We strive by poetic speech to open their ears to the voices of the sea
which in our very blood run through the veins from generation to
generation, and, humming and singing, echo in our innermost being."
Such teaching of history as is here portrayed will never fall upon dull
ears or unresponsive spirits. It will thrill the youth with a consuming
desire to be up and doing. He will ignite at touch of the living fire. His
soul will become incandescent and the glow will warm him into noble
action. He yearns to emulate the triumphs of those who have preceded him
on the stage of endeavor. If he reads "The Message to Garcia" he feels
himself pulsating with the zeal to do deeds of valor and heroism. Whether
the records deal with Clara Barton, Nathan Hale, Frances Willard, Mrs.
Stowe, Columbus, Lincoln, William the Silent, Erasmus, or Raphael, if
these people are present as vital entities the young people will thrill
under the spell of the entrancing stories. Then will history and biography
come into their own as means to a great end, and then will aspiration take
its rightful place as one of the large goals in the scheme of education.
As Browning says, "A man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a
heaven for?" and again:
What I aspired to be
And was not, comforts me.
CHAPTER SEVEN
INITIATIVE
No one who gives the matter thoughtful consideration will ever deprecate
or disparage the possession of the virtue of obedience; but, on the other
hand, no such thoughtful person will attempt to deny that this virtue,
desirable as it is, may be fostered and emphasized to such a degree that
its possessor will become a mere automaton.
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