682 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



terest. He would strengthen what is technically called the " modern 

 sides," by incorporating various sciences and the living languages into 

 the schemes of study. Subsidiary to this fundamental improvement 

 several other resources are thus referred to : " But the movement has 

 not stopped here. A further and most satisfactory result is noticeable 

 in the recent establishment of workshops under proper control, where 

 boys can gain some idea of the value of manual labor, and the respect 

 due to careful handicraft. Museums too are encouraged, since they 

 help in extending the front, so to speak, of the intellectual interest 

 presented to the boys, and so increase the chance of alluring a greater 

 number to pursue knowledge for its own sake. For those who know 

 the natures of average boys know that the process of leading them to 

 learn is in reality a process of allurement. Thousands of boys have a 

 strong instinctive antipathy to intellectual effort ; their point of view 

 with regard to it has been modified ; and if the attempt is made 

 abruptly it will be ineffective ; they suspect some sinister design, not 

 knowing yet that what they are being led to is beautiful for its own 

 sake, and capable of making them useful members of society. And, to 

 further this innocent deception, such things as debating societies are 

 valuable. They may induce an intellectual activity in quarters where 

 there is often a marked tendency to stagnation, and stimulus may be 

 given to thought, arrangement of ideas, and the hearing and impart- 

 ing of facts, without aid of lexicons or fear of the ferule. But they 

 are not often made to serve this purpose without considerable efforts 

 being made toward sustaining them after they have once started. 

 Transitory conditions may start them, and then generally a crisis 

 supervenes demanding great care. Supposing, however, that this has 

 been survived in safety, the society is liable to change its character. 

 The debating element in its constitution is seen to lose prominence, 

 and a club is formed of boys elected for their popularity, an aggrega- 

 tion of the influence of the school. There is of course a natural 

 tendency to this, and the result is not unsatisfactory. Such a club 

 embraces a class of boys whom a purely literary or debating society 

 would probably exclude. They join it without the least intention of 

 learning anything ; but its usages should compel them, by means of 

 debates, to take a livelier interest in rational subjects and enlarge 

 their mental horizon. But there will very likely be room then for a 

 purely literary society of a less compound nature, to coexist side by 

 side with this club, and provide solely for the more studious portion 

 of the community. For it can hardly be expected in any school that 

 a club, with members elected for popularity, should coincide with 

 another consisting of the scholars and the foremost devotees of 

 learning. 



" Many schools also publish periodicals, written and supported by 

 the boys themselves, and these periodicals are of two characters : those 

 devoted wholly to the record of athletics ; and those which, besides 



