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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:41:49 -0700 |
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| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:41:49 -0700 |
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diff --git a/13301-h/13301-h.htm b/13301-h/13301-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c7805e7 --- /dev/null +++ b/13301-h/13301-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,629 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content= + "text/html; charset=UTF-8"> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The, by Fr. Nicholai Velimirovic, Ph.D.. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + } + HR { width: 33%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + .note {margin-left: 2em; margin-right: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} /* footnote */ + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + .pagenum {position: absolute; left: 92%; font-size: smaller; text-align: right;} /* page numbers */ + .sidenote {width: 20%; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding-left: 1em; font-size: smaller; float: right; clear: right;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span {display: block; margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em;} + .poem .caesura {vertical-align: -200%;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13301 ***</div> + +<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> + +<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --> + + + +<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> +<p><a href='#WHY_NOT_KINGS'><b>WHY NOT KINGS.</b></a></p> +<p><a href='#THE_EDUCATION_WHICH_MAKES_FOR_WAR'><b>THE EDUCATION WHICH MAKES FOR WAR.</b></a></p> +<p><a href='#THE_RESULTS_OF_THE_OLD_IDEAL'><b>THE RESULTS OF THE OLD IDEAL.</b></a></p> +<p><a href='#THE_EDUCATION_WHICH_MAKES_FOR_PEACE'><b>THE EDUCATION WHICH MAKES FOR PEACE.</b></a></p> +<p><a href='#COLLECTIVE_WORKS'><b>COLLECTIVE WORKS.</b></a></p> +<p><a href='#EDUCATION_AS_AN_INTERNATIONAL_AFFAIR'><b>'EDUCATION AS AN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIR.</b></a></p> +<p><a href='#THE_RUSSIAN_TSAR_MR_CARNEGIE_AND_NOBEL'><b>THE RUSSIAN TSAR, MR CARNEGIE AND NOBEL.</b></a></p> +<p><a href='#MOTHERS_PATRIOTS_AND_PRIESTS'><b>MOTHERS, PATRIOTS, AND PRIESTS.</b></a></p> +<p><a href='#THE_INTERNATIONAL_BOARD_OF_EDUCATION'><b>THE INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF EDUCATION.</b></a></p> +<p><a href='#TO_BRING_CHILDREN_OF_THE_WORLD_CLOSER_TOGETHER'><b>TO BRING CHILDREN OF THE WORLD CLOSER TOGETHER.</b></a></p> +<p><a href='#THE_INTERNATIONAL_CONTROL_OF_EDUCATION'><b>THE INTERNATIONAL CONTROL OF EDUCATION.</b></a></p> +<p><a href='#THE_THIRD_STAGE_OF_THE_EUROPEAN_EDUCATION'><b>THE THIRD STAGE OF THE EUROPEAN EDUCATION.</b></a></p> + + +<p><!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --></p> + +<p></p><a name='Page_1'></a><a name='Page_1'></a> +<h1>THE</h1> +<h1>NEW IDEAL IN EDUCATION</h1> + +<br /> + +<h3>AN ADDRESS GIVEN BEFORE +THE LEAGUE OF THE EMPIRE</h3> + +<h3>On July 16th, 1916.</h3> + +<h3>BY</h3> +<h2>FR. NICHOLAI VELIMIROVIC, PH.D.</h2> + +<p><i>Reprinted from the "FEDERAL MAGAZINE."</i></p> +<br /> + +<p>LONDON +"THE ELECTRICIAN" PRINTING AND PUBLISHING CO., LIMITED. +SALISBURY COURT, FLEET STREET, E.C.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /><a name='Page_2'></a><a name='Page_2'></a> +<a name='THE_NEW_IDEAL_IN_EDUCATION'></a><h2>THE NEW IDEAL IN EDUCATION.</h2> + +<p>By Father Nicholai Velimirovic, Ph.D.</p> + +<span style='margin-left: 4em;'>"Nature <i>takes sufficient care</i></span><br /> +<span style='margin-left: 4em;'><i>of our individualistic sense,</i></span><br /> +<span style='margin-left: 4em;'><i>leaving to</i> Education <i>the care</i></span><br /> +<span style='margin-left: 4em;'><i>of our panhumanistic sense</i>."</span><br /> + +<p>Ladies and Gentlemen,</p> + +<p>If we do not want war we must look to the children. +There is the only hope and the only wise starting point. It +is not without a deep prophetic significance that Christ +asked children to come unto Him. In all the world-calamities, +in all wars, strifes, religious inquisitions and persecutions, in +all the hours of human misery and helplessness, He has been +asking, through centuries, the children to come unto Him. I +am sure, if anybody has ears for His voice to-day, amidst +the thunderings of guns and passions and revenges, one would +hear the same call: Let the children come unto Me!—Not +kings and politicians, not journalists and generals, not the +grown-up people, but children. And so to-day also, when +we ask for a way out of the present world-misery, when we +<i>in profundis</i> of darkness to-day ask for light, and in sorrow +for to-morrow ask for advice and comfort, we must look to +the children and Christ.</p> +<br /> + +<p><a name='WHY_NOT_KINGS'></a>WHY NOT KINGS?</p> + +<p>Why does Christ not ask the kings to come to Him—the +kings, and politicians, and journalists, and generals? Because +they are too much engaged in a wrong state of things, and +because they are greatly responsible themselves for such a +wrong state of things, and because consequently it is difficult +for them to change their ways, their hearts and their +minds. It would be very hard for Napoleon and Pitt to kneel +together down before Christ and to embrace each other. +It would be almost impossible for Bismarck and Gambetta<a name='Page_3'></a><a name='Page_3'></a> +to walk together. Not less it would be impossible for the +Pope and Monsieur Loisy or George Tyrrel to pray in the +same bench. Every generation is laden with sins and +prejudices. That is the reason why Christ goes only a +little way with every generation, and then He becomes tired +and asks for a new generation—He calls for children. Christ +is always new and fresh as children are. Every generation +is spoiled and corrupted by long living and struggling.</p> + +<p>But for a new generation the world is quite a new wonder. +God is shown only to those for whom the world is a new +thing, a wonder. No one, who does not admire this world +as a wonder, can find God. For the old Hæckel no God +exists, just because for him no wonder exists. He pretends +to know everything. Christ means for him nothing and he +means for Christ nothing. Every foolish child, believing +in God and in this wonderful world, has more wisdom than +the materialistic professor from Germany. Christ is getting +tired of an old generation. Sadly He calls for a new +one—for children. In our distress to-day, I think, we should +multiply His voice, calling for Him, for a new generation and +for a new education.</p> + +<br /> + +<p><a name='THE_EDUCATION_WHICH_MAKES_FOR_WAR'></a>THE EDUCATION WHICH MAKES FOR WAR.</p> + +<p>It is called by a very attractive name, the <i>individualistic</i> +education. The true name of it is selfishness, or egotism. +No religion of Asia ever boasted of having been the birthplace +of such an education. It is born in the heart of Europe, +in Germany. It was brought up by Schopenhauer and +Goethe. It was subsequently supported by the German +biologists, by the musicians, sculptors, philosophers, poets, +soldiers, socialists and priests, by the wisest and by the +madmen beyond the Rhine. Unfortunately France, Russia +and even Great Britain have not been quite exempt from this +pernicious theory of individualistic education.</p> + +<p>The sophistic theories of Athens of old have been renewed +in Central Europe—the individuum is the ultimate aim of +education. A human individuum is of limitless worth,<a name='Page_4'></a><a name='Page_4'></a> +said the German interpreters of the New Testament. +Materialistic science, contradicting itself, agreed on that +point with modern theology. Art, in all its branches, +presented itself as the sole expression of one individuum, +i.e., of the artist. The modern socialism, contradicting +its own name, supported individualism very strongly in +every department of human activity. Consequently +modern Pedagogy, based upon the general tendencies, put +up the same individualistic ideal as the aim to be achieved +by the schools, church, state, and by many other social +institutions.</p> +<br /> + +<p><a name='THE_RESULTS_OF_THE_OLD_IDEAL'></a>THE RESULTS OF THE OLD IDEAL.</p> + +<p>War is the result of the old ideal of education. I call it +old because it is over for ever, I hope, with this war. The old +European ideal of education was so called individualistic. +This ideal was supported equally by the churches and by +science and art. Extreme individualism, developed in Germany +more than in any other country, resulted in pride, +pride resulted in materialism, materialism in pessimism. Put +upon a dangerous and false base every evil result followed +quite naturally. If my poor personality is of limitless +value, without any effort and merit of my own, why should +not I be proud? If the aim of the world's history is to +produce some few genial personalities, as Carlyle taught, +why should not I think that I am such a personality for my +own generation, and why should I not be proud of that? +Once filled with pride I will soon be filled also with contempt +for other men. Selfishness and denial of God will follow my +pride; this is called by a scientific word materialism. +Being a materialist, as long as I possess a certain amount of +intellectual and physical strength, I will be proud of myself. +But as soon as my body or spirit are affected by any illness +(it may be only a headache or toothache), I will plunge +into a dark pessimism, always the shadow and the end of +materialism. Modern Germany was, as you know, the +hearth of individualism, and consequently also of pride, +materialism, atheism and pessimism. The worship of strong<a name='Page_5'></a><a name='Page_5'></a> +personalities (to-day: Kaiser William and Hindenburg) +holds the whole of Germany in unity during this war, which +is not the case either in France or in Great Britain or +Russia, where the common cause inspires the unity.</p> +<br /> + +<p><a name='THE_EDUCATION_WHICH_MAKES_FOR_PEACE'></a>THE EDUCATION WHICH MAKES FOR PEACE.</p> + +<p>When will wars really stop in the world's history? As +soon as a new ideal of education is realised. What is this +new ideal of education which makes for peace? I will +give it in one word: <i>Panhumanism</i>. This word includes +all I wish to say.</p> + +<p>Individualism means a brick, Panhumanism means a +building. Even the greatest individuality (may it be +Cæsar, or Raphael, or Luther) is no more than a brick in +the panhuman building of history. The lives of individuals +are only the points, whereas the life of mankind is a form, a +deep, high and large form.</p> + +<p>If a great and original individuality were the aim of +history, I think history should stop with the first man upon +earth, for our first ancestor must have been the most +striking individual who ever existed. Men coming after +Adam have been like their parents and each other. Kaiser +William is not such an interesting and striking a creature by +far as the first man was. When Kaiser William opens his +mouth to speak, he speaks words that are known. When he +moves or sits, when he eats or prays—all that is a <i>nuance</i> +only of what other people do, all is either from heritage or +imitation, and quite an insignificant amount is individual. +Whereas every sound that the first man uttered was quite +new for the Universe; every movement striking and +dramatic; every look of his eyes was discovering new +worlds; every joy or sorrow violently felt; every struggle +a great accumulation of experiences. And so forth. Well, +if one striking individuum is the aim of history, history +should close with the death of Adam. But history still +continues. Why? Just because not Adam was its aim, but +mankind; not one, or two, or ten heroes, but millions of<a name='Page_6'></a><a name='Page_6'></a> +human creatures; not some few great men, but all men, all +together, all without exception.</p> + +<p>From this point of view we get the true ideal of education. +The purpose of education is not to make grand personalities, +but to make bricks for the building, i.e., to make suitable +members of a collective body and suitable workers of a +collective work.</p> +<br /> + +<p><a name='COLLECTIVE_WORKS'></a>COLLECTIVE WORKS</p> + +<p>are greater than personal works. A pupil from the old, +individualistic school would object:</p> + +<p>—And what do you think of the work of Ibsen?</p> + +<p><i>I:</i> I think it is incomparably smaller than the ancient +Scandinavian legends.</p> + +<p><i>He:</i> Do you not grant that Alfred the Great was the real +creator of the English Kingdom ?</p> + +<p><i>I:</i> Never. Millions and millions of human creatures are +built into this building that we call England, or English +history, or English civilisation.</p> + +<p><i>He:</i> And what about the man who built St. Paul's +Cathedral ?</p> + +<p><i>I:</i> It is a collective work, as are all the great works that +have been done. The architecture of St. Paul's is one of +the ancient styles, and no style in architecture was ever +invented or created by one person, but by generations and +generations.</p> + +<p><i>He:</i> And what about Victor Hugo and Milton? Are +they not great poets ?</p> + +<p><i>I:</i> Yes, they are if compared with certain minor poets, +but they are not great if compared with the popular poetry +of India or Greece. Mahabarata, the Koran, and Zend-Avesta, and the Bible, are products of collective efforts—therefore +they are superior to every personal effort.</p> + +<p><i>He:</i> Do you not appreciate the great economists and +what they did for the household, and common-wealth in +general?</p> +<a name='Page_7'></a><a name='Page_7'></a> +<p><i>I:</i> Certainly I do; but their work is too much overestimated. +Not a handful of economic writers, like Adam +Smith and Marx, but the common genius of generations and +generations arranged the house, set the furniture, created +the cooking, constructed towns, invented plays and enjoyments, +customs, language, and so forth.</p> + +<p><i>He:</i> You agree, I think, that Shaljapin and Caruso have +wonderful voices, don't you?</p> + +<p><i>I:</i> Yes, I agree. But don't you agree that a choir of +millions of human voices would be something much more +striking and wonderful than any solo singer since the +beginning of time?</p> + +<p><i>He:</i> Don't you believe in the wisdom of wise men like +Kant and Spencer?</p> + +<p><i>I:</i> No, I don't. I think there is incomparably more +healthy and more applicable wisdom in the popular sayings, +proverbs, parables, and tales of the nations, cultivated and +uncultivated, in Macedonia, Armenia, Ceylon, New Zealand, +Japan, &c., than in some dozen of the greatest thinkers of +Europe.</p> + +<p><i>He:</i> Who is then in your opinion a great man?</p> + +<p><i>I:</i> Only a good man is a great man to me, who is conscious +that he is a cell in the panhuman organism, or a brick in the +building of human history. Such a man is more a man of +truth and of the future than any conqueror, who thinks +that a hundred millions of people and hundreds of years +have waited just for him and his guidance, his work, or his +wisdom.</p> + +<p>That is what I would say to a pupil of individualism in +education. And at the end I would remind him of Christ +and His call after the children, and of the new ideal of +education, of panhumanism which stands over individualism, +and of the collective work of people which stands over every +individual work and merit.</p> +<br /> + +<p><a name='EDUCATION_AS_AN_INTERNATIONAL_AFFAIR'></a>EDUCATION AS AN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIR.</p> + +<p>It is quite surprising and humiliating that other things +can be discussed and settled as international affairs, before<a name='Page_8'></a><a name='Page_8'></a> +education. Yet you have hundreds of things regulated by +international laws, and among these hundred things +education is net yet reckoned. You have the International +Institution of the Red Cross, international laws on trade, +fishery, travel, copyright, political crimes, barbarities in +war-time, &c. But this war shows quite clearly that +education—before anything else—should be a matter of +international consideration and regulation. Behold, how +illusory are all international restrictions when the education +of a nation is quite excluded from any control! When the +Nitzschean education of Germany teaches the German +youth to despise all neighbours, all nations and races as +inferior ones, how could you expect the Germans to respect +the laws and regulations about Belgium, and submarines—and +Zeppelin-warfare, and use of the dum-dum bullets +and of poisonous gases ?</p> + +<p>If there is anything to be learned from this war it is +doubtless this: The education of youth in all the countries of +the world must become an international affair of the very +first importance.</p> +<br /> + +<p><a name='THE_RUSSIAN_TSAR_MR_CARNEGIE_AND_NOBEL'></a>THE RUSSIAN TSAR, MR. CARNEGIE AND NOBEL.</p> + +<p>The Russian Tsar suggested the Peace Conference of The +Hague. Mr. Carnegie built a wonderful Hall of Peace +there, formed several commissions for the investigation of +war cruelties during the Balkan Wars, and founded many +public libraries for the instruction of the poor. The noble +Nobel left his big fortune for the support of the best works +of literature or science having as their aim the general good +of mankind. If I were either the Russian Tsar or Mr. +Carnegie or Professor Nobel I would do neither of the three +mentioned things, but I would give suggestions and material +support to an International Board of Education.</p> + +<p>That is the point to start with in the consolidation of the +World. I am sorry to say that no one of these three great +friends of mankind listens to the prophetic words of Christ: +Let children come unto me! and that no one thought that<a name='Page_9'></a><a name='Page_9'></a> +no great social reform and no real philanthropic foundation +of mankind is possible to realise—yea, even to start—otherwise +than through the children. The Peace Conference, +being rather a law court than anything else, is +beaten by the uncontrolled warlike education of the German +nation. Carnegie's books have been read by grown-up +people who had already got a direction in life, and Carnegie's +Hall of Peace in The Hague is still an office without business. +Nobel's prize was given also to some German professors +who are responsible for the new pedagogy in Germany.</p> +<br /> + +<p><a name='MOTHERS_PATRIOTS_AND_PRIESTS'></a>MOTHERS, PATRIOTS, AND PRIESTS. </p> + +<p>These three can be the best possible supporters or the +worst enemies of your educational scheme. Mothers by +nature adore their children and excite their individualism. +Patriots try to engage the whole heart and imagination of a +child for its own country. Priests are asking the whole +sympathy of a child for their creed and their church. To +be individualistic, to be a patriot and a believer are the +quite natural gifts of a healthy person. But maternal love +exaggerates very often the individualism of a child and +makes it egotistic and selfish; exclusively cultivated +patriotism degenerates into chauvinism; and exclusive +church education makes a bigot. These three kinds of +people (alas! the majority), egotists, chauvinists and +bigots, will be against an international scheme of education. +But you must say to the sensible mothers: The international +education of your child will not kill its individuality, +but, on the contrary, will use it to the best advantage for +mankind and for itself. You are an enemy of your son if +you educate him to be an egotist and egoist. In egotism +and egoism one has the worst company in this life, the company +which leads to pessimism and disgust of life.</p> + +<p>You must say to the sensible patriots: International +education approves of patriotic as of a natural inclination; +only the new education intends to make a window in every +fatherland so that the child may see its neighbours and +stretch its hand to greet them.</p> +<a name='Page_10'></a><a name='Page_10'></a> +<p>And you must say to the sensible priests: The international +board of education will let every child go to its own +church and learn the catechism from its own parish priest; +but it will be brought in touch with the children of different +creeds, and it will pray with them upon the general ground of +all the creeds.</p> +<br /> + +<p><a name='THE_INTERNATIONAL_BOARD_OF_EDUCATION'></a>THE INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF EDUCATION.</p> + +<p>1. It shall consist of the representatives of all the boards +of education in the world.</p> + +<p>2. The members of the board shall officially represent +their own country.</p> + +<p>3. The board will be supported materially by the respective +Governments, and it will dispose of a great fortune +from private legacies. For all the philanthropists and +peacemakers and peace wishers will support such an institution +rather than any other in the world.</p> + +<p>4. The authority of this board shall be equal to the +authority of an international political congress.</p> + +<p>5. Its duty will be to control education all over the world, +banishing or restricting individualism, egotism, chauvinism +and bigotism, and promoting by all means panhumanism +by developing the mind for collective work, mutual help, +personal goodness and humbleness and social greatness.</p> +<br /> + +<p><a name='TO_BRING_CHILDREN_OF_THE_WORLD_CLOSER_TOGETHER'></a>TO BRING CHILDREN OF THE WORLD CLOSER TOGETHER.</p> + +<p>Let them meet as often as possible; I mean the children +from England and the children from Serbia, the children +from Russia and the children from France. So they will +know about each other that they all are human beings, and +that they all can smile in friendliness on each other. Let +them travel to each other's country; I mean the children +from Germany and the children from Italy, the children +from Japan and those from Scandinavia. Let them see +how every spot on earth is wonderful in its way, and how +worthy of love, of patriotism. When will the railway companies +and ship companies say: Let the children come to<a name='Page_11'></a><a name='Page_11'></a> +us? When will they arrange the best trains, better than the +royal trains, the most commodious and decorated with +flowers and flags of different nations and with one special +flag of the Children World Union? When the moment +comes that the wonderful modern communication begins to +help the children to meet each other and to pay visits to +each other, at that moment the invention of steam and +electricity will justify itself. In transferring the troops and +facilitating crime it does net justify itself. Let the word +communication be not only for the sake of crime and for +the sake of bread; let it be for the sake of peace and of +souls.</p> + +<p>Let them sing together, everyone in his own tongue; I +mean the children from the East and West and North and +South. You should have been the other day in the Mansion +House when the English and Serbian boys met together, +and have listened to the English singing the Serbian and the +Serbian singing the English National Anthems, and you +would have been fascinated by the sweet revelation of the +future world.</p> + +<p>Let the children from the East and West and South and +North, pray together. Why not? Bring them, thousands +of them, to a mountain, upon which our ancestors prayed, +and let them at sunset kneel down and sing some common +prayer that they all know, or, if they have no such common +prayer in their creeds, let them just kneel and silently pray! +Such a silent prayer will do more good than any thousand +years' old discussion about religion. It is very easy to +convince all the children of the world, just because they are +children, that they have one Father in Heaven, and that +they shall send their prayers to Him. But even if they +send their prayers in different directions, they will arrive at +the same place. All prayers, whenever and wherever sent, +go always the same way.</p> + +<p>Let the children from the northern ice and from the +tropical heat carry on a correspondence. Millions of letters +are written and sent every day, which mean nonsense and +evil. The post communication will justify itself much more<a name='Page_12'></a><a name='Page_12'></a> +by bearing the children's mail, with truth and love, than by +bearing perfidious diplomatic notes or letters which mean +nonsense and evil. One of the unforgettable events in +Serbia during this war happened in 1914 on Christmas Day, +when an American ship arrived and brought gifts and letters +from the children of America to the children of Serbia. +This wonderful mail produced the greatest imaginable +excitement among the Serbian children. They were busy, +very busy for some weeks, reading the friendly letters from +so far, and answering them. I am sure they will forget +many sad events of the war, but they never can forget this +wonderful and surprising mail, which made for peace more +than any of the costly commissions for the investigation +of war cruelties, or any of Carnegie's empty, although +wonderful, luxurious halls of peace.</p> + +<p>Let the children, the representatives of all the countries +in the world, come to The Hague to hold the International +Peace Congress. The programme of this Congress should +be: Singing, playing, dancing, smiling and praying. They +will meet as friends and speak every one in his native +language, and they will understand each other very well as +friends always understand each other. This Children's +Hague Conference will promote the world peace more than +The Hague Conference composed of enemies, mutually +annoying themselves by obligatory politeness and bad +French.</p> + +<p>But, you will ask, who is going to arrange and execute all +this? The International Board of Education.</p> + +<p>But, you will say, it will be very expensive? Yes, but, +supposing it will be as expensive as the war, for which of the +two do you prefer to give money—for such a salvatory +experiment or for the war? Yet, I am sure of one thing, it +will cost less than a war.</p> +<br /> + +<p><a name='THE_INTERNATIONAL_CONTROL_OF_EDUCATION'></a>THE INTERNATIONAL CONTROL OF EDUCATION.</p> + +<p>If you do not watch the education of a country all other +international precautions for peace and mutual understanding +will be wholly illusory.</p> +<a name='Page_13'></a><a name='Page_13'></a> +<p>An International Board of Education should control the +programmes of education of all countries. It should watch +that one principle prevails in every educational programme, +i.e., the principle of Panhumanism. It should not interfere +as to the form of education, no, far from that, but look to the +unity of the principle of education upon the whole globe. +It should carefully avoid all the watchwords which make for +separations and wars, like "Germany, Germany <i>over all!</i>" +The child must love its own country, but it must know also +that its country is not the thing over all other things. It +must be taught that God and mankind are something which +stands above its country.</p> + +<p>It should control not only the governmental programmes +of education, but it should also watch the mothers, patriots +and priests. It should try to have these three world-powers +not for the enemies but for the allies and missionaries +of a higher, and a panhuman education.</p> +<br /> + +<p><a name='THE_THIRD_STAGE_OF_THE_EUROPEAN_EDUCATION'></a>THE THIRD STAGE OF THE EUROPEAN EDUCATION.</p> + +<p>There are three stages of the Christian European education:—</p> + +<p>1. Compulsory obedience. This was in the Middle Ages +when men were compelled to do the common work by the +authority of the church and nobility.</p> + +<p>2. The experiment with Individualism. This has been +since the Renaissance, especially since Rousseau—a personality +put as the centre and aim of education, the abhorrence +of every compulsion whatsoever.</p> + +<p>3. Voluntary Obedience. It is the education of tomorrow. +It is a stage where all men will see their mission +in their collective work, and therefore voluntarily enchain +themselves into the panhuman organism, plunging their +imaginative, pointlike personalities into a big and mystic +personality of mankind.</p> + +<p>The Voluntary Obedience will mean a voluntary slavery. +We are going to be slaves again, but not by royal or papal<a name='Page_14'></a><a name='Page_14'></a> +compulsion, but by our good will; we are going to be slaves +as the parts of a body are slaves and servants of each other, +and as the bricks are slaves and servants of a great building. +We are going to be "prisoners of the Lord," as St. Paul +says, instead of being as now the prisoners of our dreams, +imaginations and ambitions.</p> + +<p>This war will close a period of a wrong education, and will +open a period of a right one. It will open our eyes that +we may see how we all are one, and how the greatest of us +is nothing else than a bigger cell in the immense organism +of history.</p> + +<p>There is no hope for the future in the politicians, or +generals, now struggling. The only hope and guarantee +lies in the children. A new education in <i>personal goodness</i> +making for <i>social greatness</i> is the only salutary war. Therefore, +let us look to the children!</p> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13301 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + + |