THE MORAL FACTOR IN EDUCATION.

White Ribbon, Volume 24, Issue 277, 18 July 1918, Page 12

THE MORAL FACTOR IN EDUCATION.

In this titanic struggle for the emancipation of right, and the very existence of Christianity itself, the student of education is brought face to face with conditions one would not expect in th°se times of advanced learning. That, under the name of the boasted (German kultur, such awful crimes could be committed seems almost unthinkable. But, alas! the* world non knows, to its cost, the results of the teaching of pure materialism under the guise of Christianity. A review of the educational history of the oriental and classic nations, and of the more rc< ent educational developments in (Germany and in England, proves thet the most important thing in education is the moral factor the foundation of all that is good in the world. The Jews, the most persecuted of all nations, owe their existence solely to their moral and religious education. Our lesson, then, from the past is clear. We must turn the searchlight of criticism on ourselves to see where we stand. Candidly, we admit that we have much to learn, both in physical -nd mental education, and our Empire has no more than stood the moral test. Perhaps this statement is a little sweeping, but every day we come fare to face with facts which shame us. A closer study of the conditions of lif n our country shows that, after neatly fou r y°ars of deadly warfare, tlm thought of self seems uppermost. Dissensions and strikes are of almost daily occurrence; the shirker and the traitor aje in our midst; amusements,

such as hors*-ra ing, picture shows, and theatres, sull flourish; the cursed drink traffic is still with us; the keenbrained profiteer ic out to make cent, per cent. ; and many trades people do not seem to have a conscience at all.

Truly, oui private political, and commercial morality is not of the highest t>pe, and some of our socalled legislators have not y t learned the A.B.C. of politics. A glance at the part of our cystem dealing w ith moral education, vhic h is ready the foundation of our i\stem, shows us that we have matter enough on which to build the vcr\ best moral fabric. To make our education a success, we must banish from our midst the evils of intemperance, in all its forms ; hygiene must not be neglected; and it is questionable whether or not eugenics and sexeducation should be imparted to the elder pupils by exi>erts selected for that special purpose. Above all, the teaching of civics and history must not be neglected. Taken as a whole, the teachers have a very high conception of their duties, and, if much-ne o ded reforms are required, must insist upon their introdut tion, and keep on insisting until their aims are achieved. JAS. NELSON, Forbury School, Dunedin.