THE PROBLEM OF EDUCATION 109 



its final conclusions on problems of life and death, 

 reached through years of laborious study and painful 

 experience, are identical with those expressed in the 

 simpler, mere direct philosophy of the countryside. 



When, however, we find the coming generations 

 not only alienated from any form of religious observ- 

 ance, but also separated from both of the two sources 

 of educational influence we have outlined above, it 

 is time to ask ourselves how these great forces, which 

 have hitherto moulded human destiny, are to be re- 

 placed, and what is the probable outlook for a nation 

 that will not submit itself to their guidance. 



Unfortunately, it seems to be a necessary part of 

 the scheme for obtaining the current ideal of educa- 

 tional efficiency, both in Western Europe and America, 

 that, especially as concerns the elementary schools, the 

 teaching profession should be chiefly in the hands 

 of unmarried and inexperienced women. This result 

 is perhaps due partly to motives of economy ; but 

 also there is no doubt that the teaching profession, 

 given the modern system of training, is a more at- 

 tractive opening to women, who have to choose a 

 career out of a limited number, than to men, who 

 have wider fields of activity naturally laid before 

 them. At any rate, it is certainly more difficult 

 to attract suitable men to take up teaching as a 

 profession. 



Now the effect of the celibacy of the Roman 

 Catholic monastic teaching orders has often been 

 commented on adversely, and has been said to produce 

 a restriction of outlook, a want of comprehension and 



