MENTAL MARIONETTES

The observation of a famous old Roman, "ex Africa semper aliquid novi"--which might be liberally rendered as "you never can tell what will happen next" is quite as applicable now as on the day of its utterance. Some time ago the students of a western university received through the mail advertising matter from a novel variety of tutoring school, which offered, for a specified consideration, to do all their thinking. A short time afterward the faculty editors of the alumni bulletin of a well known institution were sent catalogues of one hundred prepared speeches, "suitable for any occasion", on such subjects as "Recreation and the Child", "Annual Address by the President of a Woman's Club", and other topics showing an astonishing fund of general information.

The unconscious irony of this situation was apparently missed by both the recipients and the publisher. The incongruity of an educator of the young receiving something of which the subsequent use implies unmistakably a glaring lack of education suggests at the very least a certain obtuseness on the part of the mailing department."

These incidents taken together are symptomatic of a widespread attitude of mind which is far from healthy. The mere fact that this sort of literature is being disseminated shows that enough people are being fooled to make the business profitable; and this, in turn insinuates that the supposed intelligentsia of the country, or some appreciable pertain of it are willing to simulate culture and education, while allowing somebody else to do the work.

At the same time, however, although this deduction is hardly flattering to the so called educated classes, it simply means that a gradual reversal of class position is in progress; and not that education, which is imperishable, is in process of degeneration. If short cuts are to be made in order that lack wits may appear intelligent, someone with the necessary knowledge must perform the informedary steps. And since this is so, those who view with alarm may effect that it should not be long before the workers refuse to enrich the puppets any further, and proceed to assert their intellects in their own right.