A PROBLEM IN EDUCATIONAL EUGENICS 355 



A PEOBLEM IN EDUCATIONAL EUGENICS 



By Peofessob CHAS. W. HARGITT 



SYRACUSE UNIVEESITY 



THE flood of current criticism which has been directed against our 

 educational system in general and that of higher education in 

 particular is too obvious to call for special emphasis. "While much of it 

 has been exaggerated and some even hysterical, still there is not lack- 

 ing a considerable body of really sane and timely criticism to which no 

 true friend of advanced learning dare close the eyes. The college in 

 particular has come in for some of the sharpest arraignment of recent 

 years. One may discount the rather indiscriminate criticism of Mr. 

 Crane and others of similar type, but he must face frankly, and answer 

 with equal frankness, strictures which have come from such sources as 

 the Carnegie Foundation, ex-President Wilson and others equally 

 capable. 



It is no part of the purpose of this paper to undertake to directly 

 review in detail this discussion; but rather to inquire into certain con- 

 ditions and methods of current educational philosophy, its ideals and 

 aims, with the hope of directing attention to possible methods of scien- 

 tific betterment. 



It is charged that our educational work has failed to add to earlier 

 literary, artistic or cultural power; that no American scholars are 

 among the recipients of the Nobel prize ; that there are no modern peers 

 in literary distinction of Emerson, Holmes, Hale, Longfellow, Lowell, 

 et at. These are grave charges if true. "What is the answer? Is 

 answer or explanation forthcoming? Surely it can not be said that 

 interest in literary matters has languished, for the multiplicity of lit- 

 erary activity has not only not declined, but greatly increased, as 

 expressed in the new magazines, journals and books which issue in 

 veritable floods. But may not these facts of multiplicity of interest 

 and activity be a sign of the very decline or failure which is charged? 

 Granted that such may be the case; granted that such multiplicity and 

 intricacy of intellectual life has placed an added burden upon student 

 and literary devotee in the added necessity of larger and more varied 

 preparation for such a career; granted that the enormous extension of 

 scientific, historical and philosophic activity has had a disturbing effect 

 upon the purely artistic or literary achievement, the further query 

 arises, is this peculiar to American conditions? Is such a handicap 

 essentially more serious to the American student than to the European? 

 In some degree it may be so ; for one finds in the German schools, for 



