Many excellent definitions of education have been given; but for the purposes of this discussion we may say that education is the preparation afforded by home and school for the work of life.
Christian education is such a preparation conducted by Christian teachers and parents with Christian methods and Christian matter in a Christian spirit and for Christian purposes.
A standard of Christian education is that which sets forth the principles upon which such education is based, and the methods by which it should be practised. Such a standard, and the only standard, is found in the Bible and in the testimonies of the spirit of prophecy.
A higher standard of Christian education must mean either a higher standard than that which the Bible and the spirit of prophecy set forth, or else a better practise of the principles already known. It can not mean the former, for there is no higher standard of Christian education. It must mean the latter, else we have no question to consider. With the understanding, therefore, that the topic assigned means, not a higher standard of Christian education, but a better practise of the standard we already have, let us consider a few ways in which our practise is below the standard of Christian education, and make some suggestions toward improvement.
The correlation of Bible truth with the ordinary studies of school is a fundamental principle of Christian education. Not that all lessons must be taught from the Bible as a text-book, nor that the Bible is to be forcibly dragged into every lesson. To do this would belittle the sacred volume by trivial allusions and fanciful interpretations, and by continual sameness might cloy the child mind, which delights in change. But all lessons should be in harmony with Bible truth, and when the connection is clear, should proceed from Scriptural quotations or be accompanied by them. Some progress in this direction has been made by our teachers, but not enough. The tendency is to go on teaching in the same old way that we learned in the secular schools, or that we find in our text-books. In justice to our teachers13it ought to be said, however, that they are generally overworked, and have little time to study new methods. Still it must be admitted that the greatest obstacle to progress is the spirit of conservatism which binds us fast to custom. It is our duty to study the Bible and the Testimonies in regard to this matter, and seek God for wisdom to know how to make the Bible the basis of our teaching. Every teacher should ask himself these questions: Wherein does my teaching differ from that of secular teachers? What changes have I made in my methods since the light upon Christian education shone into my mind? Have I made a thorough and prayerful study of the Testimonies to learn what the Lord requires? And have I sought him for wisdom to apply this knowledge in my daily teaching? Or have I, down deep in my heart, a prejudice against the new way, and a feeling that after all the methods I have been following are good enough? Conservatism has its place to hold in check overzealous enthusiasm, but let it not stand in the way of genuine progress and much-needed reform.
Next to the Bible we are instructed that the study of nature should receive attention in our schools. This subject is quite popular among secular teachers, and many books have been written to aid them in their work; but these books generally fail to exalt the God of nature and encourage the children to love him. You may go through them and scarcely find the name of God or of Christ, or meet with a quotation from the Scriptures. Indeed, some of them abound in allusions to pagan mythology, and in all of them nature is too often studied apart from the Creator. On the other hand, a work has been produced in our own denomination called “Bible Nature Studies,” which covers in an elementary way the circle of sciences, and correlates all with the Scriptures. Probably nowhere else can be found so complete a classification of Bible texts bearing upon science and nature. The writer has thrice had occasion to note the effect of the introduction of this book, and every time it has created deep interest. Yet, strange to relate, this subject, which the Lord has told us should rank next to the Bible in our schools, and this book, which is the most satisfactory book ever written on the subject, have not received the attention which their importance demands, either from our teachers or our ministers. Some have never heard of the book. More have never read it. Comparatively few have introduced it into their schools. It is designed for church or intermediate school work, and should be studied by teachers; for it is a storehouse from which the teacher may draw materials for Bible nature lessons throughout the school work. It would mark advancement in the cause of Christian education if this subject could be more generally introduced into our schools. Closely connected with nature study is the study of agricultural subjects, concerning which it has been said, “Study in agricultural lines should constitute the A B C of our educational work.” Evidently our practise falls far below this standard.
Something has been done in our intermediate and training-schools, but even here attention has been given more to actual work for pay in the field than to instruction concerning the principles which underlie the art of agriculture and the best methods of applying these principles to actual work. The reasons for the general neglect of this important subject are twofold. First, teachers are not prepared to give scientific instruction which will command the confidence of the students and their parents; and, second, young men who have been brought up on the farm usually think that they know all that is needed about the subject of farming, and more than their teachers, which is often true. It is popular, moreover, for farmers themselves to make light of “book farming,” as they are pleased to call it, forgetting that books upon farming contain the best thoughts and the practical experiences of men who have been most successful in farming.
Art is dependent upon a science. Success in the arts depends upon intelligent application of the principles of science. We have the science of agriculture and the art of agriculture. Why should the science be understood only by the few, the learned, while the art is practised only by the many, the toilers? Must one be ignorant of the science in order to become skilful in the art? Rather should not that person become most skilful in the practise of agriculture who understands best the principles upon which it is based? Away with this foolish prejudice against “book farming.” Let us encourage our sons and daughters to learn the reasons which underlie the proper cultivation of the soil. By this means they would become more interested in farm life. The trend of the youth at the present time, even among Seventh-day Adventists, is from the farm to the cities. They are looking for clerkships, office work, and other jobs that are supposed to be “soft.”
There is great need of our doing all that we can to stem this tide which is setting in from the country to the cities. It is regarded by careful students of social questions as one of the greatest dangers of our day. And are we not partially responsible for it when we look askance at men who resist our appeals to sell the little plot of ground they possess, and continue, as we contemptuously say, to dig in the dirt? Why, brethren, that is what the Lord wants every man to do who is not called to labor directly in the evangelical departments of the cause. Every man who is not preaching, teaching, or healing, should be farming for God. This is the word of the Lord to us as a people: “To parents he sends the warning cry, ‘Gather your children into your own houses; gather them away from those who are disregarding the commandments of God, who are teaching and practising evil. Get out of the large cities as fast as possible. Establish church-schools. Give your children the Word of God as the foundation of all their education.’”14Thus we see that instruction in agricultural principles is also a neglected part of Christian education. Shall we not help it along by encouraging the children and youth to study these subjects? Every school, primary, intermediate, or college, should have its school garden. Even then we would be doing no more than the Russian people, with whom every school must have its garden in order to receive support from the government. Then let us as teachers prepare ourselves to lead in this matter, and show the people that we are interested in something besides books and educational discussions.
Let us turn for a moment from the consideration of things that we ought to do in order to reach a higher practise of Christian education, to one thing which we are doing, but which is contrary to the principles of Christian education. I refer to the per cent system of marking which is generally practised in the secular schools, and which many of the teachers in our denominational schools are also practising. This is what Emerson E. White calls the percentage idol. He says: “If one hundred per cent were a chosen idol, and teachers and pupils were devout idolaters, the worship of this percentage god would not be more zealous, or, we may add, more harmful, than it is in many schools.”—Emerson E. White, A. M., LL. D., in “School Management,” page 154.
Consider also the following from Joseph Baldwin: “It is safe to class per cent marking as a hurtful device. As the rod was the panacea of the old schoolmaster, so marking is the panacea of the modern stationary teacher. He sits with pencil in hand, and marks each answer, marks each violation of the rules. Progressive educators substitute vital teaching for marking and all other hurtful devices. Col. F. W. Parker regards per cent marking as criminal as stealing. Supt. Arnold Tompkins considers the percentage devices an outrage on the learning process.”—Joseph Baldwin, M. A., LL. D., in “School Management,” page 189, edited and indorsed by Hon. W. T. Harris, U. S. Commissioner of Education.
Why do these eminent educational authorities speak so earnestly against the most common method of recording scholarship? The following are some of their reasons:—
1. Per cent marking is a low incentive.
2. It magnifies success at the expense of fidelity.
3. It fosters a brood of school vipers, such as honors, prizes, and hurtful emulations.
4. Too often it proves an antidote to high thinking and moral teaching.
5. It proposes as a reward for mechanical15success a high mark, and as a punishment for mechanical failure a low mark.
6. At best it is an artificial and hurtful incentive. It does not create a thirst for truth.
7. It is not only useless, but vicious; for it emphasizes a comparison of the relative merits of students.
8. It squanders time and energy, and with its train of evils—prizes, honors, test examinations, per cent records, per cent reports—wastes in many schools full half the energies of teachers and pupils.
9. It is the monster educational robber. It hurts and does not help. The school-keeper marks, but the true teacher teaches.
10. None but an infinite mind can tell why one student should be marked 91 and another 91 5-6. All that can be said is that it figures out that way.
11. The system which causes one student to be regarded as one or two per cent better in his studies than another student is absurd upon the face of it. No one dare assert that such is the case.
12. Even if it were true, and the teacher could know it, it would not be best to tell the pupils.
13. We can think of no system that would make family training a greater burden of farce than the marking of children from day to day on a scale of one to one hundred.
The foregoing reasons are offered by these eminent educators for discarding the per cent system of marking. And shall we to whom the light of Christian education has come have a lower standard than that of leading educators of the world?
It is a fundamental and self-evident proposition that Christian education can be properly conducted only by Christian teachers. By this is not meant teachers professing to be Christians merely, teachers who only belong to the church, but teachers who have a genuine Christian experience, the abiding presence of the love of God shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Spirit. It is entirely possible to have secular schools carried on with Christian forms.
Again: Christian education demands Christian teachers who are also educators. It is not enough that they be good; they should be good teachers. They should have the gift of teaching, and this gift should be well trained. They should be well informed in regard to the subjects they are to teach, and skilful in the best methods of presenting these subjects. Information comes through study, skill through experience and practice; but Christian teachers should obtain a reasonable amount of both in the training-school before they begin to practise upon our children. It is the nicest thing in the world to train the minds of children. So great are the possibilities for good or ill growing out of the influence of the teacher upon her pupils, that the spirit of prophecy has told us that as great care should be exercised in the selection of teachers as in the selection of persons for the ministry. This thought suggests the importance of a uniform system of examining and licensing our denominational teachers by the same authority as that which grants credentials to candidates for the ministry; namely, the local conferences. Such steps have already been taken by many, perhaps by most, of the conferences; but the system should be made uniform and general. There would seem to be excellent reasons why this conference should make provision for such a system, leaving the details to be carried out by the local conferences. The effect would tend to the unification of our educational work and the improvement of the intellectual and spiritual qualifications of our teaching body. Even though our conferences may not yet be ready to assume the financial support of our teachers, they can and should pass upon their character and qualifications as preparatory to full responsibility for their work; for it will ultimately come to that. Our teachers will yet be regularly accredited conference laborers, engaged, when not teaching, in Bible work, canvassing, tent-meetings, or other evangelical effort under the advice and direction of the conference officers. In this matter of inquiring into the qualifications of those who desire to become teachers, conferences would, of course, give due recognition to the instruction given in our training-schools, and would be assisted by representatives from such schools. In all such matters there should be the heartiest co-operation among those who represent the different departments of the one great work.
Before we leave the subject of the preparation of the teacher, let us pause to commend the efforts of our conferences to help the teachers by providing summer schools for them at nominal cost, and otherwise aiding them by paying their railroad expenses, etc. The importance of this work can not be overestimated. It should be extended to every conference and continued to the end. What has been gained in this respect is shown by the fact that four or five years ago most of our conferences thought they could not hold a teachers’ institute without the presence of at least one of a few persons who were then agitating the question of church-schools. But since it was impossible for these few to attend a tithe of the institutes that should be held, necessity forced the local workers into the field, and developed latent talent, until now every conference is able to hold a successful teachers’ institute without calling upon outside help.
But while we encourage these short summer schools as a means of special instruction, stimulation, and review, let us not forget that they can never take the place of the more thorough work of our colleges. Teachers need a broad intellectual training. They can not lay a solid foundation on religious fervor alone. They need to know far more than they are called upon to teach. Their intellectual pond ought not to be drained by every recitation. They need also to be thoroughly grounded in the principles, history, and methods of Christian education which require daily study and recitation for at least one school year. And what shall be said of a teacher who enters upon his work with no study of the laws of growth and action of that subtle and mysterious instrument upon which he expects to operate—the human mind? He would be likely to make mistakes more serious in their results than those of a would-be surgeon who should attempt to operate upon the body without a careful study of its anatomy. Daily the world suffers from educational as well as medical quacks. In some way let there come a great uplifting to the ability, the vigor, and the spirituality with which the normal departments of our training-schools are conducted; for this is the key to our present educational situation.
So much for the betterment that may come to our practise of Christian education through the improvement of the teaching ability of the denomination. Let us turn to the work of the home. All education begins in the home, and the child is well advanced before he comes under the influence of the teacher. An eminent educator has said that the child, especially the child reared in the country, has studied before entering school the elements of most of the studies pursued in the university. And, what is more surprising, he thinks that the child acquires more and more important knowledge during this early period than during the same length of time at any later period of life. Whether or not his opinion is exaggerated, the importance of home education is beyond estimation. Especially powerful is the influence of the mother upon the moral character of the child. Who has not witnessed the effect of such influence following a wayward son through years of sinful wandering, and leading him at last back to the path of rectitude? Without going into the details of how Christian education is affected by home training, it may be asserted that any plan for the advancement of Christian education which overlooks the home omits one of the most important factors in the cause. If parents generally could be induced to study and attempt to practise the principles of Christian education as set forth in the books “Christian Education,” Vol. VI of the “Testimonies for the Church,” “Education,” and “Special Testimonies on Education,” the homes, the schools, and the entire denomination would be speedily and happily revolutionized. Let parents study these books, and they would know better what Christian education really is, and would be better able to co-operate with the teachers in their plans.