education means conscious and definite training for certain specific types of social relationship. Social education for social progress, then, would use as means and end those types of social value and relationship which appear most likely to contribute to progress. Rightly conceived, it is a highly conscious instrument for selecting contributive rather than adaptive or dependent social types. Hence it must be universal and stand for generalizing opportunity, for distributing the products of human achievement in material goods and knowledge, and for a friendly, voluntary type of association in place of a coercive, exploitative relationship. In a word, social education aims to create social solidarity by means of a social type marked by service rather than exploitation."1

It is not easy to condense into a single formula the goal of human progress. But the following brief definition of progress is suggested. "It is the identification of personal interest with social interest to an increasing degree." Such harmony will not come at one swoop. It can come only as the fruit of continued human effort. Humanity cannot dodge the final responsibility for its fate. Man must work out his own salvation. Will he succeed? If he does, it will be by means of an increasing educational vision, and let us add, through the leadership of a force of consecrated educators. "Let education become dynamic, let it thrill with a vision of becoming the chariot horses and the chariot in which society shall urge itself forward to a better day, and men and women of first rank will arise and consecrate themselves to making the vision full reality. Without that vision 'educational measurements,' movements to increase 'school efficiency,' reforms of curricula, 'child study,' are but the clattering of machinery grinding chaff; with it they become the tools for generating the self-criticism and creative energies essential to the process of producing an environment in which Social Man can flourish and rise higher and higher above Man the Clod."

This article is not intended as a book review. If it were, it would be necessary to give more attention to the author's detailed

1 Theories of Social Progress, p. 521. 1 Theories of Social Progress, p. 534.

exposition and criticism of many historic theories of progress. We are interested rather in the educational significance of Professor Todd's sociology. Certain concepts and theses have stood out as important for us. The argument may be briefly summarized as follows. We are interested in social progress and in how to be progressive. We find progress to be a complex of many factors, material, intellectual and moral, all centering about human well being as their aim. As a prerequisite to the solution of any social problem it is necessary to have a true conception of human nature. On it the character of any reform depends. Fortunately human nature is plastic and adaptable. It is rich in variety and possibility. Which of the many possible 'selves' will become habitually dominant? We found the 'self' to be largely a social product, a reaction to stimulation from the social environment. Wholesome human character can therefore be developed by providing the right kind of social environment. Social progress requires a type of personality whose dominant interest centers in the social service ideal, a type which is contributive and not exploitative nor merely adaptive. Only an adequate system of social education can produce a citizenry of the contributive type. Social education is therefore the fundamental method of progress.

P

Possibilities of Positive Suggestion

GARRY C. MYERS, PH.D., HEAD DEPARTMENT PSYCHOLOGY, CLEVELAND SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, CLEVELAND, OHIO. •▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪OSSIBILITIES of positive suggestion in education are far from being realized. What can be done in this respect is illustrated by certain concrete programs recently developed by big industries which aim at cultivation of a wholesome morale among the workers of these industries, and by certain kinds of posters for campaigns in raising community welfare funds.

At the opening of the annual campaign last fall for the community welfare fund of the city of Cleveland, when all welfare organizations pooled their efforts and their funds received, the leading poster which appeared, and which soon was displayed everywhere, surprised the writer at first because it was an attractive picture. It gave no suggestion of suffering. Instead, it was the picture of a well cared-for, happy-looking child in his nighties, standing in his bed in a playful posture, dangling his doll. In contrast is the weaker but negative suggestion, "Suppose Nobody Cared," which is the title of the poster. The story goes that the artist painted that poster from an actual friendless child, whom, for the occasion, he had well dressed and in such a happy attitude as any prospective giver would want his or her child, or the children of their friends, to be. Undoubtedly the picture had the desired effect, if numerous descriptions of the experiences of those who saw the picture have a meaning. Presumably, the giver could picture, by help of this poster, the happiness that his gift would help to bring to many a child, and thus increase his happiness in giving, as well as the size of his gift.

Another artist, Garrit A. Benneker, with the vision of the power of the positive suggestion, has demonstrated this same lesson among the workingmen of a large industry. He conducts the first

and only art studio of its kind in America and, perhaps, in the world. He interprets for the workingmen of that industry the loftier life ideals and the best principles of Americanism by painting portraits of actual workingmen in that industry who strongly represent such ideals. This industry, the Hydraulic Steel Company, publishes a monthly magazine which it circulates free among its men. The obvious aim of this publication is to promote good feeling among all the personnel of that industry, as well as to help each man best to aspire to realize his greatest opportunities and to be most useful as an American citizen.

This manzine is unique in that it deals chiefly with real men and refers to them by their real names. On the cover page of each issue there is reproduced a painting of an actual workman of that factory. Mr. Benneker helps the men of this industry interpret this picture. He writes on the inside cover page of each issue about the man whose picture he has painted, and he draws from this man's service forceful lessons on lofty ideals and Americanism. For example, on the cover page of October, 1920, is a reproduction from the painting entitled, "Steve Rigo-Galvanized American." On the inner side of this cover the artist writes a page on the subject, "Steve Rigo-Galvanized American":

"From the fields of Northern Minnesota men take clay in form of red iron ore; men load it into freight cars, into steel hulls of Great Lake freighters; men build and operate these trains and ships; men unload them.

"From Pennsylvania and from our own State of Ohio, men mine more clay in the form of black coal and gray-white limestone and dolmite; men bore the rock for oil and gas, with which men melt up these several forms of clay into liquid iron; men refine it into steel; men form it into all kinds of useful articles for men; among them, rims at our Welding Plant.

"Men dip these rims into troughs containing another form of clay-liquid zinc-from which they come forth galvanized-protected against rust and decay. It is here you will see Steve Rigo, galvanizing rims.”

Then, referring to the many "oppressed hearts and souls in foreign lands, waiting-waiting only for a chance to share in this new land" of liberty and opportunity, he continues:

"When they come to our shores-as clay to the refining furnace, they too, are going to stand by and fight for the preservation of that liberty and opportunity,-they too are going to put on that protecting coat of American citizenship and become Galvanized 'Americans like Steve.

"Steve came to America twenty-five years ago, has six children, all American born, who are soon to take an active part in the management and preservation of American liberty. Steve is not going back to rust in the field from which he came. 'No,' says Steve, 'America-My Country.''

Isn't this real Americanization?

The cover page of the September issue of the same magazine gives a reproduced painting of "Homer White-Constructive Radical." On the inside cover page Mr. Benneker the artist says, among other things:

"Now there are two kinds of Radicals. One kind believes in bringing about their changes by tearing down, destroying everything that exists. They never stop to reason that as a man's family grows he does not tear down the little old house over his head before he has built a new and larger house to move into. "The other kind of radicals believe in building anew first before they discard the old, and these are Constructive Radicals.

"Our whole Hydraulic Organization, from workmen in the plant to president and officers in management, is made up of Constructive Radicals . . . and such a Constructive Radical is Homer White at the Canton Plant.

"Homer is a heater. He wears a stubbed beard to protect his face from the intense heat of the furnaces he tends. Yes,-he looks like a radical, but look into his sincere eyes and you will find he is a constructive radical, the kind that makes him a leader of men, because he has their confidence and respect."

Let it be remembered that these paintings are of real men