in their ap-
pearances The commonwealth pays inn
mense sums for them and it likes to be.
heye itself good business man. not
likely to be outreached. Moreover. the
very personnel of the school is a balm to
the self-content of the public 1t is pleas
ant nd sounding. upon occasions. to talk
about the beautiful children. the noble
teacher. The children are beautiful. The
teacher is noble. These. however are not
the questions These broideries of senti-
ment should not quite conceal the funda-
mental fact that the schools are, or
should be. business. subject to the laws
Of business. and sternly exacting of it's
uttermost due. True. this is the business
of body growth. mind growth, soul growth
but IL comes under the business law.
nevertheless. One wonders. in passing.
why the schoolman so habituaily resents
even the least OF criticism. Can it be the
,6ov Of -o1 fAAl of in
the infailihiiitv of authority. persistins
in the flesh and working out into char
acter?
THE BALLAD OF THE WHITE
HORSE. BY Gilbert K. Chesterton
author of Bernard Shaw" etc. New
York: John Lane Company.
The romantic and exalted person Of
King Alfred the elastic body of homely
old countryside legends about this thu
..neblest of English kings" the heart
stirring hoofbeats of the ballad gallopins
into song and the electrifying personait!
of Gilbert X. Chesterton-an come TO
Rether here to make an amazing pa
Teantry OF the rude days when BritoI
and Saxon: Briton. Saxon and Dane
Briton. Saxon, Dane and Nerthman, wei
tered for the overlordship OF an island
the sea. Maybe Mr.. Chesterton has don
awarmer. thing than this-something NOR
glowing. more inspired. One thinks not
The vision. Is easy: Long. long years fror
now-wheu Gilbert K. Chesterton Is bus
elsevhere-men, women and children, low
ers OF old heroes suAg in rhythmic tunes
win take down from musty shelves I'm
still softly glimmering song OF inc ia
lad of the White Horse" by one Gifnei
X Chesterton. Celt, an Irish-EnsnSn
man a glorious singer OF Old songs
THE ADVENTURES OF bOBB
ORDE. BY Stewart Edward Whit
author of The Riverman. ct
New York: Doubleday. Page G
Washington: Woodward & Lothro
Bobby Orde. hero. aged nine. and Stew
ar: Edward White, author. stand knee
deep in each others debt here. Bobby
due lies in being taken up by grow
writing man who knows everythin
worth while about being a boy; M
Whites. in finding SO square chap
pur off his situations with such credi
Between the two they fill day after ds
With. the trimming measure OF boy
good time. A printing press, Flooe
rife. fishing ard hunting with MT kil
ca,d are some of the delights or tn
riyerman's son in the little sawmill TOW
mn north. This Is an irresistible DO
One wonders why. for he makes no co
scious appeal On the contrary, ne po
sesses to perfection childs aosorpt"
I.Y.Uy.X IMPERIAL