We wish to discuss with our readers in this and in later editions
of this newspaper the great and serious question of education.
It is a question as broad as the ocean, and as deep. It is a
question so vast that organized discussion of it seems hopeless.
The greatest minds of the world have devoted their powers to the
intricate question of developing the human brain, and the problem
has been scarcely touched.
The greatest works on education in the history of the world are
undoubtedly Plato's "Republic," Spencer's "Education" and
Rousseau's "Emile." The last is the greatest of all. It should
be read by every father and mother and by every earnest citizen.
Other works that may be earnestly recommended are Aristotle's
"Politics," Pestalozzi's "How Gertrude Teaches Her Children" and
Froebel's "Education of Man."
To Rousseau undoubtedly belongs the high honor of having thought
and written most powerfully, most originally and most practically
on the greatest of problems. His brain is the cornerstone of the
structure of intelligent educational methods.
He foreshadowed in his "Emile" Fourier's splendid principle of
"attractive industry." ----
THE PROGRESS OF HUMANITY DEPENDS UPON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
HUMAN BRAIN THROUGH EDUCATION.
The intricate processes of thinking separate mankind from other
members of the animal creation.
Man is far from the animal in proportion as his brain is
cultivated. Even the animals themselves rank in their kingdom in
proportion to their brain activity.
William T. Harris said truly: "If man had let himself alone he
would have remained the monkey that he was. Not only this, but
if the monkey had let himself alone he would have remained a
lemur, or a bat, or a bear, or some other creature that now
offers only a faint suggestion of what the ape has become."
The elephant and the ape, among our humble animal brothers,
appear to have reached their limits of possibility in the way of
educational development. They still remain, and always will
remain, vastly inferior to their microscopic comrades--the ants
and bees and other insects.
The human race has barely begun the systematic study of the
problem of application, and systematic application of the truths
discovered and agreed upon. In proportion to our stature and
possibilities we are hideous ignoramuses compared with the ant in
the garden path.
The education of children is regulated not by their brain
formation and possible development, but by the wealth of their
parents, the parsimony of municipalities, the baleful influences
of tradition and the colossally stupid idea that thorough brain
cultivation is in some way antagonistic to material success.
The greatness of a nation depends upon the average mental power
of the nation's citizens, and mental power depends absolutely
upon education.
The man who doubts the importance of educating his son
thoroughly--if any such man now exists--is invited to consider
the following brief statement of facts:
The holders of slaves in the Southern States and outside of
America desired to keep their slaves down. They wanted them to
be content with slavery. They wanted them and their children to
remain willing, humble, helpless machines.
THEY PUNISHED AS A CRIMINAL ANY MAN WHO TAUGHT A SLAVE TO READ.
THEY KNEW THAT SLAVERY AND EDUCATION COULD NOT LONG ENDURE IN THE
SAME HUMAN BEING. ----
The ignorant man who has succeeded through natural force and
lucky opportunity is fond of asking these questions:
"What is the good of education? Of what practical use is
scientific training?" These men are admirably answered by Herbert
Spencer, to whose work they are referred.
A collection of Englishmen ruined themselves in the sinking of
mines in search of coal. They might have saved their money had
they known that a certain fossil which they dug up in abundance
belongs to a geological stratum below which no coal is ever
found. They went on digging cheerfully and wasting their money.
An acquaintance with that fossil and its meaning would have saved
their cash.
Some individuals spent one hundred thousand dollars trying to
save the alcoholic byproduct that distils from bread in baking.
They would have saved their money had they known that only a
hundredth part of the flour is changed through fermentation.
The study of biology is essential in the successful fattening of
cattle.
An "entozoon" seems to the practical man a foolish, imaginary
creature. But millions of sheep have been saved by the discovery
that one of these fancy scientific entozoa, pressing on the
brain, caused the sheep's death. When you know the entozoon you
can dig him out and save the sheep's life.
"My son's going to be an artist," says one proud father. "He
does not need to study a lot of scientific rubbish."
This parent does not know that the difference between a good and
a bad sculptor or painter is often based on knowledge or
ignorance of anatomy and mechanical principles. ----
Education is important to the individual because it means
development of the brain, development of capacity for production
and increased chances of success.
Education is important to the State because it means not only
COMPETENT citizens, but MORAL citizens.
The animal in us yields to the influence of education. Knowledge
and brutality are enemies. They do not dwell together.
The most important institutions in this country are the public
schools--the gymnasiums of human brains. The most important
citizens of the nation are the teachers.
The greatest criminals are the employers of child labor, because
they deny education, cut down in childhood the citizen's chance
of progress and success.
Work and vote for more and better public schools.