The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-11-02
Education For World Living
~ Or. FRANK CRANE
Copyright. 1915. by Frank Crsae)

ing was used some time ago by PreS1.
dent King of Oberlin College in an adj
dress at Oakland. California. All l saw
in the press report was the heading; his
discourse was not given.
But the subject announced is certain
ly striking and thought stirring. II re-
veals to u.s. as by lightning flash. the
narrowness, the septic crudity of almost
all Of what we call education.
Is not catholicity the very first essen
tial to any culture? Is not provincialism
the arch foe to wisdom? Is not the
gentleman, the scholar, simply the man
who has broken down the hedges that
cramp little minds, who has surmounted
the last prejudice, realized the folly OF
egotism, and reached that sunny mesa
of intelligent experience where he views
all human concerns with generous SYM
patty and lives in the unconfined and
universal democracy Of ideas!
And how few systems Of education
attain that, or aim at it, or even see It'll
| The human creature runs to class ~
the sparks fly upward. AS boy he joins
gang. The pride of family is instilled
into him. When he goes to college he
strains his soul to get into Greek letter
society. He is also made to feel that
the noblest adornment Of life Is to DO
loyal to dear old Amherst, or Yale, or
Siwash.
Out into the world forthgoing he must
be good Baptist, religiously: member
Of the Rod and Rife Club, socially, and
consistent hardware man In business.
Politically he must be Republican, or
a Democrat, or Socialist, and stand by
the Grand Old Party in whatever nom
sense or crime its bosses may decree.
Citizenship never means more to hin
than the consciousness of belonging to .
certain geographical territory. He must
swear allegiance to my country. hight
or wrong" All the vanity and seff-glori-
fcation of the inhabitants Of his district
he must adopt, glory in, and boast OF.
Patriotism. or intense national prejudice,
is elevated to a religion, and he Is ex-
pected to go out and kill the denizens OK
other states whenever there is quar-
rel over tariffs, boundaries, or blunder.
ing politics.
Why wouldn't it be good idea to edu.
cate men to consider themselves first OF
all as human beings, with loyalty t"
mankind outranking fealty to state,
with a sense of brotherhood to Hindus,
Chinese. and Russians outweighing the
petty interests of his own group?
Is it not about time for this? Ocean
liners have obliterated the barrier Of the
sea. that most ancient Of separators.
Commerce knows no foreigners, but ex.
changes goods between the zones and
over the Seven Seas.
Science has no home nation. There
can be no English science, French
science. German science, Oriental science.
Science has no race, color language,
|, accent, or garb. II is as universal a.
the sun, as unconfined as air. There are
no squatters in the territory Of ideas.
No king, conqueror, or millionaire can
own foot of the truth, or fence it in:
Health has no province, belongs to
no one. to no class. The same microbO
will kill Malay that will kill German.
Bacilli speak all languages. Medicines
need no interpreters. The world OF men
is bound in one law of sanitation, alimen-
tation and danger OF poison.
Such thing as a national religion or
local or race religion is absurd. The
,, only religion thinkable must include the
God and Father of us ALL and must have
. place for "the least OF these, my
! brethren"
Think of the hell of misery our provin-
. claIlSmS nave WTOuSHI. VI S"s'
prosecutions, of family feuds, OF clan
clashes. of lowlands against highlands, OF
: south against north, Of whites against
blacks. of yellow men against Caucasian,
of colonists numbering instead OF help.
ing each other in the far wilderness, OF
wars. of the utter idiocy OF one people
irving to dominate another instead OF CO.
, operating, of the hideous slaughter now
4 going on in Europe, millions killing,
D burning. devastating over something
thew do not understand in the least!
, How long, o Lord!
It NAV sound like far off dream, but
never until there is an ideal OF world
citizenship, and an education toward it,
r and a real passion for humanity, as
n above any division of humanity, never
: shall we have peace.
And they who hope for peace or for
any permanent progress until we realize
humanity do but heal the hurt OF the
n daughter of my people slightly, saying.
Peace. peace. when there Is no peacer
sIIF THE OYSTER ONLY KNEW THIS