WORTH AND GOODNESS AS MARKS OF THE ABSOLUTE
CRITICISM BY PROFESSOR MEZES
Not unworthy of note, in the exercises of this
evening, is the fact that nearly all the participants
have stood to each other in the relation of teacher
and pupil. Only a few years ago, the meeting of
such persons in a public discussion would have been
nearly impossible; or, at all events, the key-note of
the meeting would most probably have been an
entirely genuine and yet somewhat monotonous
agreement. But a frank independence of thought is the
informing spirit of modern teaching in this country.
Teachers care comparatively little to have students
agree with them, but insist very strongly that
they shall think out their own thoughts for
themselves. Students are not merely informed of old
solutions. They are rather trained and encouraged
to think out new solutions, on the chance that the
new may supplement some of the imperfections of
the old. Some modern teachers even carry this so
far as positively to distrust such students as agree
with them. Now, Professor Royce is a typical
modern teacher; and, indeed, in what I have just
said, I am doing little more than repeat what I have
often heard him say to his classes. For a long time,
as I will now confess, it was desperately difficult to
