The Education of Man

IT is for man that education must exist. Such a statement may seem too obvious to make at all. Yet its meaning is rarely understood today. Too many contemporary educators fail to recognize the central point of man in the educative process. There is lavish talk of education for the masses, education for today, education for tomorrow, education for democracy, education for business, education for science and industry, education for power and even education for death. But the real problem is education for man. Man may make various uses of his education in contributing to political and social enlightenment, in increasing our technological control, in elevating the standards of the multitude, and in diminishing human pain and suffering (or in increasing the agony of men by multiplying methods and instruments of war and death). These uses, however, are after-products. The particular product — and the root-problem — is man and his personal and spiritual awakening, growth and fulfillment.