Instrivingtomeetnewrequirementsourschoolshavetoocommonlyextendedtheirsystemratherthantheirvitalenergies;theyhaveperhapsgrownmorerapidlyinthenumberofstudents，thevarietyofsubjectstaught，andinothernumerableparticulars，thanintheinnerandspirituallife，theideals，thetraditionsandthepersonneloftheteachingforce。Inthisasinotherexpandinginstitutionslifeisspreadoutratherthin。
Inthecountrytheschoolsarelargelyinefficientbecauseofthefallingoffinattendance，thepoorpayandqualityoftheteachers，andthepersistenceofasystemofinstructionthatlacksvitalrelationtocountrylife，tendinginfacttodiscredititandturnchildrentowardthetowns。Incitiestheschoolsareovercrowded梠fteninsufficienteventocontainthechildrenwhoswarminthepoorerdistricts？andtheteachersoftenconfused，overworkedandstupefiedbyroutine。Verylittle，asyet，isdonetosupplythatrationaltrainingforindustrywhichistheurgentneedofmostchildren，andwhichindustryitselfnolongerfurnishes。Thediscipline，bothofpupilsbyteachersandofteachersbyofficials，iscommonlyofamechanicalsort，andpromisinginnovationsoftenfailbecausetheyarebadlycarriedoutOurcommonschoolsnodoubtcomparewellenough，onthewhole，withthoseofthepastorofothercountries;butwhenwethinkofwhattheymightandshoulddointhewayofbringingorderandreasonintooursociety，388andofthelifethatisgoingtowastebecausetheydonotnourishandguideit，thereisnocauseforcongratulation。
Inourhighereducationthereisasomewhatsimilarmixtureofnewmaterials，imperfectlyintegrated，withfragmentsofadecadentsystem。Theoldclassicaldisciplineisplainlygoing，andperhapsitisbestthatitshouldgo，butsurelynothingsatisfactoryhasarisentotakeitsplaceAmongthemanythingsthatmightbesaidinthisconnectionIwilltouchupononlyoneconsideration，generallyoverlooked，namelythevalueofacommontypeofculture，correspondinginthisrespecttowhatusedtobeknownas“theeducationofagentleman。”Sincethedecayoftheclassicaltypesetinourhighereducation，notwithstandingsomuchthatisexcellentinit，hashadpracticallynocommoncontenttoserveasamediumofcommunicationandspiritualunityamongtheeducatedclass。
Inthisconnectionasinsomanyothersthequestionariseswhetherevenaninadequatetypeofcultureisnotbetterthannotypeatall。
Notonlywastheclassicaltraditionthewidestandfullestcurrentofhigherthoughtwehad，butitwasalsoatreasuryofsymbolsandassociationstendingtobuildupacommonideallife。BeginningwithDanteallimaginativemodernliteratureappealstothemindthroughclassicalallusionandreverberation，which，minglingwithnewerelements，wenttomakeupacontinuingbodyofhigherfeelingandidea，uponwhichwasnourishedacontinuingfellowshipofthosecompetenttoreceiveandtransmitit。