Evening star., 1932-04-20

of your pocket. They make you look
like Old Sonner."
~
Each difference of these neighbors,
later to be termed characters by q
more effete age, in an era Of gross con-
formity, was recognized as their very
essence before the world. The world
was wide, and men were many, and no
two looked alike-why should thou
sand be alike?
Universal education, as such, had only
| begun to function. 1t had not yet
nodded the youth of Nation to stand
ardlzed thoughts and actions. Eouca-
ton in America has so many gooo
things to its credit that its most ardent
advocates cannot be offended at the
charge against it that is now generally
recognized, that by the teacher-pupil
attitude, consciously carried on for gen
erations, it tended to breed race OF
like-mlnded and almost Servile people.
The slightest independent thought
was frowned upon. Indeed, a child OF
the COS who dared to question the
WorthineSS of Longfellow as a poet or
OF Dickens as an author was held TO
be 'impudent."
There was too much teacher In
That sort of education, a mistake which
there have been strenuous efforts TO
rectlfy In recent years. Worst OF all,
however was the stultifying sense OF
superiority which the average teacher
manifested, although every child in the
room realized, whether he knew as much
consciously, that teacher" really knew
nothing except lot of memort1ed facts.
The depressing effect of universal
education, then, may be looked upon as
one OF the prime causes of the change
OF attitude in this country which led
steadily away from the regard. almost
veneration, for difference of character,
and finally changed into the wholesale
demand for likeness Of personality, likes,
dislikes. living habits, dress, etc.
Another prime cause Of this national
blight, which has mildewed the cities
the worst, lies in the growth Of avenues
| OF communications and the interchange
of knowledge. The fault lies not so
much with these either, as with the
human mind, which has not been
strong enough to stand the strain.
Even Old Sonner, could he be alive to-
day, would read somewhere that un-
bulged pockets were the thing" among
well dressed men, and would become
dissatisfied with himself and his papers
and finally discard them, to the huge
loss of the world, and of himself, and to
the real satisfaction of no one except
some fighty young niece who would say,
"Oh, uncle, how Snappy you look with
all those horrid old papers gone!"
In the old days Of primitive Ameri-
can communities such differences we're
rightly considered the most interesting
and therefore most characteristic
things about men and women. There
was Doc" Jones. man Of fiery tenn
per, but keen knowledge. No one asked
that he change his spots, and become
the tame, gentle DR.. Jones.
No, DOC" Jones was accepted as he
was, without one plea that he be any
thing else. His temper was a part OF
him. and surely one of his most inter
esting traits. The town folk knew he
kept it mostly for recalcitrant children,
who would not take their medicine, and
for inanimate objects, such as the old
clock which worried him by its loud
ticking.
Do you know what doc" Jones did
with the loud-ticking clock? What he
did would be unthinkable today.
He took the clock off the mantel, set
it on a gate post in front of his home,
took down his old double -barreled shot
gun. and blazed away with both barrels.
The deed ran around town like wild
fire
DOC Jones shot his clock!"
Mighty men were Doc" Jones and
Old Sonner and their likes throughout
the length and breadth of our land.
They were not afraid to be themselves.
Their neighbors rejoiced in them as
they found them, nor demanded that
they become pale limitations of them
selves. The world was better off, then,
for having and knowing such men,
and it would be better off today if peo-
pie everywhere, especially city people,
would stop demanding that all men
think and look and act alike.