?

One would like to have met that painted savage who first suggested
combination in warfare, or that later politico-economist upon whom it
faintly dawned that mutual help was possible in other directions save
that of blood-shedding.

A union born of the exigencies of warfare would be strengthened later
by the promptings of self-interest, and, lo! the experiment is no
longer an experiment, and the fact is proven that men may fight and
work together to their mutual profit and advancement.

'Tis a simple proposition, after all, that ten times one is ten; and
the bees, the ants, the grosbeaks, and the beavers prove it so clearly
that any one of us may read, though we pass by never so quickly. Yet
all great truths appear in man's mind in very rudimentary form at
first, and each successive generation furnishes more favorable soil
for their growth and development.

First, men joined hands in offensive and defensive alliance; second,
they found that, even when wars were over, still communication,
intercourse, and exchange of goods were desirable; third, they
discovered that no great enterprise which would better their condition
would be possible without cooeperation; and, fourth, they began to band
themselves together here and there, not only for their own protection,
for their own gain, but to watch over the weak, to succor the
defenseless, and even to uphold some dear belief.

The magic of "Together" has thus far reached, and who can tell what
Happy Valley, what fair Land of Beulah, it may summon into existence
in the future?

The incalculable value of cooeperation, the solemn truth that we are
members one of another, that we cannot labor for ourselves without
laboring for others, nor injure ourselves without injuring
others,--all this is intellectually appreciated by most men to-day,
all this is doubtless acknowledged; yet I cannot find that it has
obtained much recognition in education, nor is especially insisted
upon in the training of children.

But surely, if children have any social tendencies,--and the fact
needs no proof,--these tendencies should be given direction from the
beginning toward benevolence, toward harmonious working together for
some common aim. This would be comparatively easy even in a nursery
containing three or four little people; and how much simpler when
school life begins, and when the powers of children are greatly
increased, while they are in hourly contact with a large number of
equal