Page:Education and Life; (IA educationlife00bakerich).pdf/93

 *tion of weaklings. Evolution does not claim to show that pleasure is always a criterion of useful action. Herbert Spencer in his "Ethics" says: "In many cases pleasures are not connected with actions which must be performed nor pains with actions which must be avoided, but contrariwise." He postpones the complete coincidence of pleasure with ideal action to the era of perfect moralization. We await the evolutionist's millennium. Much harm as well as much good has been done in the name of Spencer by well-meaning teachers, and much harm has been done in the name of physiological psychologists; we would avoid a misuse of their noble contributions to educational insight. Listen to a view of physiological psychology with reference to the law of habit: "Do every day or two something for no other reason than that you would rather not do it. The man who has daily inured himself to habits of concentrated attention, energetic volition, and self-denial in unnecessary things, will stand like a tower when everything rocks around him and when his softer fellow-mortals are winnowed like chaff in the blast." The fact is, it is impossible to create character, energy, and success without effort that is often painful. This view is an essential part of our theory of educational values.