TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION L. 725 
remembered that the value of all teaching is measured by the kind of 
reaction it provokes in the mind of the taught. In this lies the greatest 
danger of the moral teacher, inasmuch as he cannot control the reaction of 
his pupils’ minds. He may, however, put a wise trust in the sanity of 
Nature. His task is to explain the truths of their environment to young 
minds in such a light that the facts themselves when so explained become 
incentives to moral action. Thus certain facts of geography become morally 
stimulating when they are presented as human facts. In all this the 
teacher has the warrant of the philosophical principle that the ‘ Real is the 
Ideal.’ No fact is truly explained until some element of idéal worth has 
been shown to exist in it. To show this is moral education. Direct exposi- 
tion of the moral law is valuable only when it points to a field of exercise 
where its principles are waiting to be realised. 
The demand for moral education has an unwelcome aspect in so far as 
it may be thought to proceed from parents who are anxious to escape from 
responsibility. The school can never replace the home in the matter of 
moral teaching. It would be well, therefore, if professional teachers were 
to imitate the methods of the Japanese by giving a large place in ethics to 
the strengthening of the family tie. This is enough to suggest that the 
problem of moral education is as much the concern of women as of men. 
(ii) The Evidences of Moral Education. 
By Huau Ricwarpson. 
Much interest has been roused in England by the First International 
Moral Education Congress, which met in London in 1908. The papers read 
express the ideals of the authors and the means by which they think those 
ideals might be attained. 
There is, however, extraordinary little evidence at to what results have 
actually been produced ; still less is there any evidence as to which processes 
have produced which results. This weakness of evidence is in marked 
contrast with the stringency usually demanded in scientific investigations. 
It was suggested that useful work might be done by Section L in criticising 
alleged results of special methods in moral education, and in exacting much 
stricter standards of evidence. 
Ideals and enthusiasm are invaluable in education. But enthusiastic 
idealists are not always the coolest critics of their own labours. The work- 
ings of the human mind are open to scientific inquiry. Common phenomena 
and accepted opinions have often repaid severe examination. 
2. Exhibit of School Drawings illustrative of English Life. 
By F. 8. Marvin. 
FRIDAY, AUGUST 27. 
The following Papers and Report were read :— 
1. The Aims of MacDonald College. By Principal J. W. Rosertson, 
C.M.G., LL.D. 
We in Canada have problems to solve which are peculiar to our com- 
munity ; problems due to our youth, our wealth, our great stretch of territory, 
for we are continent wide. By education we hope to solve our problems, and 
MacDonald College has been provided by the generosity of Sir W. A. 
