=Obstacles in the path.=—­But it is far easier to depict democracy than to teach it.  In fact, the teacher is certain to encounter obstacles, and many of these have their source in American homes.  Indeed, some of the most fertile sources of discord in the school may be traced to a misconception of democracy on the part of the home.  One of these misconceptions is a species of anarchy, which appropriates to itself the gentler name of democracy.  But, none the less, it is anarchy.  It disdains all law and authority, treads under foot the precepts of the home and the school, flouts the counsels of parents and teachers, and is self-willed, obstinate, and defiant.  Democracy obeys the law; anarchy scorns it.  Democracy respects the rights of others, anarchy overrides them.  Democracy exalts good will; anarchy exalts selfishness.  Democracy respects the Golden Rule; anarchy respects nothing, not even itself.

=Anarchy.=—­When this spirit of anarchy gains access to the school, it is not easily eradicated for the reason that the home is loath to recognize it as anarchy, and resents any such implication on the part of the school.  The father may be quite unable to exercise any control over the boy, but he is reluctant to admit the fact to the teacher.  Such a boy is an anarchist and no sophistry can gloss the fact.  What he needs is a liberal application of monarchy to fit him for democracy.  He should read the Old Testament as a preparation for an appreciative perusal of the New Testament.  If the home cannot generate in him due respect for constituted authority, then the school must do so, or he will prove a menace to society and become a destructive rather than a constructive agency.  Here we have a tense situation.  Anarchy is running riot in the home; the home is arrayed against the attempts of the school to correct the disorder; and Democracy is standing expectant to see what will be done.

=Snobbery.=—­Scarcely less inimical to democracy than anarchy is snobbery.  The former is violent, while the latter is insidious.  Both poison the source of the stream of democracy.  If the home instills into the minds of children the notion of inherent superiority, they will carry this into the school and it will produce a discord.  A farmer and a tenant had sons of the same age.  These lads played together, never thinking of superiority or inferiority.  Now the son of the tenant is president of one of the great universities, and the son of the proprietor is a janitor in one of the buildings of that university.  Democracy presents to view many anomalies, and the school age is quite too early for anything approaching the caste system or snobbery.  The time may come when the rich man’s son will consider it an honor to drive the car for his impecunious classmate.