r each individual
his family, his freedom, and his rights.'

[A] For information on this and many other points connected with
the subject of education in Prussia, I am indebted to Mr. Michael
E. Sadler's special report to the Board of Education on 'Problems
in Prussian Secondary Education for Boys.'

Later on follows the recommendation that, 'by striking references to
actual facts, it should be made clear even to young people that a
well-ordered constitution under secure monarchical rule is the
indispensable condition for the protection and welfare of each
individual, both as a citizen and as a worker; that, on the other hand,
the doctrines of social democracy are, in point of fact, infeasible; and
that, if they were put into practice, the liberty of each individual
would be subjected to intolerable restraint, even within the very circle
of the home. The ideas of the Socialists are sufficiently defined
through their own writings for it to be possible to depict them in a way
which will shock the feelings and the practical good-sense even of the
young.'

The danger of this direct State control is obvious. It renders all
liberty of thought absolutely impossible. Politics, religion, social
views--all are systematically worked into the curriculum for the object
of stifling independent ideas, criticisms, and whatever else may be of
value to the interests of the community at large, although possibly
highly inconvenient to the established order.

To cram the youth of the nation after this fashion with all the facts
and fancies that may happen to suit the weaknesses of the national
constitution, is exactly the way in which to bring about the decay of
both Government and country. Merely from a political standpoint,
therefore, nothing could be more disastrous to the State than to make
use of its power of educational control in order to stifle opposition
and independent criticism.

It is equally clear that, wherever the Government possesses this power,
it will use it as far as is practicable for the purpose of
self-preservation. Almost for a century the Prussian authorities have
been getting the control of their national schools more and more into
their own hands. They have now succeeded in bringing the application of
the theory of State interference to the high-water mark of
practicability. From the rudiments of the alphabet to the history of
economics, everything in the Prussian curriculum may be suspected o