The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-12-16
THE NEW EDUCATION
Delivered December 6, Before the
Manchester Ministerial Association
at the Home of Rev. and Mrs. Du.
mont Clarke.

Manchester Ministerial Associate
al the Home of Rev. and Mrs. ID,
mont Clarke.
II should not be assumed from the fol-
lowing discussion that intend 10 criti.
else any particular school or schools or
that I am an EXTREMIST In education.
There are many excellent secondary In
stitutioDs like the one with which have
the honor to he connected which are
adopting the wise policy of making
haste slowly. Despite n limited endow.
ment and many other obstacles which
do not appear In a surface consideration
these schools are slowly but surely max
! ing progress along the lines OF the new
education. The results are not so specta-
cular but they are none the less certain.
AT the last meeting Of the Manches
ter Ministerial Association it wa
voted that, inasmuch as the pape
entitled "The New Education" ough
to be of interest large number o.
our townspeople, it should receive {
wider hearing than before the associ
alton itself. Therefore carrying ou
the will of that meeting, am pleased
to allow its publication in the column:
of The Journal
RALPH c. JENKINS,
When the distinguished chairman OF
your program committee informed me
after our last meeting that by the
inexorable law of rotation the lot
would fall to me to address this aug
ust assembly, like Mrs. Wiggs of the
Cabbage Patch my heart was all a
fiutter The intimation that no juggl-
ing of cards or loading of the dice
would save me in this extremity did
not tend to allay my fears. But time
and sleep, the salve and ointment of
hurt minds, restored me 10 state of
infinite calm, and the graver thought
occurred to me that, inasmuch as in
the time allotted, it would be impos-
sible to cover the entire range Of
human wisdom, it would be necessary
to select some branch of knowledge
and speak on that.
The war has been pretty well COW
cred. To be sure there is the suf-
frage question and that recently came
to climax; and there is Henry Ford's
Peace Ship but most of the Governors
were too busy to embark; and last
but net least there is Mr.. Wilson's
program for preparedness but Mr..
Bryan is opposed to that. None of
these big issues seemed quite appro-
pirate SO have decided simply to talk
shop, and, as am confessedly a peda-
cog, 10 display my own wares.
My subject is "The New Education" !"
AS if there were anything new under
the sun. Perhaps | ought to say re-
juvenated education instead, and not
render myself liable to the same crit
icism as was made of the boarding
mistress. She advertised her salad as
a new creation but it had an old fa-
miliar twang and the star boarder was
heard to remark that he detected
atoms of corn-beef which had been
served first the week before. Whether
or not my title is misnomer, ! will
leave you to judge for yourselves.
Contrary to popular belief, my sub
ject is not one peculiarly adapted to
the atmosphere Of the ladies sewing
circle nor has it like the polecat any
inherent characteristics which might
render it entirely obnoxious to any
class Of society. 1t is of the chame-
ieon's hue. 1t is adaptable to any
environment wherein it may be placed.
But if there is any single group of
people for whom this message should
have a real yes / may say, a vital
it is for the ministers and
social workers of the land. With the
teachers these people mould our re-
publics of tomorrow and of eternity.
The teachers and the preachers should
work together hand in hand with def
niteness and singleness of purpose
their watchword, and the uplift of hu
nanity their goal.
We are living to-day, and there are
those present who can testify to it
better than /, in an age Of change.
Days and hours" to quote from the
Persian poet, "are but as yesterdays
ZEN thousand years" One does not
need to call up for comparison the
prairie schooner and the twentieth
century limited, nor Pheidippides the
Athenian courier and the wirele 8
telephone to realize this change. But
.hese are changes in material things.
Far greater changes than these have
aiken place in mems minds. Seven
hundred years ago the mobiles wresied
rom King John the celebrated Magma
Jharta. In as many days from now ]
nave faith to believe the people Of the
Central Empires will have torn from
heir war-lords the scepter by which
,,,.,,oro.s ,nd L,;noya fbipE thot.. calyac