often very puzzling questions that arise in the midst of this daily experience.
Much has been written of late about the science, or philosophy, of education. And you can scarcely have failed to notice that I have ventured to an- nounce my subject as dealing with a certain branch of such philosophy. I have, in fact, proposed to speak of "The Teacher's Practical Philosophy." Let us then, first of all, consider what can be meant by a so-called philosophy of education. For it is with education that the teacher has to do in a pro- fessional way. It is for this reason that the un- couth word "educationalist," has of late been em- ployed to designate those who for some reason— it may be good, it may be bad— have been supposed to be preeminent in matters of education. For myself, I much prefer the old-fashioned word teacher; I desire no higher honor than to be called by this title.
To get some clear conception of the sonorous phrase, "philosophy of education," it is necessary to understand the use here made of each of the two words out of which the phrase itself is compounded. To give a most general, and therefore loose definition: Education is the development of the active powers, or so-called faculties, of human nature, so as to fit them the better for the performance of their functions in all the varying relations sustained toward their physical environment and toward
