136 SECTIONAL ADDRESSES 



of these environments and of their effect on the inhabitants ; or about 

 the huge over-populated areas to the north menacing the Australian 

 Commonwealth. Conditions of matriculation meant that they spent one- 

 fifth of their time in schools studying classical languages — though only 

 a few per cent, would ever use this subject at the university or in later life. 



In Ontario I find that conditions are not much better. Here also we 

 have a pioneer country, with the welfare of the citizens far more directly 

 controlled by the natural environment than in older regions like Britain. 

 Here also in my opinion we have too great a stress laid on the classics in 

 the general education. The schools here as elsewhere are controlled by 

 matriculation conditions. It is perhaps sufficient to compare some of the 

 social sciences with classics at the University of Toronto.* There are 

 twenty professors (i.e. assistant professors or higher) in classics, while the 

 total for the five independent and newer departments of Sociology, 

 Psychology, Anthropology, Archaeology and Geography is only sixteen. 

 The number of students in the second group is of course far greater. On 

 the other hand at Chicago — one of the three leading universities in the 

 States — Geography (as regards both students and staff) is on an equal 

 footing with classics ; and throughout most of the U.S.A. the legend that 

 culture is impossible without classics is nearly dead. I hope and believe 

 that education in this respect is better planned in Britain than in the 

 Dominions. 



There is something very wrong with the world to-day. Our outlook on 

 life is confused whether we are concerned with material, mental or spiritual 

 values. As Lord Samuel has recently pointed out. Science in modern 

 times can be trusted to look after material things, but philosophy and 

 religion are still in the melting pot. In his opinion, that frontier where 

 science and philosophy meet, and where the conclusions of one are handed 

 across to be the premises of the other, should be taken as the vital centre 

 in the wide realm of thought. To my way of thinking this explains the 

 value of a study of cultural geography. It is a fair example of such a 

 transfer of concepts from science to a somewhat philosophical field. 



What should be the training of the educated man to-day ? If we omit 

 the specialised knowledge he needs for his profession, then we might do 

 worse than adopt Aristotle's idea, ' To deal in the best way possible 

 (i.e. scientifically) with existing conditions.' Let us replace the bygone 

 Trivium of grammar, rhetoric and dialectic by one in sympathy with 

 modern aims. I like Wells' summary in this connection. ' The end and 

 aim of all education is to teach ... of the beginnings of life upon this 

 lonely little planet, and how these beginnings have unfolded ; to show 

 how man has arisen through the long ages from amidst the beasts, and 

 the nature of the struggle God wages through him ' (Wells 191 1). In 

 effect, to make folks realise that evolution is still progressing, and that 

 they themselves are living factors in the process. 



Three subjects seem to be vital in the scheme of education outlined 

 above. First Biology, which deals with the evolution of man as an animal ; 

 secondly. History which deals largely with the growth of his ideals and" 

 institutions ; and thirdly Geography which deals with his present, often 



* Professors in classics and philosophy are almost wholly appointed by the 

 affiliated Colleges themselves. 



