his point of view? This point
is of special importance, in view of the fact that racial and biological
knowledge on lower levels is now so generally in the possession of boys
and girls; and is bound to produce a distorted conception of life,
unless the spirit be studied by them with at least the same respectful
attention that is given to the flesh. Thirdly, what does our education
do towards preparing them to solve the problems of social and economic
life in a spiritual sense--our only reasonable chance of extracting the
next generation from the social muddle in which we are plunged to-day?
Last, to what extent do we try to introduce our pupils into a full
enjoyment of their spiritual inheritance, the culture and tradition of
the past?

I do not deny that there are educators--chiefly perhaps educators of
girls--who can give favourable answers to all these questions. But they
are exceptional, the proportion of the child population whom they
influence is small, and frequently their proceedings are looked
upon--not without some justice--as eccentric. If then in all these
departments our standard type of education stops short of the spiritual
level, are not we self-convicted as at best theoretical believers in the
worth and destiny of the human soul?

Consider the facts. Outside the walls of definitely religious
institutions--where methods are not always adjusted to the common stuff
and needs of contemporary human life--it does not seem to occur to many
educationists to give the education of the child's soul the same expert
delicate attention so lavishly bestowed on the body and the intellect.
By expert delicate attention I do not mean persistent religious
instruction; but a skilled and loving care for the growing spirit,
inspired by deep conviction and helped by all the psychological
knowledge we possess. If we look at the efforts of organized religion we
are bound to admit that in thousands of rural parishes, and in many
towns too, it is still possible to grow from infancy to old age as a
member of church or chapel without once receiving any first-hand
teaching on the powers and needs of the soul or the technique of prayer;
or obtaining any more help in the great religious difficulties of
adolescence than a general invitation to believe, and trust God.
Morality--that is to say correctness of response to our neighbour and
our temporal surroundings--is often well taught.
Spirituality--correctness of response to God and ou