ETHICAL TRAIMNG. 757 



in relation to members of their own families; then extended to 

 immediate acquaintances, then to fellow citizens, especially to the 

 less fortunate members of society, the poor, the sick in body, and the 

 sick in mind. Eveiy consideration of work and duty must be 

 approached through the delicate avenues of the emotions. And for a 

 long time this will require the persistent care of the teacher. Nor 

 should this stage be left until the children show by their general 

 <!onduct that the required emotions are becoming less and less 

 dependent upon objective stimuli. Spontaneous acts of kindness 

 and consideration towards human and subhuman creatures, con- 

 scientiousness in the discharge of daily duties, and thoroughness in 

 completing their tasks, are unmistakable evidences of a still more 

 complex morality. 



When this stage is reached we may proceed to create or deepen 

 an interest in social, national, and international affairs, and in the 

 material, artistic, and moral achievements of mankind in the past. 

 Here history and biography, myth and legend, supply rich stores 

 of illustrations for the use of the teacher, and the delight of the 

 scholars. A series of illustrative ethical stories, historic and 

 legendary, have been compiled for the use of teachers, by Mr. F. J. 

 Gould. That these books are largely used in England, points to the 

 fact that scientific ethical training is passing from the theoretical 

 to the practical stage. The scholars should be encouraged to cull 

 for themselves other examples from the records of daily life. 

 For it is well that we should become permeated with the con- 

 viction that the good, the brave, the true, the generous, are not 

 all dead. Many are alive to-day, and we may join their ranks. 

 These examples will be brought before the notice of the children, 

 who, assisted by the teacher, will classify them according to the 

 several emotions expressed by the respective actions. This was a 

 generous action. Why? That was a wise action. Why? Here the 

 critical faculty, which has been growing with the gro^i:h of the 

 intellect, enters into more definite association Avith the emotions. 

 It becomes, in fact, their valuable agent. 



This method of filling the mind with emotional concepts has a 

 profound psychological justification, which must be noted. Preceding 

 any volition we must have a '"conception" of one or more courses 

 of action capable of securing some desirable end; this end being 

 already represented emotionally to the mind. Following the con- 

 ception comes a period of " deliberation," during which conflicting 

 emotions are presented to the judgment, and compete for acceptance. 

 The deliberation culminates in a " choice" of some possible course, 

 either to do, or not to do, and the mental process passes into action 

 or inhibition. It is during the period of deliberation that the moral 

 nature of the agent asserts itself. If by early training the mind 

 can be educated to feel strongly, and with wide S3rmpathies; if it 

 can be inspired with active desires to play a useful part in society; 

 then there will be a persistent tendency for these desires to be 

 always presented among the competing emotions which ultimately 

 detei-mine the choice. Moreover, the attention of the individual 

 will be repeatedly directed towards those actions of himself and of his 

 fellows which he recognises to be in accord with these desires. 



