Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-11
EDUCATION

i contrary, changes, whether for good or
bad, but incontestably progressive have
penetrated to every phase Of life. Religion
has its BILLY" Sunday, literature is Ger
trude Stein. Even the shaded closters of
Academic Tradition have been invaded by
manual training and vocational guidance, by
Madam Montessori and francesca Ferrer,
whose martyrdom in Spain has given rise to
q cult of anarchist schools all over the world.
OF is articles on educational topics in the
current magazines, four are criticisms, satri-
cal and even lconocastc of academic con-
servatism; four discuss ethical and abstract
considerations, two are descriptive, and the
remaining eight nearly half, are concerned
with new and progressive possibilities and
wrinkles in the art of teaching.
An article on Academic Superstition and
Democracy" G), by former member of the
Vassar faculty, Florence Keys, cleverly un-
orthodox in itself, gains added significance,
in that it is sponsored by the Yale Review,
an unofficially official publication of the uni
versity. Contrasting the influence of the in
sttution with the individual, she writes OF
the time when:
The universities congratulatng them
selves on the production of certain curiosi-
ties in the shape of Latin plays, while
who never student saw the inside
of q university was writing imperishable
poetry, leaving to his people an instrument
to sound their mystery, from its lowest note
to the top of its compass. For 1t Is the
great individuals, not institutions that are
the bearers as they the generators, OF
culture.
Referring to an article by John Corbin,
comparing college democracy in England
and America, she writes:
Mr.. Corbin acknowledges some surprise
at finding oxford more democratic than
any American university He naively over
looks the fact that this is like the democracy
of the millionaires' club, where the cult de-
mands it be at least assumed that every
body controls six ciphers
An article on Academic Freedom" (2) has
an attractive autobiographical candor and
sincerity, which perhaps borrows courage
from being unsigned. 1t traces the growth in
scholastic freedom since 20 years ago, when:
began life as college professor, equip
ped with Phi Beta Kappa key, a doctors
degree and very solid, respectable habit
of conservatism. Socialism was then mem
acing blood-red specter that had grown to
enormous dimensions in distant Germany.
Today 1t Is a semirespectabe and wholly
dull political party in our own United States.
am in constant contact with its members.
From my present viewpoint they seem to
have the true old-tme academic type OF
mind, its respect for authority, Its lack or
imagination, its wholly mechanical processes
of thought. And I note with surprise that
they are not nearly so inclined to give
hearing to the I. w. w. as some OF my own
more yellow colleagues.
It does not to me that there will be
much heresy-hunting in the open. Large
and established institutions are too we'll ad-
vised TO go far In this direction. The recent
conflict at the University of Pennsylvania
IS highly significant. What looked like a de-
termined raid upon certain teachers in
Wharton School of that institution collapsed
almost instantly under a return fire OF pub
llcty.
On Spooning Soup
OF three articles on educational subjects in
the new Unpopular Review, "Academe and
Mayfair" (3) has the most Enthusiastically
sophisticated tone, as is appropriate to that
knowing and precocious young quarterly
"The question of the social status OF Ameri-
can college professors" is the theme of the
article, and the writer finds several causes
for its variability:
Their professorship does not of itself create
social position. In this respect they differ
from-let us say-archbishops and generals.
1t does not eject him. In this respect he
differs from-let us say-tailors and under
takers. Sooner later he and his wife
come up before the bar of society Why are
some taken and others left7 The reason
lies In subtle differences which the uniniti-
ated never and which to those in con-
troll of decisive Importance. Perhaps
the simplest way to put the matter is to
say that society speaks a lngua franca
and that some academic people speak II,
while others do not. 1t is either second
mother tongue acquired by study Some
men go through life unperceptive OF social
usage.
They lack the keen eyes of a boy from
the slums OF Philadelphia, whose ambition
to speak good English was discovered by q
charitable lady. He came TO her house for
lessons, and one night he was invited to
dinner Later in the evening he inter
rupted the lesson by sudden question.
'Do you spoon your soup out or in3" Her
wit bafrled for the moment rose to the
crisis. and she answered, out"
"I thought" he said. II noticed you did"
A professor of history at Columbia, j. II.
Robinson is peculiarly fitted to write IAN
Explanation of the German Point OF View
"a, having taken Doctors degree In Ger
many and made special study of their his
tory. He gives a picturesque glimpse OF
Haeckel He writes:
Late In October I found myself in an
humble inn at Jena. and as I was waiting
for my sandwich and seidel OF beer, picked
up a local newspaper 1t contained lead
ing article "England's Blood-guiltiness
In the World War" by one OF the chief
lights IN the University Of Jena, Ernest
Haeckel The article brought up vision OF
the distinguished biologist as had seen him
lecturing years before. looking In his lab
oratory apron like an uncommonly gifted
shoemaker. I recalled the hubbub that his
Natural History OF Creation" produced;
how theologlans had contended that man.
with his divine reason, could never have
sprung from obscene monkey. Haecksl's
attitude toward the war interested I
was shocked to see that so years OF exaotlng
sclentihc research and reflection had left
Haeekel as ready victim OF emotional
logic the humblest reservist
Culture at $3.50 Per
There Is nothing impractical or highfalut-
ing about an article on Cutting the High
Cost OF Education (6) by 2. v. Cooke de-
scriblng Fremont College. Nebraska. where
1900 students get board lodging and an edu-