The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-07
New Vision in Education

civilized people on the technical side.
and proceeded to convert Belgium into a
hell on earth. grinding whole cities into
powder. utterly destroying the beautiful
accumulated treasures OF the ages, wip-
Ing out a people beneath q red smear OF
blood and foulness
Here is complete breakdown OF ed
ucation, a collapse OF spiritual and mem
tai strength. The most highly trained
and skilful Belgian artisan is helpless
and hopeless because he cannot exercise
his skill. His house is gone. his family
Is eXterminated, his workshop is a heap
OF ruins, his land is an obscene wilder
ness. OF what good Is technical educa-
ton, however complete, II men use 1t
simply to batter the earth 10 pieces and
destroy life? This is not strength but
foul and diabolical weakness 1t makes
no difference how educated a man is II
at the same time he Is a homicidal ma
MAC. The net result is loss and not
gain.
Education in itself. no matter how
complete on the material and technical
sides, is not sufficient to maintain CIV
ilization. Unless 1t is given a soul, and
redeemed soul. It may actually become
an agency which will utterly destroy
civilization. Our school system is only a
palliative, a makeshift, accomplishing
results really important. wonderful in
many respects, but not conclusive and
decisive.
IF the task was formidable and
daunting before, what shall we think of
II now. with world to rebuild. with a
clNlllzation to recover its equilibrium
Are we going simply to patch things up,
TO bury the poor. dead and ruined things
out OF sight. to try to forgive Germany
her unspeakable crimes, to be gentle
ana Christian and all that, and then go
on Just as we went before. with a make
shitt civilization, an incomplete educa-
uon trying desperately to At men to
, get modicum OF bread and butter
whlle we elaborate our technical skill in
preparation for another catastrophof
we must have new and broader sys-
tenn OF education, which includes the
training or the spirit as we'll as the
providing of commodities
You may call 1t paternalism social.
Ism or what you please. but the time
| mas come, II democracy Is To fulfil its
glorious destiny, when we must go much
further with education. The State must
| nave new conception OF its RESPONSE
biltty to the child. We must look at
children not simply as potential bread
winning units, cannon fodder, Industrial
workers; we must look at every child
as an immortal spirit with unlimited
capacities, and we must not rest nor
spare labor or expense until each child
has been given an education sufficient
to develop his capacities to the utmost
and also to relate him helpfully to all
| the world.
'The, future happiness of the world
can come only through discipline and
training and intelligence Human
nature has not changed and will not
change, 1t is our vision which must
broaden but the vision Is useless with
out the routine to put 1t into effect. We
may begin to think OF ourselves as c!ti-
zens OF the world. The teacher of the
lowest grades may have the vision and
approach her work with a new serious
ness, n new sense OF its supreme i'm
portance. There could be no limit to
the possibilities of education in such a
world. Let us dream Of it and pray for
Ut and work for 1t until 1t shall come"