ositively think that
American education does not altogether succeed in the very important
business of inculcating public spirit into young citizens. I judge
merely by results. Most peoples fail in the high quality of public
spirit; and the American perhaps not more so than the rest. Perhaps all
I ought to say is that according to my own limited observation public
spirit is not among the shining attributes of the United States citizen.
And even to that statement there will be animated demur. For have not
the citizens of the United States been conspicuous for their public
spirit?...

It depends on what is meant by public spirit--that is, public spirit in
its finer forms. I know what I do _not_ mean by public spirit. I was
talking once to a member of an important and highly cultivated social
community, and he startled me by remarking:

"The major vices do not exist in this community at all."

I was prepared to credit that such Commandments as the Second and Sixth
were not broken in that community. But I really had doubts about some
others, such as the Seventh and Tenth. However, he assured me that such
transgressions were unknown.

"What do you _do_ here?" I asked.

He replied: "We live for social service--for each other."

The spirit characterizing that community would never be described by me
as public spirit. I should fit it with a word which will occur at once
to every reader.

On the other hand, I cannot admit as proof of public spirit the
prevalent American habit of giving to the public that which is useless
to oneself--no matter how immense the quantity given, and no matter how
admirable the end in view. When you have got the money it is rather easy
to sit down and write a check for five million dollars, and so bring a
vast public institution into being. It is still easier to leave the same
sum by testament. These feats are an affair of five minutes or so; they
cost simply nothing in time or comfort or peace of mind. If they are
illustrations of public spirit, it is a low and facile form of public
spirit.

True public spirit is equally difficult for the millionaire and for the
clerk. It is, in fact, very tedious work. It implies the quiet daily
determination to get eatable chops and steaks by honest means, chiefly
for oneself, but incidentally for everybody else. It necessitates
trouble and inconvenience. I was in a suburban house one night, and it
was the last night for registering names on an official li