The Prison Mirror

CHAUTAUQUA NOTES
By H. L. H.

An interesting discussion was conducted at the regular meeting of the Chautauqua Circle Thursday morning, October 31st. The meeting was devoted to a discussion of higher education.

It was generally agreed that there is nothing more reprehensible in the record of the Western world than its neglect and abuse of the American educators whose works should make up largely the tradition of sound fundamental instruction.

Gene Kay explained that a privileged few interfere with the management of our universities in their attempts to tie up education with the status quo.

While it is doubtful if America can create a perfect democracy, its people can still strive for the democratic spirit through genuine education, Gene Kay believes. He explained that there should be a phase of democracy in which the university could lead. He believes the university's major objective should be sound and fundamental instruction.

D. Z. disposed of a number of schemes for bettering our educational system. He prefaced his remarks with a statement that the students of the universities have become "governmental-minded and politically conscious" and are not for long fooled by artifice.

A. A. R. holds no brief for the present day educational system. Still he finds it has its uses: "Pride in achievement is one of the things that the majority of our universities' spirits are founded upon," A. A. R. said. "An attempt on the part of the professor to keep in touch with reality is increasing."

W. B. L. is more insistent on this idea than is A. A. R., for instance. "The spirit of our educational system is founded on simple intellectual honesty," he said. "The system is a great spiritual force in the U. S. A., and is the greatest system of higher education the world has ever seen,"
he said.

H. L. F., whom I listen to with pleasure, believes that if our educational institutions continue to suppress facts, and train the bulk of students in narrow grooves, they will remain in narrow grooves, and that is not the kind of persons the world needs.

Rather than lashing out in great anger or with malice, Steve let the members of the Circle be amused by pointing out why a majority of professors have been trained not to teach facts. It seems that the ills of our present educational system are not so much the fault of the professors as of the dictators who suppress the spirit of sound fundamental instruction.

And by the way, Smitty, a new member, is an orator of enormous skill. He brought forth facts that had not been covered and other interesting data regarding higher education.

It is interesting to see how many of the clearest sighted students of today are refusing any rose-colored glasses when looking at some of our higher educational institutions with allegedly allied Fascist tendencies.

The student of today wants to acquire a fund of economics knowledge closely related with democracy, not Fascism, secure much needed spirit of fair play, master the fundamentals of sound business organization and management, and obtain a clear conception of why our great nation cannot feed poor women and children when our granaries are full. Such demands by our clearest thinking students seem radical to a few who cover over the foulness of their lives and the feculence of their thoughts with a hypocritical mantle of fair professions, but they are absolutely necessary for the future.