any other organization or agency is doing so much to aid the unification of religious bodies in America as is done by the moral and religious influence of the American public school.

Everything in religion except differences in faith and practice, should have its chance to enter the public schools and to do its part in the moral and spiritual development of the children. Even. for the most cosmopolitan school communities, where families of all nationalities are represented, there is a large body of religious ideas which have free right of entrance,-nay, which it is absolutely impossible to exclude.

The recognition of "a power outside ourselves which makes for righteousness," and which is called by the name of God, is not sectarian. It belongs to all religions, and seems inherent in the nature of mankind. To teach the children to listen to the voice of conscience ("God's vicegerent in the soul"),—to respond to the call of duty ("stern daughter of the voice of God"),—is a task which the school must not ignore. Such teaching is nothing else than "religious teaching." Whether or not any form of worship is observed, the idea and the name of God cannot be excluded from the schoolroom. Literature is full of it, and no one can teach history, literature or natural science effectively without standing reverently in the presence of this universal God-idea.

Still more must the obligations of men to one another be freely taught in the schoolroom; and though by some this is called "morals," it is nevertheless the half of religion, and in its practical aspects perhaps the larger half.

To forbid all "systematic" attempts to teach these essentials of religion and morals in the school is a violation of the principle of freedom in method which is needful to the highest efficiency in teaching. While it is undoubtedly true that more will be done by indirect means (through the personal character of the teacher and the general atmosphere of the school) than can be accomplished by precept or stated lessons, yet it is foolish to demand that there should never be any attempt at "system" or any definite plan in this most important part of a teacher's work.

The interest shown at the recent National Education meeting in this question of religion in public schools is full of

promise for the schools. That teachers themselves need to understand better the meaning of religious freedom-what it forbids as well as what it demands and allows-is most true. The significance of this national principle must also be taught in the schools themselves.

But teachers are not the only, nor indeed the chief, exponents of public misapprehension and ignorance regarding religious freedom in its application to the schools. When the public press, the courts of law, and especially the religious leaders of America,-Protestant, Catholic and Jewish,-gain clear and rational views on this question which has so often perplexed the American mind, then will the public schools have an easier task to perform, and be able to rise to more effective effort in their great work of character-building for American citizenship.

H

The High School Pupil

HARRY PReble swetT, FRANKLIN, NEW HAMPSHIRE

IGH school pupils are idealists: their characteristic' actions are determined by ideas and ideals, which are emotionally imaginative; not by habit, instinct or external compulsion. They have habits, to be sure, and should have; but these are in a plastic state, and can be broken up and converted into other types of action. They have strong instincts; but these are not blind, like those of earlier childhood, for they are much more under the restraint and guidance of the will. Nor is compulsion to be regarded as unnecessary or inadvisable. It is unequivocally to be asserted that these young people should be obliged to control their instincts, and form serviceable habits, but this coercion, to be effective, has to make use of the ideas and ideals, which are the distinguishing marks of their life. If peremptory force only is used, their actions may yield to necessity, but inwardly there will be defiance, which is displayed in numerous ways,-at the worst, resulting in their breaking away from the restraint of the school and the home, in their desire to seek a more congenial atmosphere and companionship.

Ideals are effective in the present and in the future, they do not affect the past. A person may actually perform some act under the influence of a comprehensive principle, or he may look forward to a time when certain acts will be attempted in conformity with a motive that cannot be put into execution in the present. Whichever way we regard the high school pupil, whether with reference to his present or his future, he is an idealist. His actions for the time being are governed in this way, and when you can get near enough to him to find out what he really hopes to be, you will discover some deeply imbedded thought, in which he expects his future life to take

root.

The realization of the potency which ideas have with them is a clue to understanding these boys and girls, and, consequently,

to dealing with them, whether it be the teacher or parent who is interested in their physical, mental and moral advancement.

We may begin with their present. Although they are immature, they consider themselves on a plane with adults in their most important relations with others. They wish to have it thought that the same standards that apply to the older generation apply to themselves, and they expect to be judged by these standards. This is to be seen most clearly in the way they look upon themselves as ladies and gentlemen. It is not that they will be such at some later date, they are ladies and gentlemen now. On occasion they may act in strange contrast with this ideal, but it is significant that, if they do fall short of it, they are willing to be criticised on this basis, which indicates. the sincerity of their mental attitude. If it is made clear to them that they have acted far below their ideal, they look for a proportionate penalty. They are seldom unwilling, also, to promise to live again according to their broken standard, and the most incorrigible expect the teacher to keep this pledge in mind, even if they are disregardful of it. If they are criticised or penalized without being convinced that any rule of conduct, which they accept, has been transgressed, they display vigorous opposition to the treatment. Such punishment is denominated by one of their severest words-unjust.

These traits are exhibited out of school, likewise, as we should be led to suppose, since they are genuine; but, as conditions are more varied and complex, the ideals which they follow are not so easily discerned, and the results are not always as satisfactory as when influenced by the teacher. In the home, it may lead to the assumption of an unfilial, domineering attitude toward parents; in the street and in other public places, they may display boisterousness in manners, and coarseness in dress, making it evident that they have inwardly approved of inferior models of conduct; in social gatherings where some degree of formality is expected of them, they, or more noticeably, possibly, the boys, are frequently ludicrous in their attempt at approximation to what they judge to be their proper behavior; in athletics, if they have been taught by a narrow-minded coach, they will play unfairly, because it is "the game" so to do. But, in all these actions, there is the

same characteristic of following some pattern, or of applying some general idea which they are willing to accept for themselves. When parents have occasion to correct these sons and daughters, they have the same problem as the teacher, which is to show them wherein they have fallen short of their own ideal, or wherein their ideal is a poor one to hold. This requires tact, ingenuity and patience; but of the two, teacher and parent, the former has the simpler problem, and, when other means fail, may send the pupil to his parent for discipline.

Their deepest thoughts are, however, directed toward the future. Each one thinks much concerning what he is to do later in life, and what sort of person he is to be. Although they may, in some respects, put themselves upon a plane with adults, they do not dream, for a moment, that they have reached their goal. This is the time for making life plans of a broad, indefinite type. They decide, for example, whether they are to continue their studies in a higher school, or enter upon some occupation. These general decisions are fairly easy for them to make, but the more definite details are less easily determined. A boy, for instance, may decide to go to college, but he may select several different ones during the lapse of a single term. Another chooses a business career, but long after this resolution has been made, he has great difficulty in making up his mind what kind of business would suit his fancy. These indecisions, it is to be noted, are a natural characteristic, not a fault or weakness. For, whoever is moved easily by ideals has a sensitive nature, and this indecision is owing to such sensitiveness, a slight suggestion having a great influence upon their purposes. Feelings are indefinite in any case, and the insight which they get through this channel, although deep, and in the main, true, has the same quality of indeterminateness; it is left to time to make their experience detailed and intellectual.

These insights and sentiments are related to all activities of life,—religion, love and ambition furnishing the most personal ones. They are naturally very precious to the boy and girl of this age, many of which are so private that they are disclosed to another only when friendship is very intimate, or the situation is entirely favorable for expressing them. The one that