117. Dr. Reinhold Biese “Fundamentals of Modern Humanity Education”

In eight chapters: Development of socio-ethical culture, the origin of language, language and thought, the sounds of language, the development of writing, the development of moral-religious ideas among the Greeks, philosophy of art, science, the author gives the main features of the content of modern education. In a preface, he develops his ideas in an attractive form on how our higher educational institutions can be given a development appropriate to the times through the conversion of mere memorized knowledge into organically absorbed educational material. Knowledge should be transformed from a mere collection of material details into a living skill, so that the educated person is able to see through the surrounding circumstances with a sure eye and to give them the desirable direction according to the current state of cultural development. Instead of dead formal stuff, Biese wants to deal with a sense of orientation in the world and in life. These are general propositions whose correctness is not in doubt. The only question is: what needs to be done to reform our secondary schools in this direction? Biese offers very little to answer this question. The answer would have to consist of two parts: ı. What direction should teacher training take in future? 2. What educational material will lead pupils most safely to the stated goals?

There is no doubt that a great deal needs to be done in both respects. The exclusively "scholarly" interest that is rooted in our secondary school teachers, because their previous education only imbues them with such an interest, must be replaced by studies of culture, art history, philosophy and, in particular, psychology, which are obligatory for every future secondary school teacher, with an interest in the free development of human nature. The future teacher must be capable of two things: studying the great developmental process of humanity and observing the individual nature of every single person. Only equipped with these preconditions will he be capable of his true educational task: integrating the individual into the correctly understood total development process of humanity in accordance with the special dispositions inherent in the former.

The individual chapters of Biese's book are stimulating throughout. Everyone will enjoy reading them. The author combines his knowledge of recent views from the fields of ethnology, linguistics and national economics with an eye for the ideal areas of human activity, sharpened by a deeper understanding of the spirit of the classical period. The latter is particularly evident in his remarks on art. The laws of artistic creation and enjoyment are dealt with in a straightforward manner. Everywhere a spirit rooted in the humanism of the classical period is expressed. Some things could have been deepened, some things sharper in expression, but everything is borne by a noble spirit and a fine way of looking at things. The same can be said of the overview of the individual sciences and their interrelationships. To summarize: Biese's book will be useful to anyone who wants to familiarize themselves with the humanistic educational content of our time in a comfortable way. From this point of view, we recommend it to the widest circles.