THE EDUCATIONAL CRAZE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1980, 2 May 1885, Page 2

THE EDUCATIONAL CRAZE.

. There is'(says the "Globe") at all events, one person in England who declines to subscribe to the doctrine that all the ills of-humanity may be cured by education. He is a Lancashire lad, and his experience of life, .as related by himself in a local 'paper, "certiiiilly does not bear out the theory. Like many others of his acquaintance, he finds itiniposajM; to obtain the sort of employment——for which lie jias been educated. He has first-class references, some experience,;; an unblemished character, and a number of excellent testimonials; "but, although he professes his willingness' fq accept a ■very 'modest salary,, lie (jaiinot get. a berth. Maiiy of Ilia Mentfi' aro in the same position, and they "all' 'complain bitterly of having been tra'iiied for. unattainable work,. Why' 'wfcre; they nottaught, they ask, to luuxdle 'tl'ie spade or guide the plough, so 'thai;"they might seek their fortunes with somo hope, of success beyond the seas ? Why did their parents bestow so much pains on the development of their brains and. so little on that of their muscles ? These aro per-tinent-(juestions already, and they will .become much more'bo when our high .pressure educational machinery has had time to operate on the. masses. That education is a good thing per sc, even this despondent clerk admits; other thingß being equal, a laborer with some book learning in his head is a more valijHe member of society than a wholly illitoffie clod, .But other things aro not equal when the clod's muscles have boon trained and those of his literate. brother have been neglected. When tins is the case, the former will be a fair, inoro valuable member of society wherever physical labor is in greater demand than intellectual.