The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-11-29


business Of education is the develop
ment OF efficient personality. The
schools exist to grow the life Of youth
in the growing period INTO the best
possible type Of rightly ordered per-
sonal and social living. The norman
product Of the schools Is trained. ad-
iusted. we'll motived. efficient citizens
The business of studies, the courses,
the training in arts and trades are all
but the means by which the great eno
is secured; they are not ends N theh
selves. An educator is not one VINO
causes us to know many things, but
one who. by leading us. stimulating US
to the knowledge OF things. brings US
I, the knowledge and develd9nient OF
ourselves. You can never test any
system of education by the degrees
il confers. Hanging degrees on dom
keys ears in no way affects his vocaS
organs We must test all our educa-
tional institutions by the product or
manhood and womanhood competent to
live their life aud do the service OF
their day.
The making Of a moral person is
the largest problem that can engage
the civil institutions. The backing OF
that person with q religious ideal and
a spiritual power is the great purpose
ali await personal solutions. You can
never make this world right by putting
I'D fences. called laws, nor by inn
proving the conditions Of living alone.
You can never make It what 1t ought
to be By giving all Its people the
ability to speak several tongues and
to labor through calculus. We VIII
never cure human ills save by getting
at the sources and the streams OF
human conduct.
The aim Of education Is complete
social evolution. The hindrances are
persons ignorant OF the laws OF living
and unframed to live arfght, phnd 10
their own possibilities, unawakened-
We have been teaching the laws OF
, the lives Of plants nd the courses
| Of the stars. 1t Is time We taught
| the laws Of our own lives. That Is
what all moral instruction ought TO
Ibe--something finer than memorizln8
rules of conduct. learning to live our
Town lives as persons set In world
OF personality
! Must Put Life First.
| Reilly to teach the art OF right
living will mean to abandon the pres
ent factory methods in our schools.
Igiving teachers smaller classes. choos-
ling teachers for their powers of lead
ing more in taxes for this tremendous
task OF public education: abandoning
our follies, our weak prides over ira
d.tional tr:fles and putting life be-
fore everything else In tr curriculum
1T must mean . closer cooperation
between the churches and the schools.
An all-around demand for the product
of eficient lives. lives able to live
right and to make this . right world.
for the results OF both church and
school made evident In such lives. The
new tests OF Americanis.n must be not
wealth OF things. but wealth and lead
ership Of personality. We must take
the great immigrant tide and teacf
these newcomers that American meant
paying more for manhood than fo'
money. setting the soul on top and Nv
ing for the liberty Of ruth and right
For so large a task the school mus
have the aid o! the churches There
can be no efficient morality without
i,be religious spirit Men are not made
to love right BY learning It's rules
moral living must be rooted II
.n,ri,uaI motives. The churca mus
see her task here in making good mel
ana take II up as seriously As thu
schoo!s-
Hear Froa Le0gUe WOrk-
Thi. will be COOPERATIVE Educstior
Association cay In the conference. Fo'
two hours this morning the association
iw.ll have q general meeting IN thu
!aud,,or!um. Mrs B. 3. Mgnford. thu
ipres,ieu,, viii preside. The work o.
i.chooi leagues during the year Will b
.reviewet-
To-nIShrs meeting Of the coaserenc<
Twill be under the ausp' OF this as
.ocia,Ion- Mrs. Munford VIII make he'
:anrua! address. and DIT. Henry Loa!,
Smith. president OF Washington and
lice University. VIII make the cios!ne
jasdr... Of the even'ae and Of tn,
conference.