Evening star., 1942-03-27
Luuds .Comenius
As Great Teacher
Writer RecoIIs Services
Of CzechosIovok Philosopher
On 350th Birth Anniversary
Bv DR.. Josef Jordan Weisskopt

One hundred years after the discovery
OF America q man was born In Moravia.
in the heart of Europe. destined to dis
cover the necessity and value OF uni
versal education for the achievement Of
just and lasting peace throughout the
world.
The life OF John Amos Comenius Jan
Amos Komensky) began on March %,
1892. He was a follower Of John Hus
and . forerunner of Thomas Garrigue
Masaryk, founder and hberator of the
Czechoslovak Republic. This trium-
virate carried the torch Of progressive
and humanitarian philosophy, regarding
mankind as one integral and indivisible
organism. Comenius gave a practical
| expression to his conception of this truth
in many educational and philosophic
works. some Of which have been trans
lated into IL European and four Asiatic
languages.
During . time Of spiritual darkness,
hierarchic despotism and cruel intoler-
ance. Comenius, like Hus before him.
became q courageous fighter for liberty
against overwhelming odds He was
forced into exile because Of his protest
against the enslavement Of the liberal
mind. As the last bishop Of the Unity
of Brethren, he incorporated the noblest
elements Of the Czech Reformation. In
spite of misunderstanding and suffering
he never lost faith in humanity. He knew
and preached that only through mutual
understanding and universal education
can mankind enjoy lasting peace. He
entitled one OF his works The Labyrinth
Of the World and the Paradise Of the
endeavor to find the paradise Of the
heart In the labyrinth Of the world.
His aim was to bring enlightenment to
all. Education for humanity and love,
according to his teachings, was the great
cure for the malady of hatred and in
tolerance ruling the earth in his lifetime
Comenius intended to establish 4
college OF Light" to spread knowledge
and wisdom all over the world. He
wanted to create an international
academy Of learning in place ito which
by the aid Of navigation access shall be
easy from every country Of the world
and from which in turn communication
can be made to every country" Resident
and corresponding members were en-
visaged to gather around this pansophic
institution. England was chosen as the
site for the following reasons: I'VE may
say this first because We remember the
heroic adventure OF the Englishman
Drake. who by voyaging five times round
the world. gave us prelude and
prophecy Of this sacred and universal
concert OF nations. And secondly. we
may make this claim In memory OF
Bacon, the most illustrious Chancellor
OF England. to whom We owe the first
suggestion and opportunity for common
counsels with regard to the universal
reform OF the sciences"
Comenius. unfortunately. was pre-
vented from realizing his plan due to
tragic political disturbances.
But 1t was his assertion of faith in
the concert OF all nations, in humanity
and in humanitarian principles that
made Comenius the apostle of interna-
tional understanding. He regarded man.
kind as one great community and to this
community he devoted all his life Even
today in time Of renewed international
conflict the influence OF Comenius'
thought may be seen in many plans for
the peace to follow the Second World
War, which eventually may bring to-
gether all those who believe in genuine
freedom.
The shining spark OF liberty and hui
manity, carried by Hus and Comenius
alike, gave birth to the great effort for
independence among the Czechoslovak
people. The ideals Of Comenius are en-
couraging the citizens of the Czecho-
slovak nation at home and abroad to
keep on fighting until victory and free
dom are won. not only for themselves
but for all mankind.
An evaluation Of Comenius, written
In 1892, by the well-known American
educator. DR.. Nicholas Murray Butler,
! is as vigorous today as it was then. He
said: I'm life he was prosecuted for his
religious convictions and sought after
for his educational ideas. In death,
he was neglected and forgotten by friends
and foes alike ,. But the educational
revival OF our century, and particularly
Of our generation, has shed the bright
light Of scholarly investigation into all
the dark places and today at the 300th
anniversary of his birth the fine old
Moravian bishop is being honored wher-
ever teachers gather together and wher-
ever education is the theme. We have
found in Comenius the source and the
forecasting of much that inspires and
directs our new education The in
FAINT school or kindergarten, female edu-
cation, the incorporation of history and
geography in the curriculum, the value
Of drawing and manual training, the
fundamental importance of sense-train.
ing and the ethical element in educa-
ton and finally that education is for
all and not for favored few only
were all articles In the creed of Co.
menus. Yet many Of them are far from
universally adopted today. Surely this
man was . prophet The place Of
Comenius in the history OF education,
therefore, Is one OF commanding i'm
portance He introduces and dominates
the whole modern movement in the
field of elementary and secondary edu-
cation. His relation to our present teach
ing is similar to that held by Copernicus
and Newton toward modern science, and
Bacon and Descartes toward modern