276 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1941 



Jefferson, Franklin, and other founders of our American Union 

 fully realized that a well-informed people was essential to the suc- 

 cess of the republic. Although a lover of freedom, Goethe under- 

 stood the difficulty of making a democracy succeed, remarking that 

 "the trouble with democracy is that it has to wait for an enlightened 

 public opinion." More pessimistic commentators, like Disraeli, were 

 confident that the experiment could end only in failure, because they 

 believed that even the best popular education that was practically 

 attainable would be inadequate. 



A system of education, to be good, must be suited to its time in. 

 history. The boys of ancient Persia were taught "to ride and to 

 shoot and to speak the truth." In their day, nearly 3,000 years ago, 

 that was education enough, but now it would be of little avail, 

 although the last item (speak the truth) has eternal value. 



If we were willing to accept the Nazi plan of society we should need 

 only a small highly educated upper caste. The rest of the people 

 would be given only training and indoctrination. But if we want 

 freedom and the so-called democratic way of life, then we need the 

 most widespread and effective education that our mental equipment 

 will permit. In our own system, a few wise leaders would be help- 

 less in the face of a grossly ignorant populace, swayed chiefly by its 

 emotions and prejudices. Too often this has been true in democracies 

 thus far, and in America it is still a dangerous factor. So I conclude 

 that we must have, as soon as we can provide it, far better and more 

 extensive education, and a general adoption of the scientific attitude 

 of mind. Is that a large order? It surely is — perhaps too much to 

 expect — but it may well be the price of our liberty and the survival 

 of the American type of civilization. 



Hitler is quoted as having said that no people is capable of govern- 

 ing itself or even of planning its own affairs. If the majority of the 

 people are to be kept in ignorance, he is doubtless right. As our life 

 becomes more complex our problems become more difficult. To solve 

 them badly may mean disaster. To solve them well requires adequate 

 knowledge and especially clear thinking. Bias and prejudice are lia- 

 bilities or handicaps that we cannot well afford and hence should 

 try by all means to reduce. If, in a republic, we are to have affairs 

 well handled, we must rear millions of capable unbiased persons to 

 make those varied problems their life concerns. That, it seems to me, 

 demands the scientific attitude of mind and an efficient system of 

 education expressly devised for that purpose ; for it is not something 

 which we gain by inheritance or in the common experiences of life. 



To insure a well-informed and intelligent people is a most difficult 

 task. History affords no good example of such a nation. It is by 



