Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-09-19
EDUCATE FOR POWER
By H. Addington Bruce


TTE WAS an exceedingly well-educatet
RI man, as the word educate" is ordin
arily understood. And from the begin
ming Of his schooling he had displayed I'M
common natural talent.
To no other pupil went SO many prizes as
were gained by him in the preparatory school,
which he adorned with his presence. He en-
tered college as scholarship winner, and he
was graduated with the highest honors OBJ
tainable
Great things were confidently expected OF
him by his parents and his instructors II
was deemed certain that he would rise rapidly
in the profession he had chosen.
The years passed. To everybodys surprise
he did not fulfill the rosy predictions made
for him. On the contrary, he was hard put
to earn a living-so hard put that in the end
he was glad to accept appointment to clerk
ship in the public service.
There he long has been. There, in all like
lihood, he will be to the last of his days, lead
ing a routine life instead of the life Of ere
alive activity, of splendid constructiveness.
which should have been his.
And the world is full of people like him,
people who have had the advantage of school
and college education. people of mentality
above the average, yet getting nowhere in the
world of affairs. Day after day they doddel
along in Inferior positions, the rust of disap-
pointment eating into their souls.
What is the explanation? Is the fault in
themselves? Or is it, perhaps, in the manner
of their education?
For myself, would blame mostly the kind
Of education they have received. Certain in.
herent or acquired defects they must have
but as see it, had their education been what
it should have been these defects would have
been prevented or corrected.
Though our educators as class do no
seem to appreciate this, it is not enough tC
give the young an abundance Of scholastic
knowledge. Such knowledge it is desirable
and necessary to give them. But it Is no
less Indispensable to educate the young to ap-
ply whatever knowledge they make their
and also to educate them to meet the co
operative demands society Is sure to make Of
them.
In word, education for power should al
ways accompany education for knowledge. AS
things stand, the schools make next to no sys-
tematic attempt to develop power, seemingly
thinking that it will automatically be devel
oped through social contacts outside the
schoolroom.
Fortunately, these activities do develop 1t
in more or less degree for most young people
But there are many so constituted that they
shrink from social contacts, or react to them
in curious ways.
Do our educators recognize the meaning of
such behavior, and make special efforts &c
overcome the weaknesses involved therein
the timidity undue sensitiveness, lack o.
Initiative, or whatever it may be? Not as {
rule. They are too intent on dispensing In
formation, too intent on assisting their pu-
pills to accumulate knowledge.
Which is why many who know much are
almost helpless when it comes to solving the
problems Of workaday life They have not
due power which education, were it really
dynamic, would have given them.
The shift cannot be made too soon.
Nor will the situation change for the better
until the emphasis in education shifts bit