Education and the Future of Civilization

PRESIDENT J. H. BRACE: Today we have with us a number of gentlemen from the Old Land. They are Directors of Education, representing England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. They have been for the past month travelling across Canada from coast to coast as guests of the National Council of Education.

This year is the twenty-fifth anniversary of the founding of the Overseas Educational League. This organization has done much to foster the interchange of educational thought within the British Empire. During the past twenty-five years, 7,000 Canadian teachers and studentshave visited the Old Land, either by means of exchange of teaching positions with teachers from that land or for purposes of special study. The Overseas Educational League has done much to assist in these transfers and to look after these Canadians when they were over seas. We welcome today most heartily these visitors who are with us. (Applause.) We trust they have enjoyed their visit in Canada. We hope they will return to their own land with memories of a people who are strong in adversity, a people who are ever conscious of their responsibility, a people who will, as they have in the past, adhere strongly to the British Empire and a people who are and always have been loyal to the British throne. (Applause.)

Representing this group today, we will have an address from Mr. E. Salter Davies. Mr. Davies is Director of Education for Kent. He is President of the British Library Association. He is life trustee of the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust and he is a member of many societies interested in education, in prison reform and in social progress. Mr. Davies has written extensively on a number of these subjects. Today he is going to address us on the subject "Education and the Future of Civilization." Mr. Davies.

MR. E. SALTER DAVIES: Mr. Chairman, Gentlemen First of all I should like to thank you, Sir, on behalf of my colleagues and myself for your very kindly welcome. We are very grateful to the National Council of Education and the Overseas League for making this pilgrimage of ours a possibility and we thank you, Sir, and The Empire Club of Canada for your kindly wel come and hospitality today. I can assure you we shall go back to our country, not quite as we came. Canada and the people of Canada will mean something more to us than they have meant in the past. Our experience has been widened, our minds have been enriched and our hearts have been warmed by your kindness and your hospitality.

The subject which has been selected for me is a somewhat formidable once but is, perhaps as you will think, not inappropriate to the present moment.

I see from the Canadian papers that a distinguished American professor has lately been expressing dissatisfaction with the results of education. Well, dissatisfaction is a healthy symptom. Content means stagnation. In a healthy discontent lies our only hope for future progress. At the same time, discontent has its dangersdangers, I think, that are apt, particularly, to affect men and women of my own age. We tend to be "praisers of the past" and to think that nothing today is quite as it was when we were young. The best answer to that sort of feeling which, I think, is always a sign of senility - the best answer to that feeling is that which was made by our English humorous publication, Punch. To the accusation that it was not now as funny as it used to be, it replied, "It never was."

We can take comfort to ourselves, perhaps, by remembering that that complaint has been uttered by all men and all women throughout the ages, I was reading the other day„ a letter by Queen Mary, of England, at the time repairs were proceeding at the Royal Palace at Greenwich and Queen Mary bitterly complained that the British workman was not what he used to be.

Even earlier, in the diary of an Egyptian princess of over 3,000 years ago, that princess complaints that the young people of her generation were not as virtuous, were not as well behaved as the children of the former generation.

The complaint, however, deserves serious consideration and perhaps Dr. Butler intends us to mediate upon our practice of education, our methods, our curriculum, and to ask ourselves the searching question, whether we are really trying to apply in practice those principles which in theory' we profess.

You remember that Mr. G. K. Chesterton replied to the accusation that Christianity had failed, "No, Christianity has never been tried."

Now, when we are talking about any subject it is just as well that we should get our definitions clear. There is a story told of the English humorist, Sidney Smith. He saw two women quarrelling with their heads out of windows on opposite sides of the street. He remarked "Those two women will never agree, they are arguing from different premises."

Now, in one sense, all life is educative. Education does not end when schooling ends. School is the preparation for the wider education of life. It is the English Poet, Meredith, who says, "We spend our lives in learning pilotage, and grow good steermen when the vessel's crank.

But when we are gathered in a meeting like this, we are considering education in its smaller aspect as schooling. Now, all human life is a struggle of an individual to realize himself as a conscious part of the world to which he belongs. It is, therefore, to some extent the adaptation of the individual to his environment but it is more than that. The human being has the power, to a limited extent, to alter his environment in order to bring it into conformity with his own activity. Therefore, education is the deliberate, human effort which is directed upon the individual with the two-fold object of enabling him to be at home in his environment, to understand the world in which he is placed, and at the same time to enable him to do something to bring his enrvironment into harmony with his own conscious purposes.

I think nothing is more remarkable in education than the loftiness of the definitions of education that have been given by great men throughout the ages and the extraordinary agreement from century to century in those definitions. The heathen philosopher, writing four hundred years before the birth of Christ, defined the aim of education as the attempt to produce "likeness to God, so far as that is possible to man." I see that Sir Auckland Geddes speaking some few years ago to an Education Association in the States, defined education in somewhat similar terms as "the process designed to help a being to appreciate God, to know himself, to understand the spirit of the age in which he is placed so that he can live, serve and act with and on the community of which he forms a part." Professor Whitehead defines education as the process which is designed to bring about "a balanced growth of individuality." And, I think that on any prize-giving platform in England, there is one sentence which can always be relied upon to bring a cheer and that is that the aim of education is the training of character.

The aim of education is the training of character, but there is a school of thought which is in violent opposition to any such theory. I remember that when the English Education Act was passed in 1918, a landmark for all time in the history of. English education, providing for the establishment of central schools for the older and more advanced children and for day continuation schools (which, Alas, have never yet been realized,) when that Act was passed an article appeared in, shall I say, a notorious English journal, controlled by a noble lord. This article complained that "at vast expense new schools were to be erected by which millions of fruitful workers were to be withdrawn from industry and kept at school where they >would be given a meagre information on subjects totally removed from their daily task. The cowboys would learn, not about land, but about the wives of Hen ry the Eighth. The dairymaids would become experts, not in agriculture, but astronomy," and so on and so on. That sort of attack is typical of a certain school of journalism which is well known in my own country and which, I am sure, is entirely absent from this fortunate Dominion. Its object is not to tell the truth but to do as much mischief as possible to the particular cause which it is attacking.

Now, just consider that sort of criticism of education which, though exaggerated in tone is after all typical of a good many criticisms which are made in all countries about education, some of which I have heard from luncheon and dinner tables, even in my brief stay in Canada. The suggestion is that the plough-boy should receive an education which would fit him to be all his life a ploughboy and that any deviation into history or astronomy or so forth, is out of place. It is perfectly obvious - isn't it? - that that sort of criticism is based on a fallacy and the fallacy is " once a plough-boy, always a plough boy." There have been plough-boys who have written their name large on the pages of history. It was a plough-boy who sang in immortal verse

"The rank is but the guinea stamp, The man's the gowd for a' that."

As for the dairy-maid, and astronomy, if the dairymaid looks up from her milk pail into the Heavens she will see there the Milky Way, and the ploughboy will see what in England we call "The Great Plough." The constellations of the Heavens are named after such vulgar things as ploughs and milk-pails.

Moreover, even if a ploughboy remains a ploughboy, the art of ploughing and the kindred arts do not exhaust the whole of his time. We have been told for years past that the age of machinery was bound to create greater leisure for all. I am doubtful myself about the realization of that prophecy. It ought to be true. By all logic it ought to be true but the stupidity of man is such as I think will prevent its realization for a very, very long time. Nevertheless, it is foolish to suggest that schooling should confine its attention, to vocation and should have no regard to the leisure activities which boys and girls will engage in after they leave school. We who are professed educationists hold that, after all, underlying all vocations there is a common element of humanity which must be catered for and we believe that it is essential that, before a specific education, for industry is entered upon, there must be a sound general education; and I think the greatest danger which affects education at this moment is perhaps the tendency to antedate this period of specific, technical, educational instruction and to shorten the period of general liberal education.

May I, while I am on this topic, say one word more, that the educationists will never agree that material success, estimated in terms of money, can ever determine the success or otherwise of any individual. There are poor men who have made a success of their lives. There are men who have a large bank roll of whom it may be said, to what advantage is all that wealth to them, seeing that they have lost themselves.

I read in that delightful "Life of Sir Walter Scott" written by the Governor-General of Canada, whom we know and will know still, I think, as John Buchan, that the only failures in life, the only real failures in life are "the egotists, wrapped up in self, the doctrinaires in chains to a dogma, the Pharisees who despise their brethren." That is a noble sentiment.

Now, to consider for a moment the practical application of what I have been saying. First of all, education is concerned not with one or other aspect of the individual but with the whole man-body and mind, including the intellect, the imagination, the emotions and the will. First of all, I think we should all probably agree that there are four main aspects under which we may consider this subject of education. First of all there is the physical aspect. It is perfectly obvious that at the root of all our education must lie this physical education, the education of the body. I don't mean mere physical exercises, even coupled with games, but a real scientific study of the laws of health and their application to the human body so that the body may become the ready servant of the mind instead of, as so often if is, its master.

Secondly, there are certain elementary pieces of knowledge and skill which it is the object of the school to impart to the scholars. Reading and writing, the power to express oneself clearly, logically and even agreeably in speech and in writing. It is not a common art. I refrain for obvious reasons from dilating on that subject.

It might lead to personal criticism. But the instruction in reading and writing, the mere giving of the tools of knowledge, the instruments of knowledge, is obviously not enough. What is the use of teaching boys and girls to read unless we see to it that there is available in the schools and elsewhere a reasonable supply of books which will interest them? In every school there should be a school library„ not a repository of dead volumes, but a library replenished from time to time to keep pace with the changing years.

We must give our pupils some understanding of number, the order and harmony of the universe and the power to deal with the simple reckonings of daily life. That is important very important, fundamental. Yet, I cannot help thinking that we have loaded this subject of arithmetic with all sorts of mysterious, almost inexplicable calculations which are of no earthly practical use and are clung to simply from a pathetic belief that somehow or another, delving into these mysteries is a good preparation for a business life. I believe that is an entire fallacy.

Those who have read that very delightful, humorous book, by F. Anstey, called "Vice Versa"-if you have not read it, let me cordially advise you to read it at the earliest possible moment-will remember the merchant who, is transformed into his scapegrace son and has to go to school. It is really, Gentlemen, a tragic story, Mr. Bultitude, the aforesaid city merchant is appalled when he sits down to the school-desk at the glaring improbability of the problems which he is called upon to solve.

And, not to dilate on this topic, there are history and geography. Everybody will agree all children should be given some knowledge of the history and the growth of society, of the growth of social and political institutions in a very simple way; and in geography, there should be some description of the natural phenomena which affect man's life on this planet so very greatly, and of the distribution of peoples; in addition, some knowledge should be given of the simple laws of science, not only of the physical constituents of the world, but also of the science of life.

It is curious how excessive devotion to physics and chemistry seems almost inevitably to lead to a material view of the universe which, I believe, can be corrected only by the science of life. That is why I think simple biology is coming into the curriculum of the schools.

But what is the good of teaching all this to our children unless we also teach them how to use the knowledge, the instruments we have put into their hands.

I came across the other day an unpublished letter - un published so far as I know because I saw the original, written by John Ruskin in 1868 from his house in Denmark Hill-and that letter begins like this "Sir, the real impediment to all education is the idea that teaching men to read and write educates them. It no more educates them than giving them a revolver makes them a soldier." He goes on to describe two rascals of his acquaintance and one he describes as "an impudent imposter and the other as "a lascivious thief.” "Both men," he said, "could read and write. Both in a sense have been educated but they had never learned to use the knowledge at their disposal."

And he concludes the letter: "Sir, the first law of all education is to teach our youth to love truth and speak it, to love work and thoroughly do it, to dove knowledge and seek it, not in hovels but in fields and seas and only so far as we love these three things ourselves can we teach the love of them to others."

Thirdly, if you have still followed my analysis, we must train our pupils in love of beauty, train their taste, and I believe that we have unduly neglected the aesthetic side of education. You have only to look around you - I had better put it, we in England have only to look around us - to see how the beauty of nature has been defaced by ugly greed, by those who haven't the sense to see that beauty hasn't only a value in itself but also a commercial value. I am told there is a pamphlet now going around in some parts of the States, warning people not to visit my own beautiful County of Kent, so far has it been defaced by hideous advertisements and by unlovely, unchecked buildings. I hope tourists will nevertheless visit the County of Kent. It is still, in spite of defacement, one of the most beautiful parts of England. It gives serious thought to think that such a pamphlet could have been written at all.

Finally, fourth, we must teach our children, as far as we can, to live in society together and part of the work of schools is to teach communal living. I believe we have been reasonably successful so far as our nation, so far as our own British Empire goes. Internationally, we have hardly been so successful and the doctrine of national selfishness, which on the Continent of Europe, at least, and elsewhere, has been elevated into a gospel, threatens the security and happiness of the world today.

In England, in 1929, we had a Committee of business men which sat to report upon education generally and particularly in regard to the relation of education and industry. Their report, very briefly„ can be summarized as follows: They warmly welcomed the proposals in the Education Act to which I have already referred and which were treated in such scathing terms by Lord Rothermere's journal. These business men heartily welcomed that expansion and development of education. They had examined carefully the charge often made, possibly made even in. Canada, that with the development of education the three R's, those sacred three R's, are not so thoroughly taught as they used to be. They said that, according to the evidence they received; that charge was not substantiated. They pleaded for a wider teaching of handicrafts of all description for boys and girls on the ground surely obvious to all, that there are a number of boys and girls of the highest intelligence who are appealed to mainly through the hands and not through the printed word. They pronounced the verdict that with regard to general intelligence and adaptability, they had no complaint of our educational system and they said that what they wanted was not vocational instruction but instruction which would train the boys and girls in the school in, general intelligence and in adaptability. They pleaded for a more generous equipment for games, because while we in England have always believed that games were of the utmost advantage, in the past we have seen to it that they were supplied in those schools which on the whole were attended by the children of the more wealthy parents. In the public schools as we call them, Eton and Harrow and the rest, there was always provision for games, but the children of the poor who went to the elementary schools, in the past had little or no such provision. I am glad to say all that is now being corrected. No education authorities would dare to build a secondary school or an elementary school without seeing to it that there was adequate playing space. And, finally, the Committee complained that the classes were still too large and that teachers could not do their work properly while such conditions existed.

Now, I believe what we want most of all in education is a living faith in its power to mould the character and the habits of our people. There is a stimulating Latin quotation, "Possunt, quia posse videntur" which means, "They can because they think they can." How many failures are there which are due to want of faith!

I believe that some of us who believe with all our hearts in social progress are still misled by false analogy. We think that social progress somehow or other, proceeds at something like the same pace as natural evolution. It may have taken millions of years to effect a change in animal structure but we have seen in our own time the habits and the character of a nation revolutionized within a generation. I believe that given the faith and the will which is the outcome of a living faith, we could, within a generation, bring about a transformation which would amaze the world.

May I read you the words of His Majesty, the King, which were in reply to a message from the London County Council on the conclusion of peace in 1919:

"I am convinced," said His Majesty, "that nothing is more essential to national prosperity and happiness than education. The potentialities, physical, mental and spiritual, of every member of the community should be developed to the greatest possible extent. A true education will embrace all these, will cultivate them all in due proportion and would transform our national life within: a generation. I appeal to you and through you to all education authorities to keep this great ideal in mind."

There are countries in Europe today in which the whole forces of education from the primary school to the university are being concentrated toward the realization of a national ideal. That ideal is not ours. We believe in a state built up by the willing service of free individuals,

"Britain, the land that freemen till,
That sober-suited Freedom chose,
The land, where girt with friends or foes,
A man may speak the thing he will."

We believe in freedom and our loyalties are not to be constrained by the gangster's club or the muderer's bullet. We are bound to one another by ties of affection and of loyalty to principles which we will not abandon at the behest of any demagogue. We pride ourselves on our national virtues of toleration, good humour, common sense, allied with courage, determination and self control but today, surely these are not enough.

In the countries which I have in mind there is a deliberate and a successful attempt to enlist the whole forces of the nation in the service of a particular national ideal. We have our own national ideal. Our British Commonwealth of Nations under our most Christian King and Governor has set an example to the world of what the world might be, a brotherhood of nations, each with its own peculiar characteristics, each making its own contribution to the common weal.

What might we British not do if we could bring to the service of our national ideal the same devotion and the same singleness of purpose which the Russian and the German and the Italian brings to his conception of the state and of society? If we could combine with what they boast of as their "unflinching rationality," a full devotion, in thought and in act, to those spiritual ideals which alone give meaning and dignity to man's life upon this earth? (Applause, prolonged.)

PRESIDENT BRACE: I am going to ask Principal Wallace to express the thanks of this audience to Mr. Davies. PRINCIPAL WALLACE: Mr. President, our Guests and Gentlemen: It is a great pleasure to be allowed to voice our thanks to our guests and particularly to Mr. Davies, It seems to me that one of the great advantages, one of the greatest advantages that we have from our British connection is just illustrated in the talk that we have listened to today, namely that our ideals are changed or modified or criticized continually by the ideals of the older land from which most of us have sprung. It seems to me that it is a very great privilege indeed for the members of this Club to listen to an address so full of interest, so full of wisdom as the address to which we have just listened. My own feeling was, and I am sure it was shared by many of you, that it would be a particularly pleasant experience if there were two or three hours following this lecture, assigned to the particular business of bandying ideas back and forth with Mr. Davies. I am inclined to think one of the tests of a good lecture is, Does it make you wish to pursue the subject further? Does it tend to make you wish to offer modifications here, and modifications there, pronounce agreements here and disagreements there? I can only say, Gentlemen, that the address today seemed to me singularly wise and sane. It possessed a wisdom and a sanity, unfortunately of which our world today is in sad need. Education, I suppose is the most hackneyed of all topics, the topic which requires some courage in any man if he wishes to make it the subject of his address and yet a subject which is so intimately related to the most immediate practical concerns of this tormented world today, and as we listened to Mr. Davies we could not help feeling that the possibilities of regeneration for men are along this line, if along any.

But I do not wish to take up your time. I merely wish on your behalf to express to Mr. Davies our very great obligation to him for the honour he has done us in addressing us today and to wish for him and his colleagues from the British Isles a happy journey through Canada and a happy sojourn in our midst. (Applause.)