Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-10-29

In a recent article on the Aim of
Education" President w. II. p
Faunce of Brown University says ito
make the will strong. flexible, tena-
cious, and to supply it with adequate
motives is the highest aim in edu-
cation Yet, he continues, strange
ly enough. this is not the aim OF
most teachers or schools today. And
there are many things in modern life
which conspire to make the viii
fiaccid and wabbling. All around us
multitudes of young people are grow
ing up undisciplined and sprawling,
like a vine spreading in all direc-
tons at once. but remaining UNI
pruned and shapeless".
Among some of the hindrances in
Spresent-d day conditions which prevent
the development of efficient will
power, he enumerates 1.-THE emphasis
of education upon the receptive
rather than the motor powers; the
enfeebling effect of material plenty
and luxury; the "crowding of popu-
lation and the crowding of tasks;
and the general decay of authority in
our civilization
He remarks upon the last men
toned influence. which is damaging
the will-power OF modern youth, as
follows:
Another cause of our difficulty
is the general decay of authority
in our civilization, especially in
the home. 1t has been remarked
that there is just as much au-
thority in the home as ever there
was, but that now it is exer-
cised by the children. Is it that
the doctrine of evolution, super
ficially understood. has taken the
heart out of the categorical i'm
perative, so that duty of any un-
conditional kind is now resented?
Certainly parental authority is
now feebly asserted and stoutly
resisted, church authority has
waned, and the majesty of the
law hardly survives the current
explanations of its origin or the
current criticism of it's admin
istration. But the child who has
not learned to obey has been de-
prived of one of the best parts
of his heritage. Unless he has
learned in infancy to restrain
himself for no other reason than
because he is ordered to do so
by superior wisdom. he remains
a wild uflcivilized force u mem
ace to the community. Such
menaces are all about us today.
Better the harsh military dis
= cipline of Germany. requiring of
every young man two or three
Of his most precious years for
military service-better that,
than a generation which resents
all authority and confuses liber-
" with anarchy"
The observations of President
Faunce are confirmed by the an
archistic manifestations prevalent
all about us Every man, woman
and child wishes to do only what is
right in their own eyes, OF rather
what is agreeable to- their own
feelings; for conscience is de-
throned and emotional desires are
enthroned in most of them. Right
is subordinated to what IS .selt-
pleasing.
Two things have contributed to
bring to pass this decay of author,
ity in our civilization. The first
has just been referred to; 81 the, ex-
altation of the emotions above rea-
son and righteousness. Before the
Volunteering emotiona1isms OF peo-
pie in the present day the most sa-
cred things go down Children
with morbid and selfish sensibili-
ties tax parents with heavy bur
dens in order, to run after games,
attend shows. and glut their pal
ates with injurious dainties; with
out these things they are perfect
ly miserable" and to obtain them
they are quite willing to make their
parents perfectly, miserable" But
if told they were selfish. they would
deny the charge with indignation.
and censure the parent who sug-