The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-29


l. the problem OF poverty. that OF
education seems never TO be sat
isfactorily solved. There are. to be sure,
many leading opinions on the subject set
forth by distinguished thinkers and by
professors IN great institutions OF learn
Ing. but the dissatisfaction with actual
results, In particular in college training.
indicates defects rather than those which
arise from lack OF correspondence on the
part of students to the stimuli of col.
lese atmosphere. quite recently at din
ncr Of the S'hoolmasters Association In
New York Dr. Charles Dana did not htNi-
tate 10 refer to the crudity and foolish
ness OF the American college education.
particularly since II felt the almost mortu-
arv touch OF President Eliot thirty years
ago But President ElOt's flabby eClec-
ticisn. Ike his five foot shelf OF books
while leading TO lame and melanchol,
conclusions. IL indicative Of tendencies
In education which make for inefilcency
and lack Of moral fibre.
Education. like the many faceted dia-
moud must be examined as a whole ami
not merely on one of IT, highly polished
sides What, then. do We look for in the
result OF college education? what change
Is expected 20 take place In a student
ut the end OF his academic career when
his alma mater puts the seal OF her ap-
provHl upon his work and sends him
forth on the highway Of life? 10 we
look Tor learning, scientific accomplish
meui, intellectual culture? Learning In
certainly desirable and IL particularly
fair fruit of college training. Scholarship
Implies Intimate acquaintance with some
branch ~ learning and at least nod
ding acquaintance with all others. Schol-
arshp Of this sort cnlarges the mental
horizon and humanlzes the spirit. The
atmosphere OF a college should he con-
duciNe to that openmlndedness which Is
u Characteristic OF liberty and 20 that
love % truth for its own sake which Is
the appendage OF every normal intell-
gerce The mental development OF u
student depends upon his receptlvity. on
the nature OF the instruction impa rtel
and on the personality Of his teachers.
These are the chief factors which make
for his growth.
The soul is naturally responsive 20
the truth in alr its forms. but truth may
be so mingled with error as to make
a false impression. Thus the sophists
juggled with the truth and made tho
worse appear the better reason. They
corrupted the minds Of youth until
Socrates appeared to expose their meth
DDS and by his nimtabe dialectics
brought order ont Of chaos
4 college should be n nursery In which
tender and yet vigorous plants receive
suitable uOurlshmont according 10 their
nature and needs. In a nursery there
are plants OF the ornamental variety
which are Intended to lend beauty and
adornmeut and there arc plants which
are intended TO afford shade and food
l'ut In American nurseries of the higher
learning there IS little or no room for
the merely ornamental All are ex-
perted 70 he workers: to contribute 10 the
well being OF society and country. Ameri-
cans, however. are not quite ignorant OF
the fact that beauty is one of the at
tributes Of being. And there il an in
creasing tendency 20 enhance the useful
/ 10y artistic setting. What Is ofteucSt
forgotten In pursuit Of the higher learn
ing tx the pursuit of the higher lie also.
of that uplifting of the spirit above the
sordld cares and the feverish activities
Of worldly ambition. What boots Il In
be- acquainted with the entire circle OF
the sciences Il the character be neg
lcctcd?
What Is needed" says P.utarch. "is
not a fulr vase but kIndled hearth DO
Now character Is the resultant OF many
forces energizlng and harmonizing in
the soul and body. noble character.
truthful, honest gentle, brave. rounded
OF by adequate learning is the faireyt
, fruit OF a college education. 4 character
SO formed will not truckle to authority or
he mlsled by Chlcanery or sidetrackcd
| by opposition or cowpd by persecution.
And such character is not formed after
pagan Ideals. however lofty, or by scien-
title knowledge, or even by mere acquain-
lance with the word OF God The desld-
eratum OF the school s not dead books
hut living teachers who speak with au-
thorlty and are ut the same time fine
products of the system for which they
stand--splendld types OF sweet reasona-
blencss. Vitality rather than method, or
not al za1 n
religion. II the handspring OF all genuine
intellectual and moral growth.
Teacher and the Method.
Where shall we find such teacher
ana such n method? In many great
schools OF the land there appears TO be
a condition OF neglect, II not Of chaos. I'm
regard TO the most vital of all educa-
t!onnl forces--religon. Character can
not be built up without religion. and We
have seen that character Is the highest
expression Of education. But II ma
terialsm and Kant!sm and praFmatism
and. lntest OF all, BerEsonlsm. cast their
phantasmagorlc shadows across the plas-
tie minds of youth what must he the
, finished product Of the education received
in those institutions? For granting that
the majority OF students know OF these
/ philosophic systems hardly more than the
/ names the poison OF these systems is
| Notwithstanding active In the college at
mosphere and the sensitive mind OF youth
falls under ito sway Hence the scepti-
clsm ana Indifference and even agnosti,
| Clsm which are Haunted In our faces by
callow youngsters whose sours have been
warped and enervated at poisoned
sources.
Matorialism Is deadly II IL OF the
earth, earthly; Of the slime Shiny. II
never rises above things OF sense Free
Will Is "A myth, q chlmpra. Moral ohllga.
ton does not exist, except a. "A form o:
words, peterminism Is the law Of ma.
ture, ana ought TO be the law of human
life. Hence, obviously. tho destruction OF