The citadel of a child's life is his moral character, whether
the home, the school, or the church build and strengthen its walls. If
asked to define the relation of the school to the home we shall quickly
see that they are one in spirit and leading purpose, that instead of
being separated they should be brought closer together.
In conclusion, therefore, shall we make _moral character_ the clear and
conscious aim of school education, and then subordinate school studies
and discipline, mental training and conduct, to this aim? It will be a
great stimulus to thousands of teachers to discover that this is the
real purpose of school work, and that there are abundant means not yet
used of realizing it. Having once firmly grasped this idea, they will
find that there is no other having half its potency. It will put a
substantial foundation under educational labors, both theoretical and
practical, which will make them the noblest of enterprises. Can we
expect the public school to drop into such a purely subordinate
function as that of intellectual training; to limit its influence to an
almost mechanical action, the sharpening of the mental tools? Stated
in this form, it becomes an absurdity.
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