d marches
toward it with dauntless courage. If a wireless outfit is his goal, bells
may ring and clocks may strike, but he hears or heeds them not.

To be effective the teaching of history must be far more than the mere
droning over the pages of a book. It must be so vital that it will set the
currents of life in motion. In his illuminating report upon the schools of
Denmark, Mr. Edwin G. Cooley quotes Bogtrup on the teaching of history as
follows: "History does not mean books and maps; it is not to be divided
into lessons and gone through with a pointer like any other paltry school
subject. History lies before our eyes like a mighty and turbulent ocean,
into which the ages run like rivers. Its rushing waves bring to our
listening ears the sound of a thousand voices from the olden time. With
our pupils we stand on the edge of a cliff and gaze over this great sea;
we strive to open their eyes to its power and beauty; we point out the
laws of the rise and fall of the waves, and of the strong under-currents.
We strive by poetic speech to open their ears to the voices of the sea
which in our very blood run through the veins from generation to
generation, and, humming and singing, echo in our innermost being."

Such teaching of history as is here portrayed will never fall upon dull
ears or unresponsive spirits. It will thrill the youth with a consuming
desire to be up and doing. He will ignite at touch of the living fire. His
soul will become incandescent and the glow will warm him into noble
action. He yearns to emulate the triumphs of those who have preceded him
on the stage of endeavor. If he reads "The Message to Garcia" he feels
himself pulsating with the zeal to do deeds of valor and heroism. Whether
the records deal with Clara Barton, Nathan Hale, Frances Willard, Mrs.
Stowe, Columbus, Lincoln, William the Silent, Erasmus, or Raphael, if
these people are present as vital entities the young people will thrill
under the spell of the entrancing stories. Then will history and biography
come into their own as means to a great end, and then will aspiration take
its rightful place as one of the large goals in the scheme of education.
As Browning says, "A man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a
heaven for?" and again:

What I aspired to be
And was not, comforts me.

CHAPTER SEVEN

INITIATIVE

No one who gives the matter thoughtful consideration will ever deprecate
or disparage the possession of the