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manity, a position quantitatively inferior to that of the humanities, 

 but they are entitled to a qualitative equality of educational rank 

 and opportunity. This they do not yet possess, and it is alike 

 our duty and our interest to see that they shall. 



A second point of importance in the general relations of the 

 sciences to education is involved in the fact that the times them- 

 selves are a bit out of joint, educationally speaking. This is not 

 a matter of individual opinion, but of well-nigh universal agree- 

 ment. The recent addresses of our younger college presidents 

 have united in expressing dissatisfaction with the results derived 

 from our superb educational equipment, while the remarkable 

 declaration of principles of the National Educational Association, 

 issued a year and a half ago, recognizes an equivalent condition 

 for the schools. It is a fact that our students as a whole have 

 many hazy impressions but little exact knowledge, are habitually 

 inaccurate even in the three r's and have too little regard for in- 

 tellectual matters. The cause of it all is obvious enough. Our 

 education, step by step with our modern life, has become luxur- 

 ized. Its features disagreeable to young people have been 

 sedulously softened, their whims are determinants of educational 

 programs, and the responsibility for learning has been largely 

 shifted from them to their teachers. The wise Mr. Dooley has 

 the modern college president say to the incoming freshman : 

 " What branch iv larnin' wud ye like to have studied f'r ye be 

 our compitint profissors ? " and his humor as usual illumines a 

 central kernel of truth. The trouble with our education is this, 

 that it needs more starch ; yea, it needs a bit more blood and 

 iron. It ignores the fact that, with the mind as with the body, it 

 is only through effort that strength can be gained, and through 

 responsibility that character can be formed. It is not more work 

 our students need, but work of a kind which does more to in- 

 culcate a willingness for effort, and pride in a Spartan devotion 

 to duty — of a kind which enkindles in the heart of youth the 

 precious spark of intellectual ambition. I would not exaggerate 

 the defects of our present-day education. I know they do not 

 go to the vitals, and certainly they are more serious in some 

 places than others. But this granted, there yet remains too great 



