It is called by a very attractive name, the _individualistic_ education.
The true name of it is selfishness, or egotism. No religion of Asia ever
boasted of having been the birthplace of such an education. It is born
in the heart of Europe, in Germany. It was brought up by Schopenhauer
and Goethe. It was subsequently supported by the German biologists, by
the musicians, sculptors, philosophers, poets, soldiers, socialists and
priests, by the wisest and by the madmen beyond the Rhine. Unfortunately
France, Russia and even Great Britain have not been quite exempt from
this pernicious theory of individualistic education.
The sophistic theories of Athens of old have been renewed in Central
Europe--the individuum is the ultimate aim of education. A human
individuum is of limitless worth, said the German interpreters of the
New Testament. Materialistic science, contradicting itself, agreed on
that point with modern theology. Art, in all its branches, presented
itself as the sole expression of one individuum, i.e., of the artist.
The modern socialism, contradicting its own name, supported
individualism very strongly in every department of human activity.
Consequently modern Pedagogy, based upon the general tendencies, put up
the same individualistic ideal as the aim to be achieved by the schools,
church, state, and by many other social institutions.