“In politics and in business, there is now no distinction on account of sex. A woman may be president or governor of a state, a senator or judge. Women are to be found in every department of business, and are fully1 as successful as the men. This materially disturbed the organization of the family, as it was before your time. The man was then the legal and often the actual head of the family, and both the wife and the children were supposed to be under his authority within certain limits. But as the sphere of woman extended and she became better educated, she soon passed the condition in which she was content to be subordinate to the man. She insisted upon and of course secured a position of equality as to legal rights and equal authority in the family. In your day the principal occupation of women was in domestic life, keeping the house and rearing the children. As women became interested in wider activities, many of them began to seek ways of avoiding family cares. Co-operative house-keeping was tried in many cases, kindergartens taking charge of the children.
[114]
“The state had for a long time asserted an interest in the education of children, first providing the means of education, then making it compulsory2. Finding that some were kept from school from the inability of parents to provide books, the state provided books to those who needed them. Then because the pride of those who accepted this bounty3, was wounded by this advertisement of their poverty, it became necessary for the state to furnish books to all children, both of the rich and the poor. Next it was found that want of suitable clothes kept some from school that ought to attend, and so the state commenced to supply school clothes to them and by a similar process of evolution finally came to supply a school uniform to all children. It was also perceived that the interest of the state in the individual did not end when it had taught him the three R’s and the two G’s; in fact it had only fairly begun. It was all important to the state to know whether the child she had educated was going to employ his talents for good or for ill. It was expected he would carve his way and make his living, but if he were not given an opportunity to learn an honest vocation4, was it certain that he would not drift into a dishonest one? It was seen to be the duty of the state to see that every youth of both sexes were given such opportunity to learn some trade or occupation. This became the more necessary on account of the trades unions and combinations amongst working men who naturally were anxious to prevent their ranks from being crowded and jealously threw obstacles in the way of apprentices5, so the state found it necessary[115] to care for the individual until he had attained6 the equipment essential for his self support.
“At first the state schools of trades were simply free to all; later they became compulsory, following the experience of the common schools. Scholars in the common school were educated with reference to the trade they fancied, and when they entered the trade school they were on trial for a limited period and were sorted according to their ascertained7 aptitudes9. It became a necessary branch of the supervision11 of the state to ascertain8 the proper proportion of workmen required for each branch of business and when this proportion was being seriously disturbed by unequal selection by the scholars themselves, it was restored by state selection on examination according to aptitude10.
“So much of the care and education of the youth having thus been assumed by the state, the way was opened for more. It was said that half the people who had children did not know how to bring them up properly; and teachers often complained that the example in bad manners, deportment, language etc., that the children got at home to a great extent neutralized12 the good lessons in these things they received at school.
“The kindergartens became by almost insensible degrees enlarged in the scope of their functions. At first, as in your day, they were merely stopping places for the children during the day, they going back to their parents to spend the night. As the mothers came to be more and more engrossed15 in affairs away from home, the kindergartens extended[116] their care over the children, furnishing them their meals, then their lodging16, then medical attendance as well as education and amusement, finally assuming all the care and expense of maintaining and rearing them. At first the expense was paid by the parents, but was gradually assumed by the state by degrees till it finally became responsible for all. The advantage of these public nurseries was at first of course most marked in favor of the poorer classes. But as their functions and scope developed, the care and training of the children became more scientific, their powers, tastes and aptitudes were more thoroughly17 brought out. The wealthier classes at first objected to having their children reared in association with the plebians. But the children of plebians were no longer plebian when removed permanently18 from the influences of their parent’s homes; and they turned out a larger percentage of successful men and women than those of more comfortable position. In physical and mental ability they were superior, and in morality at least equal to the others. It was seen that these kindergartens were better adapted for the care of children than even the better equipped homes, and they received the patronage19 of a constantly increasing proportion of the people. At first there was nothing compulsory in this patronage. Parents left their children when it suited them, and took them away when they chose. But after a time this was outgrown20. It came gradually to be understood that the state—that is the whole community—was really as much concerned in the destiny of the growing generation as the[117] parents; and it was said that it was better that the children should have the constant care and attention of those intelligently qualified21 and perfectly22 equipped, than that their development should be interrupted when the caprice of parents craved23 them only for pets and playthings. So the selfishness of parents in this respect was gradually outgrown in favor of the more important welfare of the children. But economy as well as sentiment supported this evolution. The cost of caring for the children by the state was vastly less than under the old system, and it no longer fell with such crushing weight on those least able to bear it; for it was notorious that the poor were the most prolific24. With the better care they received the mortality amongst the children was greatly reduced and a far greater proportion reached maturity25. Another important consideration in the state nursery system was the cultivation26 of the democratic sentiment amongst the children, and the destruction of exclusiveness and aristocratic ideas and feelings.”
“From what you say,” said I, “it appears that the state has undertaken to take care of the race during their age of helplessness, from infancy27 to manhood.”
“That is correct,” he answered, “the state takes the child as soon as it is weaned, sometimes before, and keeps and provides for it every day till it is prepared to be selfsupporting. Every one is taught a trade or a profession according to its bent28 and the demand for services in the several callings, it being the policy of the state to so regulate[118] these things that the value of services is about the same in all callings.”
“Then can a mechanic make as much as a doctor?”
“About the same. As soon as any difference is observed, more are encouraged to enter the calling that tends to the higher pay, and so made to preserve the uniformity.”
“Well, if the state begins when the child is weaned, to take care of it, why should it not begin before—a long time before in fact? For ante-natal influences are often of the most powerful kind; and when they are mischievous29, no amount of subsequent education is able to neutralize13 or rectify30 them. That was all thought out in my day by the more advanced thinkers.”
“O they have “maternity hospitals” and “Homes for Ladies” and all that sort of things—of course—but what you mean; not yet. That is still in the future—but we shall find it by and by in a way that will surprise you.”
“Well it seems to me, to get even where they are they must have met and solved some rather difficult riddles,” said I. “For example in my day there was a desperate struggle between Protestants and Catholics in regard to the religious education of the children. The Catholics hated the public schools, because they were “godless.” They insisted on having their children brought up in their own faith. They wanted a share of the public money so they could have schools of their own and mix their catechism with the rules of grammar and the rule of[119] three. How did they ever settle this difficulty—or did they settle it?”
“O yes,” he said, “they settled it, or rather it settled itself. At first the Catholics and in some places the Lutherans and other sects31 of Protestants insisted on maintaining their own schools, kindergartens etc., but the state institutions were so far superior to what these sectarians could furnish, that the laity32 broke away from the control of their priests in this respect and followed their interests in putting their children under the care of the state. As however the state monopolized33 more and more of the pupils’ time, it was conceded that if the whole population was not to become “godless,” it would be necessary to allow religion to be taught in these public institutions in some form. So they compromised. The different religious bodies were allowed to hold Sunday schools and classes for religious instruction of the pupils in the creeds34 professed36 by their parents. The children were also taken to church according to the same rule. This was at first made compulsory if desired by the parents, but after a time compulsory attendance upon religious instruction was remitted37 at the age of 12 and the pupils were allowed to choose their religion. This arrangement preserved the proportions of the sects to each other fairly well, but in the meantime there arose conditions that made this preservation38 of small moment. These were such changes in the spirit and feeling of the members of different churches toward each other, and such a liberalizing of creeds that all were brought together and became not only[120] tolerant, but even cordial toward each other. The schools themselves did more than anything else to bring about this result, for as the older scholars were given their freedom of choice, it gradually became a fashion or fad39 amongst the pupils and finally a part of the regular curriculum to attend each other’s meetings and interchange ideas and arguments. As the ability grew amongst all, both the young and old, to reason more justly and logically, all sides became less tenacious41 of the dogmas they found themselves unable to prove. When these were lopped off from the various conflicting creeds their professors found themselves all standing42 on practically the same platform of facts and plain human duties. The things they differed on were mostly mere14 hypotheses. They still continued to differ, but no longer regarded their differences of such vital consequence as formerly43. It came to be generally admitted as absurd that the future post mortem condition of men should depend on their intellectual convictions regarding unprovable metaphysical theories.”
“Doubtless the bringing together of the children of all creeds and educating them in each others notions had much to do with this liberalizing process; had it not?” I asked.
“It had of course, but the education of the children together, was itself a result of a liberalized public opinion. The fact is the human mind was constantly undergoing a process of expansion and growth. It could no longer be satisfied with the crude and childish notions of former generations, and was outgrowing44 them as children outgrow[121] the fables45 of the nursery. Until men got capacity, argument and logic40 were of no avail. Education in the great facts and discoveries of science and philosophy gave them capacity.”
“From what you say, I should suppose there has been a great modification46 of creeds?”
“There has been. No church remains47 the same either in theory or practice that it was in your day. Several of the minor48 protestant sects have entirely49 disappeared.
“In several cases two or three have united to form one. The whole number of sects is less than one-fourth of what it was. Creeds have become extremely simplified and in many cases practically ignored. The government among the protestant sects, is in most cases congregational and democratic. They no longer engage in missionary50 work for the conversion51 of the heathen, as there are no longer any heathen whose conversion is desired; and no organized effort is necessary for charitable work at home, because that is amply provided for by the state. But the church is useful as a social organization, promoting personal friendships and associations, providing intellectual and educational entertainment for its members fostering and fortifying52 the moral virtues53 and elevating and refining the manners. In many of these protestant congregations, the worship of God by prayer and ceremony is entirely discontinued, it being held that all worship is unworthy, and based upon a false notion of the relationship between God and man. Man they say cannot worship or serve God directly. God is not childish enough to want it.[122] All man can do is to help his fellow man and himself and that constitutes his whole duty.”
“These,” said I, “would probably have been called free thinkers or agnostics in my day. But what of the Catholics?”
“The Catholics,” he replied, “are far more numerous than the Protestants. Forty years ago there was a great schism54 in the Catholic church, the American branch of it separating completely from the European, and setting up for itself as the “American Catholic Church.” At the same time important changes were made in the interpretation55 of the doctrines57 of the church and radical58 innovations in its government. The latter is now largely republican in form and the laity have representation in the councils of the church and a preponderating59 influence both in its doctrine56 and its temporal policy. The tendency toward this development showed itself strongly in the beginning of the twentieth century, and originated from the general increase of intelligence and feeling of personal assertion and responsibility among the laity and the example of the freer people about them. The clergy60 instinctively61 resisted this tendency, and called upon the Pope and the European church to help them to stop it. The help they afforded only stimulated62 the movement. The interference of the Europeans was resented as impertinent; the exercise of the papal authority was looked on as a display of superannuated63 tyranny. The Pope asserted that the American Church by its liberal practices and tendencies was corrupting64 the church in other parts of the world, and declared they were doing[123] it more damage as members, than they could do as open enemies outside of its pale, and he threatened to excommunicate the whole American body. The immediate65 cause of the final act of separation was first the persistence66 of the laity in having the ownership of the church property in their own hands, represented by trustees of their own selection. Second, their demand to share in the government of the church, to which end they proposed a representative legislature composed of two houses, one composed of laymen67 and the other of clergy.
“Third they asserted the right of private judgment68 without prejudice to their standing as Catholics, on all questions of mere faith, except the cardinal69 principle of Christianity, requiring only the observance of the sacraments and the practice of charitable works and a moral life.
“They repudiated70 auricular confession71. These innovations were not all consummated72 at once, but the controversy73 once begun, found no logical settlement short of these demands and the rupture74 of the church. Liberalized in this way in regard to creed35 and government, and freed from the domination of the Italians, but retaining much of the ancient ritual and the pomp of public worship, the American Church, became very popular, and soon received large accessions of membership from the protestant bodies. In fact the more conservative and spiritual protestants found the new catholic church more congenial to them than the new protestant. The former church advanced toward them as the latter drifted away into rationalism.”
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1
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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compulsory
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| n.强制的，必修的；规定的，义务的 | |
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bounty
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| n.慷慨的赠予物，奖金；慷慨，大方；施与 | |
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vocation
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| n.职业，行业 | |
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apprentices
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| 学徒，徒弟( apprentice的名词复数 ) | |
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6
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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9
aptitudes
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| （学习方面的）才能，资质，天资( aptitude的名词复数 ) | |
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aptitude
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| n.(学习方面的)才能，资质，天资 | |
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11
supervision
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| n.监督，管理 | |
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12
neutralized
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| v.使失效( neutralize的过去式和过去分词 )；抵消；中和；使（一个国家）中立化 | |
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neutralize
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| v.使失效、抵消，使中和 | |
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14
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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engrossed
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| adj.全神贯注的 | |
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lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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permanently
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| adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地 | |
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patronage
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| n.赞助，支援，援助；光顾，捧场 | |
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outgrown
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| 长[发展] 得超过（某物）的范围( outgrow的过去分词 )； 长[发展]得不能再要（某物）； 长得比…快； 生长速度超过 | |
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qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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craved
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| 渴望，热望( crave的过去式 )； 恳求，请求 | |
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prolific
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| adj.丰富的，大量的；多产的，富有创造力的 | |
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maturity
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| n.成熟；完成；(支票、债券等)到期 | |
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cultivation
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| n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成 | |
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infancy
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| n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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mischievous
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| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
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rectify
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| v.订正，矫正，改正 | |
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sects
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| n.宗派，教派( sect的名词复数 ) | |
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32
laity
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| n.俗人；门外汉 | |
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monopolized
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| v.垄断( monopolize的过去式和过去分词 )；独占；专卖；专营 | |
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creeds
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| （尤指宗教）信条，教条( creed的名词复数 ) | |
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creed
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| n.信条；信念，纲领 | |
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professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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remitted
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| v.免除（债务），宽恕( remit的过去式和过去分词 )；使某事缓和；寄回，传送 | |
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preservation
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| n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持 | |
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fad
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| n.时尚；一时流行的狂热；一时的爱好 | |
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logic
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| n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性 | |
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tenacious
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| adj.顽强的，固执的，记忆力强的，粘的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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outgrowing
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| 长[发展] 得超过（某物）的范围( outgrow的现在分词 )； 长[发展]得不能再要（某物）； 长得比…快； 生长速度超过 | |
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45
fables
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| n.寓言( fable的名词复数 )；神话，传说 | |
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46
modification
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| n.修改，改进，缓和，减轻 | |
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47
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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48
minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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49
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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50
missionary
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| adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士 | |
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51
conversion
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| n.转化，转换，转变 | |
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52
fortifying
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| 筑防御工事于( fortify的现在分词 )； 筑堡于； 增强； 强化（食品） | |
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53
virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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54
schism
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| n.分派，派系，分裂 | |
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55
interpretation
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| n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理 | |
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56
doctrine
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| n.教义；主义；学说 | |
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57
doctrines
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| n.教条( doctrine的名词复数 )；教义；学说；（政府政策的）正式声明 | |
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58
radical
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| n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的 | |
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59
preponderating
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| v.超过，胜过( preponderate的现在分词 ) | |
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60
clergy
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| n.[总称]牧师，神职人员 | |
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61
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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62
stimulated
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| a.刺激的 | |
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superannuated
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| adj.老朽的，退休的；v.因落后于时代而废除，勒令退学 | |
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64
corrupting
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| （使）败坏( corrupt的现在分词 )； （使）腐化； 引起（计算机文件等的）错误； 破坏 | |
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65
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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66
persistence
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| n.坚持，持续，存留 | |
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67
laymen
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| 门外汉，外行人( layman的名词复数 )； 普通教徒（有别于神职人员） | |
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68
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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69
cardinal
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| n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的 | |
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70
repudiated
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| v.（正式地）否认( repudiate的过去式和过去分词 )；拒绝接受；拒绝与…往来；拒不履行（法律义务） | |
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71
confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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72
consummated
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| v.使结束( consummate的过去式和过去分词 )；使完美；完婚；（婚礼后的）圆房 | |
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controversy
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| n.争论，辩论，争吵 | |
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rupture
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| n.破裂；(关系的)决裂；v.(使)破裂 | |
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