A LEAGUE OF YOUTH

Sir James Barrie is one man of the older generation who can count on a sympathetic ear from youth. He knows youth, not as the outsider looking in, but as the warm friend who can put himself in the place of others, feal their emotions, and see the queer twists of view that make up their individual outlook on life. His recent address to the students of St. Andrews Universtiy is loaded with his particular brand of whimay; it is loaded also with the most cheerful advice, and words of encouragement that students will be tempted to heed. Such a remark as this is something that only a youthful-minded man could make: "My own theme is Courage, as you should use it in the great fight that seems to me to be coming between Youth and their Betters; by Youth meaning of course you, and by your Betters us. I want you to take up this position-that Youth have for too long left exclusively in our hands the decisions in national matters that are more vital to them than to us."

So liberal an attitude contrasts interestingly with the view of a certain western university president, who said recently: "Formal education is a system of training devised by aduits in order that the rising generation may be prepared to carry on the program regarded as important by the adults of that particular stage of civilization." A little thought will quickly reveal how keenly this analyzes the general ideal of education today. It has been left for Barrie, one of the "adults," to point out the dangers of such a conception, and to clear the way for change. Youth must not fear to think for itself; it must not trust Age; it must not believe all that it is told. Surely, men will declare, this is heresy. Barrie admits it; yet he does not stop even with passive distrust. What he advocates verges on revolution; it is concerted action on the part of the younger generation toward clearing away the blindfolds that hinder age-clearing away age itself, he adds, if necessary. What is needed is a League of Youth, whereby all the enthusiasm of young men can be concentrated on the cause of rejuvenating the world.

All this alluring advice leads to a concrete moral-Work! The task that Sir James has proposed is not the easiest; words will not bring it to pass. It will mean learning to understand our elders and the world, shouldering responsibilities, pursuing that elusive phantom, Truth.

One suggests that the speaker had a twinkle in his inward eye when he summoned Youth to labor for leadership. He knew that intelligent, earnest effort is the lesson which Youth must learn, and he understood that the way to encourage it was to offer attractive rewards in the form of freedom and progress. What he says about a rebellion of Youth we must take with a grain of salt. He himself hardly wants Age to be thrown in the discard; what he does want, artfully, is for Youth to want it so; because he knows that only through the discontent of Youth can progress be made; improvement does not come until Youth discovers and exposes the shortcomings of its Botters.

But what he says of work, we may take as his genuine feeling. It is like the famous strawberry of Dr. Johnson: "Doubtless the Almighty could have provided us with better fun than hard work, but I don't know what it is."