4.  As a concrete example of children being punished for the sins of their fathers even unto the third and fourth generation, read the history of the Juke family.

5.  To what extent does the school share the responsibility for the improvement of the physical and moral quality of the children of the future?

6.  What kind of teaching is needed to meet this responsibility?

7.  Reliable authorities have estimated that 60 per cent or 12,000,000 of the school children of America are suffering from removable physical defects; that 93 per cent of the school children of the country have defective teeth; and that on the average the health of children who are not in attendance at school is better than that of those who are in school.  In the light of these facts discuss the failure or success of our schools in providing fit material for efficient citizenship.

CHAPTER V

THE TEACHER-POLITICIAN

=The politician defined.=—­The politician has been defined as one who makes a careful study of the wants of his community and is diligent in his efforts to supply these wants.  This definition has, at the very least, the merit of mitigating, if not removing, the stigma that attaches to politicians in the popular thought.  Conceding the correctness of this definition, it must be evident that society is the beneficiary of the work of the politician, and would be the gainer if the number of politicians were multiplied.  The motive of self-interest lies back of all human activities, and education is constantly striving to stimulate and accentuate this motive.  Even in altruism we may find an admixture of self-interest.  The merchant who arranges his goods artistically may hope by this means to win more patronage, but, aside from this, he wins a feeling of gratification.  His self-interest may look either toward a greater volume of business or to a better class of patrons, or both.  While he is enlarging the scope of his business, he may be elevating the taste of his customers.  In either case his self-interest is commendable.  A successful merchant is better for the community than an unsuccessful one.

=Self-interest.=—­The physician is actuated by the motive of self-interest, also.  His years of training are but a preparation for the competition that is certain to fall to his lot.  He is gratified at the increase of his popularity as a successful practitioner.  But he prescribes modes of living as well as remedies, and so tries to forestall and prevent disease, while he is exercising his curative skill.  He tries not only to restore health, but also to promote good health in the community by his recommendations of pure food, pure water, fresh air, and exercise.  His motives are altruistic even while he is consulting self-interest.  None but the censorious will criticize the minister for accepting a larger parish even with a larger salary attached.  The larger parish will afford him a wider field for usefulness, and the larger salary will enable him to execute more of his laudable plans.