The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-07-07
America the Place
For Leadership

Boston, July eff opportunities
for training leaders were a sufficient
guarantee Of the safety of the state
Americans would be living in polit-
ical millennium, DR.. James E. Russell,
dean of Teachers College, Columbia
University, said in an address tonight
before the National Educational asso-
citation.
Nowhere else in the world is pro-
vision made for so many aspiring can.
didates for leadership or for SO many
different kinds of leaders," DR.. Rus
sell said. "Coincident with the extra
ordinary increase in the past few
years of those seeking higher educa-
ton is increasing distrust of the in
tegrity and unselfshness of those best
equipped to lead In fact, expertnc5s
in technical lines is no longer synoly-
nous with leadership in professional
service. If to the broader culture and
more scientific knowledge now d.
manded by those schools is added the
spirit of patriotic service, the profess
sional schools of America will have
done their full duty.
From our standpoint we see in the
German system of education and its
logical outcome in the war, horrible
example of what not to do, but we
must be impressed by the fact tina;
Germany has demonstrated that a
vast population can be nodded by edu-
cation into the likeness of an ideal,
even if that ideal, when realized,
turns out to be, not God, but gold
en- calf.
What German teachers have done
American teachers can do. We can
set up an ideal Enthusiastically
American, and We can realize it if the
public will give us the necessary sup
port. Not blind obedience but volun-
tary cooperation shall be our watch
word. We shall seek contentment
through intelligent exercise of our
individual talents, and find happiness
In the possession of our own attain
ments. l grant that our problem is
infinitely more difficult than the one
submitted to German teachers. 1t is
far easier to quencn ambitions than
tn rouse them and direct them Alright.
Never before has nation been fo,nd-
ed on the proposition that all men are
created equal, and nowhere in history
has intelligent self-direction been se.
rp as national ideal of education.
"The need for an intelligent cleo
torate goes far beyond the choice OF
political leaders. My view is that the
right spirit comes from enlightened
public opinion that voluntarily
chooses to follow expert guidance in
every phase of life. Confidence in the
integrity and unselfshness of leaders
IS the first essential in the democratic
program of social reform.
'The maintenance of civil order and
social security logically proceeds the
rise of leaders. Population is shift
ing from the country to the city. Ell
DOW room is growing less. Every year
| makes it harder for some to maintaff,
a decent standard of living. The old
world with its woes stands begging
at our doors. Discomfort is spreading
like a fatal disease among great
groups of our citizens. This tendency
unless checked, can have only one re-
sult--our experiment in democratic
government will surely fail, and with
it the hopes of world worn out with
travail of newborn ideals of freedom.
The outcome rests with the teachers
OF America. Are we ready to do our
share?"