The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1917-08-16
Education and Morality

One of the most intricate questions with
which philosophers have to deal is that of
education in its relation to morality. There
are those who insist strongly upon its ascen-
sion in this matter, while others, with equal
vehemence, scout the claims made for it as
a determining factor. The former point to
the unquestionably preponderating element
in prisons, jails, workhouses and other places
of detention whose education has been either
neglected or stopped short of some standard
they have in mind. The latter direct atten-
ton to the fact that, Notwithstanding the
claims of the former, there is. in forcible
seclusion, a proportion of men having what
anyone would deem fair education, sur
prising to the uninitiated as we'll as con-
demnatory to the claims of education. They
also show that 10 highly civilized countries
where education is widespread, crime and
vice are rampant; whereas, among many
bodies OF uneducated peasantry the virtues
prevail as the rule.
1t must be recognized that what is COM
monty known as education consists entirely
of knowledge of facts. The more extern
sive the knowledge of facts of any man, the
more highly educated he is considered to
be. Education in this sense is accepted by
both college examiner and civil service ex-
aminer.
Clearly, then, education being the aggre-
gate of facts that an individual may have,
he may be moved, it is true, to act different
ly from what he would act were he minus
this possession of facts. 1t would seem,
however. that education can very easily be
double-handled sword for whereas any
mans acts may be better regulated by rea-
son of the superior wisdom generally as
ISOLATED with the educated man, it is equally
true that far larger vision is opened up be-
fore the man which entails a more complex
choice.
Since men of the same standing, the same
apparent opportunities and the same edu-
cation oftentimes pursue courses diametri-
cally opposed, the explanation must lie in
some other factor, it would seem.
Without doubt, what is termed the heart
is the real causative factor choice. This is
widely recognized and it is common enough
almost to be trite to say: 'So-and-so has
reached change of heart" No one would
think of saying that So-and-so had been
given an education, ergo, he deserves conf
dence. But the "change of heart" looms
large. Mistrust thereupon is converted into
confidence, repression gives place to leeway
and So-and-so soon finds himself upon even
ground.
By heart is meant the aggregate of ten
denotes. just as education is the aggregate
of facts. and the aggregate of tendencies de-
termines the character, thus, ''a good
heart or "a bad heart 'presupposes good
or bad character but rather more in the ex-
IRENE. The things that bring about a
favorable change of heart are more especially
kindness, encouragement, incubation of
ideals, discipline and to some extent edu-
cation. Discipline, unfortunately. has been
confused with cruelty in the minds of many
and its corrective power is almost unpreceiv-
ed. The finest trained body of men in the
United States, the West Point Cadets, are
placed under vigorous discipline which soft
hearted people would hardly permit in the
case of the prisoner. Life would not be on
fair basis if the most ignorant or lowly
man did not have within himself the in
stincts that lead to right together with the
correctional power almost mechanically
working and holding him in harmonious
adjustment with his surroundings.
The Mentor.