THE BASIS OF NATIONAL STRENGTH A LIBERAL EDUCATION FROM A NATIONAL STANDPOINT KNOWLEDGE IKNOWLEDGE Educationally, we are in a bad way…Why? we ask… a lamentable want of knowledge—lack of education; he appears to have little insight, imagination, or power of reflection. The tendency in his class is that “dangerous tendency which we must all do our best to resist”…“the spirit of the horde,… is being … Continue reading Condensed Volume 6 Book 2 Chapter 4 Part 1

THE SCOPE OF CONTINUATION SCHOOLS Not only in Prussia but throughout western Europe there was a more or less active intellectual renaissance, but, whether because the times were not ripe or the peoples were not worthy, the high ideals of the early days of the century were superseded by the utilitarian motive.          When the ‘Continuation School’ movement revived, envy of the commercial and manufacturing successes … Continue reading Condensed Volume 6 Book 2 Chapter 3

A LIBERAL EDUCATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS MIGHTY is the power of persistent advertisement. ‘Pelmanism’ [memory training system] is bringing an indictment against secondary education. Half a million souls, Judges and Generals, Admirals and Barristers, are protesting that they have not been educated. “Pay the schoolmaster well and you will get education” is the panacea of the moment, and so we get in one neighbourhood a … Continue reading Condensed Volume 6 Book 2 Chapter 2

Book II Theory Applied CHAPTER I LIBERAL EDUCATION IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS I NEED not waste time in attempting to convince the reader of what we all know, that a liberal education is, like justice, religion, liberty, fresh air, the natural birthright of every child. Neither need we discuss the scope of such an education. We are aware that good life implies cultivated intelligence,… Educated teachers … Continue reading Condensed Volume 6 Book 2 Chapter 1

III THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE UNIVERSE (c) PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT, HANDICRAFTS It is unnecessary, too, to say anything about games,p.234dancing, physical exercises, needlework and other handicrafts as the methods employed in these are not exceptional. Continue reading Condensed Volume 6 Book 1 Chapter 10 Section 3c

III THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE UNIVERSE (b) MATHEMATICS The question of Arithmetic and of Mathematics generally is one of great import to us as educators. We take strong ground when we appeal to the beauty and truth of Mathematics; that, as Ruskin points out, two and two make four and cannot conceivably make five, is an inevitable law. It is a great thing to be … Continue reading Condensed Volume 6 Book 1 Chapter 10 Section 3b

III THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE UNIVERSE (a) SCIENCE … science teaching in the schools should be of the nature of ‘common information’ is of use in defining our limitations in regard to the teaching of science. We find another limitation in the fact that children’s minds are not in need of the mental gymnastics that such teaching is supposed to afford. They are entirely alert … Continue reading Condensed Volume 6 Book 1 Chapter 10 Section 3a

II THE KNOWLEDGE OF MAN f) ART THERE are few subjects regarded with more respect and less confidence in our schools than this of ‘Art.’ Of course, we say, children should have their artistic powers cultivated, especially those who have such powers, but how is the question. The neat solution offered by South Kensington in the sixties,—freehand drawing, perspective, drawing from the round, has long … Continue reading Condensed Volume 6 Book 1 Chapter 10 Section 2f

II THE KNOWLEDGE OF MAN (e) LANGUAGES English is rather a logical study dealing with sentences and the positions that words occupy in them than with words and what they are in their own right. Therefore it is better that a child should begin with a sentence and not with the parts of speech, that is, he should learn a little of what is called … Continue reading Condensed Volume 6 Book 1 Chapter 10 Section 2e

II THE KNOWLEDGE OF MAN (d) COMPOSITION COMPOSITION in Form I (A and B) is almost entirely oral and is so much associated with Bible history, English history, geography, natural history, that it hardly calls for a special place on the programme, where however it does appear as ‘Tales.’ In few things do certain teachers labour in vain more than in the careful and methodical … Continue reading Condensed Volume 6 Book 1 Chapter 10 Section 2d