The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1921-12-08

that Society itself has evolved certain
rules Of conduct which were necessary
and indispensable for its preservation
and growth and that these rules have
changed with the change and: Develop
fnent Of society itself, and therefore
subject to offuture change, This clear
W shows that our rules Of conduct,
OF in other words, public morals, are
not absolute and permanent, but
changeable and relative relative tos
time place and mode of Living. Ev-ss
cry race has its public morals. So-
ciety throughout IT'S different stages
and periods of development froni3
savage race up to the 2Uth century Of
our civilization had Its morals, or
rules of conduct. While the public
morals Of certain social periods would
clearly show the very structure Of so-s
c ETY. in that period, let it be well nii-H
,derstood that morals do not create
conditions, but that they are only an
expression Of conditions which exer-
else far greater influence upon society.
With these Introductory remarks, 1
believe now wescan better discuss our
subject. .5ss 4 4
Il SocietyaAs a whole is composed Of
units. The ind .vidual is a, unit of
society. Social culture, or public
morals depend upon personal culture
or personal morals. Therefore the
right bringing up Of the individual issf
paramount Importance for the preser-
vatio-n Of pubic morals Man at his
/ birth is nothing but a tabula rasaD
"a blackboard upon which environ
ment has the determining power over
the individual. ltis my opinion that
man is product of his environment;
in fact heredity is nothing. but past
4 environment. Influences to which
the Individuals exposed in his growth
and development havessa deciding ef-
(, feet upon him and through him to
society. Therefore # we want to
study and investigate publis morals
| and their determination we have to
study the deeper institutions and So
| cial mediums to the influence OF which
the individual is exposed. The school
4 IS one Of these institutions and its
\ influence upon the public morals is
the subject Of my discussion.
"The greatest and noblest work in
4 the world" says Tilitson, lis to rear
I and build up man, and to form and
4 fashion HIN to justice, virtue, temper
4 ance and all kinds of honest and
4 worthy actions. I" Now let us see
Ito what extent does the school pei
4 from this mission. Schools now days
a IRE not what they should be, but they
Hare much better than ever before, and
Fare undergoing a change in principle;
u as well as in practice. But since W.
4 cannot d d.scuss the future possibilitie:
4 OF the schools, let us confine ourselve:
ITO their present functions and see il
.4what way dose it influence publi'
Il morals 1t is a well known fact tina
4 children ID the grade schools learn tht
j first rudin1ents of good and bad, q
4 justice, honesty, kindness and thel
4 rewards. But that is about as far a.
| they GO. 35Oug high school and col
llege education is Limited mostly t
4 learning Of facts, learning
: how to do certain things, It j
II mechanical rather than cultural. Gl
Ito any college or university and Sc
4 how many students attend the classe
lin literature, philosophy, sociology Q
any strictly cultural sciences -ver.
II few indeed while those in engineering
commerce, law and medicine are fill
II ed to their full capacity. In this cas-
has the school any influence over tn
,, students character? Over the stu
dents cultural and intellectual life
Very little if any. ss
4 We are being trained but not edu
Gated. Education is not only learnin
facts, but history, law, commerce q
!, any other science. One may b
trained to do certain things, but tina
is not education. By education
! mean that which inculcates pricipal'
!. awakens dormant sentiments, regr
J lates temper, creates al noble desir'
J, cultivates reason, subdues the pas
sions, directs the feelings, trains t
self control, self reliance, and Sc
: restraint, that which consoles th
q, mind and refines the soul, which stifr
! ulates you to higher and higher thing
yof accomplishment and attainment
that which gives you wider scope,
] broader view and an open mind; 18th;
; which gives habits which time wi
: ameliorate, not destroy-a patiene
& that will render life more dignified an
/ useful"
i This kind Of education has a decit
d ing influence upon the individual an
e through the individual 10 societ
e Therefore, it is my opinion, that ii
/, influence Of the schools to publ
h morals depends on the kind of led,
II cation they impart to their students
y 4 PenfeId