evolution and ethics and other essays-第35章

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least　sympathetic　of　naturalists　can　but　admire　the　insight　and　the
devotion　of　such　social　reformers　as　the　late　Lord　Shaftesbury；　whose
recently　published　〃Life　and　Letters〃　gives　a　vivid　picture　of　the
condition　of　the　working　classes　fifty　years　ago；　and　of　the　pit　which
our　industry；　ignoring　these　plain　truths；　was　then　digging　under　its
own　feet。

There　is；　perhaps；　no　more　hopeful　sign　of　progress　among　us；　in　the
last　half…century；　than　the　steadily　increasing　devotion　which　has
been　and　is　directed　to　measures　for　promoting　physical　and　moral
welfare　among　the　poorer　classes。　Sanitary　reformers；　like　most　other
reformers　whom　I　have　had　the　advantage　of　knowing；　seem　to　need　a
good　dose　of　fanaticism；　as　a　sort　of　moral　coca；　to　keep　them　up　to
the　mark；　and；　doubtless；　they　have　made　many　mistakes；　but　that　the
＇218＇　endeavour　to　improve　the　condition　under　our　industrial
population　live；　to　amend　the　drainage　of　densely　peopled　streets；　to
provide　baths；　washhouses；　and　gymnasia；　to　facilitate　habits　of
thrift；　to　furnish　some　provision　for　instruction　and　amusement　in
public　libraries　and　the　like；　is　not　only　desirable　from　a
philanthropic　point　of　view；　but　an　essential　condition　of　safe
industrial　development；　appears　to　me　to　be　indisputable。　It　is　by
such　means　alone；　so　far　as　I　can　see；　that　we　can　hope　to　check　the
constant　gravitation　of　industrial　society　towards　la　misere；　until
the　general　progress　of　intelligence　and　morality　leads　men　to　grapple
with　the　sources　of　that　tendency。　If　it　is　said　that　the　carrying　out
of　such　arrangements　as　those　indicated　must　enhance　the　cost　of
production；　and　thus　handicap　the　producer　in　the　race　of　competition；
I　venture；　in　the　first　place；　to　doubt　the　fact；　but　if　it　be　so；　it
results　that　industrial　society　has　to　face　a　dilemma；　either
alternative　of　which　threatens　destruction。

On　the　one　hand；　a　population　the　labour　of　which　is　sufficiently
remunerated　may　be　physically　and　morally　healthy　and　socially　stable；
but　may　fail　in　industrial　competition　by　reason　of　the　dearness　of
its　produce。　　On　the　other　hand；　a　population　the　labour　of　which　is
insufficiently　remunerated　must　become　physically　and　morally
unhealthy；　and　socially　unstable；　and　though　it　＇219＇　may　succeed　for
a　while　in　industrial　competition；　by　reason　of　the　cheapness　of　its
produce；　it　must　in　the　end　fall；　through　hideous　misery　and
degradation；　to　utter　ruin。

Well；　if　these　are　the　only　possible　alternatives；　let　us　for　ourselves
and　our　children　choose　the　former；　and；　if　need　be；　starve　like　men。
But　I　do　not　believe　that　the　stable　society　made　up　of　healthy；
vigorous；　instructed；　and　self…ruling　people　would　ever　incur　serious
risk　of　that　fate。　They　are　not　likely　to　be　troubled　with　many
competitors　of　the　same　character；　just　yet；　and　they　may　be　safely
trusted　to　find　ways　of　holding　their　own。

Assuming　that　the　physical　and　moral　well…being　and　the　stable　social
order；　which　are　the　indispensable　conditions　of　permanent　industrial
development；　are　secured；　there　remains　for　consideration　the　means　of
attaining　that　knowledge　and　skill　without　which；　even　then；　the
battle　of　competition　cannot　be　successfully　fought。　Let　us　consider
how　we　stand。　A　vast　system　of　elementary　education　has　now　been　in
operation　among　us　for　sixteen　years；　and　has　reached　all　but　a　very
small　fraction　of　the　population。　I　do　not　think　that　there　is　any
room　for　doubt　that；　on　the　whole；　it　has　worked　well；　and　that　its
indirect　no　less　than　its　direct　benefits　have　been　immense。　But；　as
might　be　expected；　it　exhibits　the　defects　of　all　our　educational
systemsfashioned　＇220＇　as　they　were　to　meet　the　wants　of　a　bygone
condition　of　society。　There　is　a　widespread　and；　I　think；
well…justified　complaint　that　it　has　too　much　to　do　with　books　and　too
little　to　do　with　things。　I　am　as　little　disposed　as　any　one　can　well
be　to　narrow　early　education　and　to　make　the　primary　school　a　mere
annexe　of　the　shop。　And　it　is　not　so　much　in　the　interests　of
industry；　as　in　that　of　breadth　of　culture；　that　I　echo　the　common
complaint　against　the　bookish　and　theoretical　character　of　our　primary
instruction。

If　there　were　no　such　things　as　industrial　pursuits；　a　system　of
education　which　does　nothing　for　the　faculties　of　observation；　which
trains　neither　the　eye　nor　the　hand；　and　is　compatible　with　utter
ignorance　of　the　commonest　natural　truths；　might　still　be　reasonably
regarded　as　strangely　imperfect。　And　when　we　consider　that　the
instruction　and　training　which　are　lacking　are　exactly；　those　which
are　of　most　importance　for　the　great　mass　of　our　population；　the　fault
becomes　almost　a　crime；　the　more　that　there　is　no　practical　difficulty
in　making　good　these　defects。　There　really　is　no　reason　why　drawing
should　not　be　universally　taught；　and　it　is　an　admirable　training　for
both　eye　and　hand。　Artists　are　born；　not　made；　but　everybody　may　be
taught　to　draw　elevations；　plans；　and　sections；　and　pots　and　pans　are
as　good；　indeed　better；　models　for　＇221＇　this　purpose　than　the　Apollo
Belvedere。　The　plant　is　not　expensive；　and　there　is　this　excellent
quality　about　drawing　of　the　kind　indicated；　that　it　can　be　tested
almost　as　easily　and　severely　as　arithmetic。　Such　drawings　are　either
right　or　wrong；　and　if　they　are　wrong　the　pupil　can　be　made　to　see
that　they　are　wrong。　From　the　industrial　point　of　view；　drawing　has
the　further　merit　that　there　is　hardly　any　trade　in　which　the　power　of
drawing　is　not　of　daily　and　hourly　utility。　　In　the　next　place；　no
good　reason；　except　the　want　of　capable　teachers；　can　be　assigned　why
elementary　notions　of　science　should　not　be　an　element　in　general
instruction。　In　this　case；　again；　no　expensive　or　elaborate　apparatus
is　necessary。　The　commonest　thinga　candle；　a　boy's　squirt；　a　piece
of　chalkin　the　hands　of　a　teacher　who　knows　his　business；　may　be
made　the　starting…point　whence　children　may　be　led　into　the　regions　of
science　as　far　as　their　capacity　permits；　with　efficient　exercise　of
their　observational　and　reasoning　faculties　on　the　road。　If　object
lessons　often　prove　trivial　failures；　it　is　not　the　fault　of　object
lessons；　but　that　of　the　teacher；　who　has　not　found　out　how　much　the
power　of　teaching　a　little　depends　on　knowing　a　great　deal；　and　that
thoroughly；　and　that　he　has　not　made　that　discovery　is　not　the　fault
of　the　teachers；　but　of　the　detestable　system　of　training　them　which
is　widely　prevalent。*

　　　　*　Training　in　the　use　of　simple　tools　is　no　doubt　desirable；
　　　　on　all　grounds。　From　the　point　of　view　of　〃culture；〃　the
　　　　man　whose　〃fingers　are　all　thumbs〃　is　but　a　stunted
　　　　creature。　But　the　practical　difficulties　in　the　way　of
　　　　introducing　handiwork　of　this　kind　into　elementary　schools
　　　　appear　to　me　to　be　considerable。

＇222＇　As　I　have　said；　I　do　not　regard　the　proposal　to　add　these　to　the
present　subjects　of　universal　instruction　as　made　merely　in　the
interests　of　industry。　Elementary　science　and　drawing　are　just　as
needful　at　Eton　（where　I　am　happy　to　say　both　are　now　parts　of　the
regular　course）　as　in　the　lowest　primary　school。　But　their　importance
in　the　education　of　the　artisan　is　enhanced；　not　merely　by　the　fact
that　the　knowledge　and　skill　thus　gainedlittle　as　they　may　amount
towill　still　be　of　practical　utility　to　him；　but；　further；　because
they　constitute　an　introduction　to　that　special　training　which　is
commonly　called　〃technical　education。〃

I　conceive　that　our　wants　in　this　last　direction　may　be　grouped　under
three　heads：　（1）　Instruction　in　the　principles　of　those　branches　of
science　and　of　art　which　are　peculiarly　applicable　to　industrial
pursuits；　which　may　be　called　preliminary　scientific　education。　（2）
Instruction　in　the　special　branches　of　such　applied　science　and　art；
as　technical　education　proper。　（3）　Instruction　of　teachers　in　both
these　branches。　（4）　Capacity…catching　machinery。

A　great　deal　has　already　been　done　in　each　of　these　directions；　but
much　remains　to　be　done。　If　elementary　education　is　amended　in　the　way
＇223＇　that　has　been　suggested；　I　think　that　the　school　boards　will
have　quite　as　much　on　their　hands