EDUCATION IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. (>-]() 



ception, memory, imagination, and reasoning are phases of one 

 process, and they can not be separated from each other except 

 by logical procedure ; nor can the intellect be considered apart 

 from the emotions and will. There is no virtue either in this 

 separation except for the mere purpose of analysis, for in daily 

 life these faculties are never divorced in their activities from 

 each other ; and in training the individual in school, educational 

 psychology declares it to be a serious mistake to try to separate 

 one faculty from the others and train it by the use of some special 

 material. 



The workings of this old analytic and analogical psychology 

 are especially apparent in its teaching that the exercise of the 

 mind in any direction generates a capacity which may be used 

 equally well in all directions. The very statement of this doctrine 

 would seem to show its falsity, but yet belief in it has practically 

 determined the subjects taught in our schools for the last three 

 centuries. No one, upon reflection, would maintain that an ex- 

 tended study of mathematics would prepare a man for the practice 

 of medicine so well as would the special study of physiology and 

 the effect of medicinal agencies upon the human system. Nor 

 would such mathematical discipline be the very best thing to pre- 

 pare for the profession of law, or theology, or any other business 

 which does not directly call into play a large body of mathemat- 

 ical knowledge. Common-sense philosophy long ago concluded, 

 and thoroughly believes now, that one who is to be engaged in 

 the practice of some art should wisely acquire all the knowledge 

 possible relating thereto ; and it esteems this of far greater ac- 

 count than to be concerned in getting some foreign matter for the 

 sake of whatever discipline this will give. Thus one who is to 

 become an architect could spend his time to greater advantage in 

 familiarizing himself with those things that relate to the success- 

 ful conduct of his business, than he could to study profoundly 

 into chemistry, botany, or theology in the belief that the general 

 power gained by such mental gymnastics would make him more 

 expert in architectural matters ; and the illustration may be mul- 

 tiplied at pleasure. 



To carry our point a step further, it must be obvious to any 

 one who has thought about the matter that what an individual 

 studies, and what he thereby gets to know, determines almost en- 

 tirely what he can get to know in the future ; not along general 

 lines either, but in special directions. The mathematician, for 

 example, is enabled by the abundance of his learning in geometry 

 and calculus to appreciate and interpret further mathematical 

 facts ; but he is by no means empowered, by virtue of his mathe- 

 matics merely, to be a competent or appreciative judge of histor- 

 ical, legal, psychological, or linguistic matters. It has become a 



