The sun., 1916-08-27

~AAHiN my years hysie"ic
M study and practice have
w taken q prominent place
in the thought Of the people and
the curricula Of the schools. Hygienic
theories have at the hands Of Euro
pean scientists received great atten-
ton and development, but the practice
Of them has devolved largely upon
American educators and health boards.
for reasons which will appear In the
sequel. No country outside Of Ger
many has equalled the United States
in zeal for the education Of the multi
tudc. Formerly the State taught
rothing: in the centuries previous to
the niReteenth. after popular educa-
ton began to receive some attention..
the State taught the necessities only.
religion and morality and the three
RS. To-day the State has turned
pedagogue. particularly in America,
and has developed an educational
scheme Of tremendous complexity. high
pressure and superlative expense in
the solemn effort to teach every citizen
what every citizen should know. I'm
happily. 70 prevent healthy criticism
Of the State system. II has been so
entw!ned in the public mind with the
virtue OF patriotism that the honest
critic Of faults and abuses In q purely
human system Is declared kin to trail
tors. The educational and political
benefciaries OF the system have craft
fly encouraged this sentiment. For
merry Il was the press that served as
the palladium Of our liberties; now It
Is the little red schoolhouse. and mill
ions Of people fondly cherish the notion
that training in the State school Is
synonymous with patriotism. almost
the only source Of patriotism. How
easy to forget that the founders Of his
ration had no such training! 1t IL
religion and the morality which
springs from its teachings, not mere
mental training. which nourishes tho
truest patriotism. The factors which
turned the State into a pedagogue are
many, instructive n necessary to be
known by those interested in the Ques-
ton Of hygiene in the school.
The rise Of the democracy and its
needs il the prime factor. II the peo-
pile are to rule in fact. as they are sup
posed to rule IN theory, they must
possess trained intelligence. The ig-
norant are sure to be ruled by the cul-
tured. 1t is quite clear from the pres
ent situation Of democracy all over the
world that the people have q long path
to travel before they can be sure OF
the none kings. not by the. people:
the money power has established itself
firmly IN the very teeth Of the State
school system: the directors Of the
money power are the very children Of
the State school: none the less Is the
State school training the citizens Of the
future in the ways Of intelligence, and
II It has given us our money kings Il
will in due time give US the king
tanners. Democracy made the State
into a pedagogue.
The second factor was that idea Of
culture which prevailed at the opening
Of the nineteenth century. The
French Revolution had practically
abolished religion in many minds, and
certain of the illuminate assumed that
religion as a social force was entirely
played out. Still 1t raj felt that some
other force was needed to keep society
going. It was thought by Ralph
Waldo Emerson, as far as that cloudy
philosopher may be said to have
thought at all. and by the genial edu-
Gator Horace Mann. that culture might
take the place Of religion in shaping
the destiny Of the nation. No doubt
II wal an honest thought. but a test OF
sixty years has not demonstrated its
efficiency. 1t had one lamentable o.
feet upon the State school system. viz,
the abandonment Of the simplicities and