=Responsibility of the individual.=—­In society each individual raises or lowers the level of democracy according to what he is and does.  The idler fails to make any contributions to the well-being of society and thus lowers the average of citizenship.  The trifler and dawdler lower the level of democracy by reason of their inefficiency.  They may exercise their right to vote but fail to exercise their right to act the part of efficient citizens.  If all citizens emulated their example, democracy would become inane and devitalized.  Tramps, burglars, feeble-minded persons, and inebriates lower the level of democracy because of their failure to render their full measure of service, and because, in varying degrees, they prey upon the resources of society and thus add to its burdens.  Self-reliance, self-support, self-respect, as well as voting, are among the rights that all able-bodied citizens must exercise before democracy can come into its rightful heritage.

=The function of the school.=—­All this and much more the schools must teach effectively so that it shall be thoroughly enmeshed in the social consciousness or their output will reveal a lack of those qualities that make for the larger good of democratic society.  Democracy must be grooved into habits of thought and action or the graduates of the schools will fall short of achieving the highest plane of living in the community.  They will not be in harmony with their environment, and friction will ensue, which will reduce, in some degree, the level of democracy.  Hence, the large task of the school is to inculcate the habit of democracy with all that the term implies.  Twelve years are none too long for this important work, even under the most favorable conditions and under the direction of the most skillful teaching.  Indeed, civic economy will be greatly enhanced if, in the twelve years, the schools accomplish this one big purpose.

=Manifestations of democratic spirit.=—­We may not be able to resolve democracy into its constituent elements, but the spirit that is attuned to democracy is keenly alive to its manifestations.  The spirit so attuned is quick to detect any slightest discord in the democratic harmony.  This is especially true in the school democracy.  A discordant note affects the entire situation and militates against effective procedure.  In the school democracy we look for a series and system of compromises,—­for a yielding of minor matters that major ones may be achieved.  We look for concessions that will make for the comfort and progress of the entire body, and we experience disappointment if we fail to discover some pleasure in connection with these concessions.  We expect to see good will banishing selfishness and every semblance of monopoly.  We expect to find every pupil glad to share the time and strength of the teacher with his fellows even to the point of generosity, and to find joy in so doing.  We expect to find each pupil eager to deposit all his attainments and capabilities as assets of the school and to find his chief joy in the success of all that the school represents.