556 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



in the external working of the system, 

 shows how completely the State ma- 

 chine has superseded the older method 

 by which the teachers had some liberty 

 to adapt themselves to the fundamental 

 though ever-varying requirements of 

 individual pupils. It is the character- 

 istic of machine education that in its 

 working the individual disappears. 



No doubt we are talking treason 

 against the State, and blasphemy 

 against a popular idol; nevertheless, 

 there are many who hold that in edu- 

 cation, as in politics, the sooner the 

 machine is "smashed" the better. If 

 practice in chess and whist would give 

 a better education than the machine, it 

 is time to protest. Our most thought- 

 ful educators are revolting against the 

 predominant method, which, having 

 been adopted by the State as best suit- 

 ed for official management, is extend- 

 ing throughout the nation. But many, 

 as we said, are striking out, and de- 

 manding a good deal more liberty in 

 school management. They condemn 

 the pernicious mechanics of the schools 

 just in proportion to its perfection. 

 Colonel Parker, for example, is one of 

 those who demand more freedom in the 

 play of educational agencies, and more 

 attention to the kind of work that is 

 least available for display. lie is re- 

 cently represented as saying that " uni- 

 formity in schools is death " ; he does 

 not believe in " per cents," he would not 

 have them in schools under any circum- 

 stances : " Here is a child who is not so 

 quick mentally as another ; he studies 

 as hard and labors as faithfully as the 

 others, but, not being able to advance 

 so rapidly, he is marked fifty per cent, 

 while others walk off waving their 

 ninety-five per cent in triumph. It is 

 discouraging to the moderately dull 

 child, and wrong. If a child is exam- 

 ined and asked the name of a river, 

 and can not answer, off goes five per 

 cent." 



The difficulty of machine education 

 is, that under it pupils are not taught 



to think for themselves. It can not edu- 

 cate the judgment, or prepare the mind 

 to meet emergencies through the prac- 

 tice of self-reliance. As remarked by a 

 teacher, "The public-school scholars 

 are excellent in the line of their drill, 

 but, take them one inch outside of it, 

 and they are lost." 



BICYCLES AND CIVILIZATION. 



We give space to a long communi- 

 cation on the bicycle controversy at 

 Stockbridge, replying to our article 

 upon the subject two months ago. The 

 writer makes many explanations, and 

 indulges freely in sarcastic personali- 

 ties ; but the reader who cares to com- 

 pare his letter with what we said will 

 probably observe that the facts of the 

 case remain substantially as we stated 

 them, while everybody can judge as 

 to the correctness of the conclusions 

 drawn from them. To the local par- 

 ticulars of the Stockbridge war we can 

 give no more attention, but will say a 

 few further words on the general aspect 

 of the subject. 



We assumed in our former article 

 that large bicycles run upon the side- 

 walks are objectionable. The sidewalks 

 are a portion of the highway reserved 

 for pedestrians, made smooth and hard 

 to facilitate walking, and protected from 

 exposure to accidents by street vehicles. 

 A new wheeled vehicle is introduced 

 of a peculiar character, but which be- 

 longs, if anywhere, to that part of the 

 street which is usually devoted to vehi- 

 cles. Thus far these new vehicles are 

 only in a very small degree subservient 

 to any use or necessity, public or private, 

 but are run mainly for the pleasure of 

 their riders. These are mostly boys 

 seeking their amusement, and, as the 

 machine is somewhat expensive, only a 

 comparatively few boys are able to pos- 

 sess them. Probably there were not 

 more than half a dozen boys with large 

 bicycles in Stockbridge. They take to 

 the sidewalk because they are ob- 



