The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-12-06
War of Contradictions, Multitude of
>couns ellors Darker Meaning
-; Of Education
The Ancient Greek had Truer
Conception Of Mental Training :
Taan the Modern Pagan

Little Ambition To-Day to Follow
knowledge to the Utmost
> Bounds Of Thought
What is education? The word is the
best abused term In the language.
Political parties juegle with it, relig.
ious secretaries wrangle over it, Pro.
crustes of the classes and the masses
put 1t on the rack, experts dogmatise
about It. and every schoolboy prig is
prepared to expatiate upon it. But
what Is education? What are its
means and methods? What are its
ends and purposes? BY what marks
shall we know it? Throw these cues.
lions into the arena and a veritable
fandemonium and babel of tongues
arise. The takers fill the air with
dust and the multitude of counsellors
darken wisdom; which is proof mani.
fest that very little of true education
exists either in the schools or out Of
town, says the London Universe.
To~answer truly is as easy as to
answer the Sphinx. What is LIFE?
When the end and purpose and means
Of full and perfect living are defined
then, and In that, we have the defin.
ition Of education. And it is because
the ideals Of life are so various and
conflicting that there Is such q war
OF contradictions about education. It
Is not a question OF more or less Of
education. which makes confusion in
the public mind and instability in
public policy. but of centrifugal in
compatibilities in the purposes that
determine educational standards of
value In the English mind.
Some Of the public authorities"
arc as barbarians trafficking in loin.
cloths and glass beads. The Dean of
st. Paul'sr has given his diagnosis of
English Society as a whole in its re-.
lAtlon to education, and it is a melan.
choly outlook, but, If 1t is not flatter-
Ing to the national self-complacency,
1t is true. The greatest hindrance to
true education he pronounced to be
the incapacity of most Englishmen
to understand how any ones mind
can be his kingdom. They can under.
stand living for pleasure, food. drink,
games, theatres, dress, fashion, and
for money:making and for religion or
philanthropy; but the idea of liberal
education being an end in itself is
strange to them.
In such, an atmosphere of thought
are formed conceptions of education
essentially narrow, vulgar and oppres.
sive. Employers want hands" poll.
titians votes" the Democracy"
wants Citizens" the men in posses.
sion want power and pleasure. But
who sees with him who wrote:
Learning and wisdom excel in this,
that they give life to him that Dos
sesseth them"
ID. - - Vulgar Ambition.
In all the "systems" advocated
there is no common point Of view.
The ancient Greek had a truer con.
ception than the modern pagan. The
vulgar ambition to climb, not to shine
IN use. not Ito follow knowledge to
the utmost bounds Of thought" but
TO overtop the rest for the prize of
office. wealth and power. Is prosti-
tuition Of education. The discussion
that has been excited in the press as
to the merits Of public school and
university education as a preparation
for business is a sign of misconcep.
ton Of the. meaning Of liberal"
education. "A university preparation
for the Stock Exchange or the
draper's counter is an inversion of
ideas. ''5'.-.....-.' .p,
Vocational schools, craft schools,
technical :. schools, continuation
schools are all for the most part
grated on false ideas Of the end Of
education and the means Of technical
efficiency in craft, trade and profes.
sion. There is the lack of that unity
Of idea which is common to the
philosophy OF the Greek and the
religion; Of. the Christian. A gentle.
man ay..be found in poor peasant,
and . blatant yuigarian in Society,""
according to" the manner, measure,
and method Of their education. For,
where there IL no knowledge Of the
soul there Is no good" knowledge
Of the soul Is education. and educa.
ton SO understood is life. What of
the soul? That is the question which,
like q pebble from the beach, pierces
the forehead Of the philistine.
Let US eat and drink, for to-
morrow we de-" says the philistine.
LET US have trade, leisure. wealth,
luxury, pleasure, travel, power.
ascendancy. let us drink life to the
lees. What doth 1t profit a man
II he gain the whole world and suffer
the loss Of his own SOUL" says the
Giver of life. His own soul: that is
the almighty secret of education for
man, whispered to him within his
inner consciousness; brought to- him
from the stars and the stones at his
feet. revealed. to him from a high.
Possess thy soul: That is the true
and full secret Of q liberal education.
a,s,s The Point OF View.
! 40.