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The modern educators advocate giving the child a free rein, and not hindering his behavior, because they claim that "nature must be right." God is left completely out of consideration. N Are Our Children and Youth Infallible? The doctrines of nature's infallibility being taught to-day by many of our psy- chologists and educators would have us believe that anything and everything youth want to do is right just because they want to do them. HAT is going to be, is right. Our Louis R THORPE sory observation of children's behavior testifies to this patent fact. duty is to abstain from inter- Professor of Education in Walla Walla W fering with nature, supposing College, Washington Nevertheless, certain educators of two such interference to be possible. A child or three decades ago claimed to have should be trained up in the way that the advance information transcending our inner impulse .of development leads him represents, however, a theory that has common-sense view. The only unique to go. The summum bonum for the race been of great influence upon educational feature of their findings was its applica- is to live out its own [progress] with in- practice, especially at about the beginning tion to the training of school children. A terest and freedom. No stage to which of the present century. It sloughed off for German educator, Schneider, remarked: nature impels should by human artifice be a time because of the ill repute into which "No influence that works in opposition to either fostered or prolonged, lest the its principal promoter's (G. Stanley this development [that of original na- magic order be disturbed. The ideal for Hall) research methods and theories sub- ture] and to the law of inheritance of humanity is to be sought in its natural sequently fell. Unfortunately for our racial traits in order can ever reach a outcome, in what it of itself tends to be, present youth, the whole matter has suitable 'adaptation, but only disturbs the irrespective of training. Human effort experienced a revival. Having shed suc- natural course of development, and cre- should be to let the inner forces of devel- cessfully the odium of Hall's now obsolete ates abnormal, misdirected endeavor."— opment do their perfect work." technique, it points for its justification to "Der Menschliche Wille," page 489. An- Such is the creed of the believer in na- the speculations of the behaviorist, who other ardent believer, Guillet, comes right ture's infallibility as outlined by Thorn- in turn is a disciple of the evolutionist. to the point when he says, "Since it is the dike in his "Briefer Course" ("Educational It should be evident to the reader that order of nature that the new organism Psychology," pages 116,117). This author man's original nature includes tendencies should pass through certain developmen- places no credence in such doctrine, that are good, that should be enhanced, tal stages, seek rather to aid than to hastening to assure us that it is only a and those that are clearly undesirable, thwart it. For nature must be right ; there "distorted philosophical sentiment." It that had best be abolished. Only a cur- is no higher criterion."—Pedagogical VOL. 57, NO. 34 SEPTEMBER 2, 1939 Seminary, vol. 7, page 427. Here, God is a highly developed humanity."—"Adoles- character was perfected by tremendous dis- eschewed and nature extolled. Evidently we cence," Preface, page xii. cipline. He stands among the peers in are dealing with one of the ramifications of Experience has surely taught us that our the kingdom of sorrow; and through it all he evolution. children, must constantly learn countless les- passed into a peerage of moral and spiritual To these extraordinary pronouncements sons of conduct, their natural tendencies power, which made the mightiest monarch of of infallibility of nature we fall back upon must be sublimated and overcome. If no his time bend eagerly for a blessing from his common sense, and point to the current such program of modification is undertaken trembling hand."—"Israel: A Prince With vices of lying, stealing, sexual perversion, by adults, the inevitable consequence is a God," page 12. etc. The exponents of perfection are not in reversion to pagan practices. The sociolo- INFALLIBILITY REVIVED the least abashed, making haste to inform us gist, Ross L. Finney, thus sums up the situa- that a destructive tendency that appears to ation when he writes: "There is a growing Now infallibility, as already noted, has en- be unacceptable in itself is merely the pre- theory that children ought to follow their joyed a revival. -It is again coming into vogue requisite or correlate of a really desirable own judgment and be guided only by reason- as an educational thesis for the conduct of one, and thus is, on the whole, desirable. Any ing. While the old-fashioned discipline may teaching children. To be sure, its tenets are psychologist or educator who happens to be have been extreme, it is certain that the new not as a rule proclaimed from the pulpit or reading this argument will realize at once theories are deceptive and dangerous. If one the speaker's stand. Rather, we discern its that, true to our nature, when we have con- stuffs his head with false notions about presence usually between the covers of a structed a theory and are pressed for justi- liberty and democracy, he can juggle out teacher's college textbook, or, perchance, in fication, we at once indulge in that form of plausible reasons for soft . discipline; a volume devoted to mental hygiene. The self-defense called rationalization, which is but there is absolutely nothing in racial ex- age-old mistake of contributing too many essentially an effort to compensate for real periences that warrants parents in neglecting consequences to one cause is perhaps largely or impending thwarting. The perfectionists to teach their children obedience."—"Ele- responsible for the assumptions of the per- have evidently sought this recourse. Their mentary Sociology," pages 190, 191. We can fectionist. To be explicit, by reason of the explanation is usually called the doctrine of hardly refrain from pointing to the patriarch legion of maladjustments among youth, immunization or catharsis. It asks us to Jacob as an illustration. Meyer speaks of his which are caused often by thwarting, undue believe that early evil tendencies, when experiences in the following vein: "Jacob's (Continued on page 10) indulged, act to immunize and inoculate,one against future outbursts. In other language, it is better to indulge than to thwart an evil act, since the results of thwarting are more Reuter's Power House pernicious than the fruition of an immoral act,—a rather naïve conclusion in view of NATHANIEL KRUM the abundant evidence that the exercise of Kenilworth, Cape, South Africa habits causes them to become fixed upon us. In spite of this potent fact, believers in in- stinctive perfection maintain that the exer- frankly admitted my purpose, and thanked cise of evil tendencies prepares the ground him for his kind invitation. for the growth of those counted as good. For "At first Reuter led me over the farm, explaining the many things he had devel- example, France and Kline tell us: "During oped on it. Then we came back to the the period of adolescence, generosity and buildings, and began to examine the smaller altruism spring up naturally. Then why try ones first. Finally, we went through the to force the budding plant into blossom? In- main house, and having seen every room, struct them by all means, teach them the Reuter said: 'There's one thing more that right; but if this fails, do not punish, but let I have reserved for the last, because it is the child be selfish, let him lie and cheat, the best. That's my power house.' until these forces spend themselves. Do not "'Well,' said I, 'I didn't know that you these experiences of the child give to man in had a power house out here in the wilds. later life a moral virility?"—Pedagogical When did you install it?' Seminary, vol. 6, page 455. "'Oh, you don't understand me,' Reuter replied. 'Come along, and I will show you THEORY DOESN'T WORK The secret of power is prayer. just what I mean.' Disregarding any inconsistency that may THE SECRET OF POWER be inherent in the preceding statement, it is V. A. E. HoasrALL tells the following clear that the doctrine bids us refrain from R story of a visit he made to the Mor- "Then he led me out of the house, and jegen Farm, a mission operated by the Rev- took me around on the north side of it. disciplining our youth as well as from inter- Here, built against the main building, was fering with their natural development. Ac- erend Mr. Reuter for the Morjege natives of Northern Transvaal: a square, roomlike structure, and toward it tually the theory does not work in practice. Reuter proceeded to lead me. Stopping di- Students of history will remember that "At last my opportunity came to visit the Morjegen Mission Farm. Reverend rectly in front of the door, and opening it, Rome tried it, and failed. It has been the he said, 'Look in; that's my power house.' Reuter's work among the natives of that experience of families, schools, and states community bad attracted attention far and "I looked, and a great revelation opened 4 that interference with evil instincts has not wide. Scores had been won to Christ, before me. All I saw was a chair, and before withered the subsequent development of snatched, as it were, from the very hands of it an altar, and upon the altar a large open noble traits.

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