"THE IRON MAN"

The Industrial Revolution has given birth to many ugly situations; and the end is not yet. Within the past decades, we have seen the phenomenon of youths not yet out of their 'teens earning wages as mill operatives that not long ago would have been considered princely. And thereon hangs a problem. These beardless youths have money to burn; they have plenty of leisure--they work only eight hours a day--but they have not the background of education that teaches them to use that leisure to best advantage, for they have left school as soon as the law allows. And so they throw to the winds their money, their leisure--and themselves.

A leading article in a recent number of the "Atlantic", under the title of "The Iron Man", proposes a very plausible solution to the problem. Briefly, the author's idea is this: unless these young men are taught to use their leisure properly, they are dangerous to society. Educate them, then, for leisure. At present the elementary schools fail to do this. They educate, rather, for work. They make but slight attempt to impart to their students a love of art, literature, or music or a knowledge of science, philosophy or economics. The author urges, therefore, that many subjects hitherto known as "college subjects" be taught in the elementary schools. They need not be given in all their intricate complexity. The broad, fundamental ideas will suffice. In many cases, no doubt, these will supply incentive for further personal investigation. Thus will the youth gain a little better realization of his place in the world, a little truer idea of values; for education, after all, is glorified common sense.

Of course this is no panacea. Some people will not assimilate culture, no matter how much of it you cram down their throats. But it cannot be gainsaid that for most of these youthful workers, a little background will help tone down the foot-loose, devil-may-care attitude which is a danger to society. It will help them to realize that civilization did not all come about by a lucky accident and that they must give at least a little of themselves towards carrying it on.