Education by Gramophone
"NOTHING can replace the personality of a good teacher," said the Spectator a year ago "—but how can we expect that this rare gift, rendering its pos- sessor pre-eminent in any walk of life, should become the especial prerogative of the class-room ? " A promise was made then to our readers that the possibilities of education by gramophone would be discussed further. In fulfilment of this pledge, I visited the office of the International Educational Society at 91 Petty France, S.W. 1.* The scheme, since I heard the first few records, repro- ducing the voices of the late Sir Edmund Gosse, Pro- fessors Conway, Julian Huxley, Sir Charles Oman, and others, has certainly progressed, but it has not gone as far or spread as fast as it should. New ideas always take some time to percolate into the consciousness of those who would most benefit by them. The whole problem of Adult Education, for instance, is to convince the public that it has still something to learn after leaving school : there is no particular difficulty about supplying cultural material once the demand for it has been created ; the trouble is to overcome the mental inertia that affects us all at various times. Similarly, once the convenience of these mechanical voices is rightly understood, thous- ands, indeed millions, of people will become desirous of summoning them to speak.
Think of the pleasure of a talk with Sir Oliver Lodge on Time and Space. His voice comes out of a box just as it sounded at his own fireside, bringing him close to us. Here is one of the most distinguished of living scientists telling us of the glimmer of a star that started on its journey to earth long before men or animals as we know them existed ; we range with him through the trackless
* Controller : F. B. Ransford, Esq., 91 Petty France, S.W. 1.
depths of ether and consider the borderlands of infinity ; we cannot see him (although that may come) but we are privileged to enjoy an intimacy that print cannot give. Sir Oliver has spoken. He returns to the latent darkness and Mr. Drinkwater takes his place, to read us some of his poems. Or we can ask Professor Barcroft to tell us about the scent of musk, which so strangely disappeared from the world about twenty years ago ; or Professor Huxley to discourse on those elaborate eugenists, the Ants, some of whom are born as policemen, with whistles in their mouths. This is a strange world, and we should be surprised at nothing, but I confess to a sense of awe when I reflect that the voices of these gentlemen can be replaced in their buff envelopes and lie there flat, teeming with all kinds of stimulating knowledge until my friends or I are in the mood to hear them again.
We use our eyes so much that the mind becomes deadened to impressions through that gate. Through it passes a stream of print—begging letters, price lists, the day's news mixed with advertisements, suggestions of every kind which we have learned in self-defence to scan with caution—a spate of ideas that swirls on us in de- liberate confusion. Indeed, fortunes are being made by the professional confusers : the men who are most expert in distracting our mind from the column dealing with the future of Poland to the adjacent space describing the advantage of a particular beer or boot-polish. Through the ears ideas come to-us more slowly and simply ; but no one can be always in the company of great men. To hear them we make long journeys and sit in stuffy rooms, considering the time well spent, as it is. It is well spent, but four-and-sixpence laid out• on a record of the Inter- national Education Society is also an investment, and one which will yield pleasure and profit not only once and to ourselves, but always and to many.
Why do not the readers of the Spectator who take an interest in their Village Halls, or in Working Men's Clubs, present a set of these records to places where they will be a source of inspiration and help ? Why also do not all our readers hear the records themselves ? Not one of us is so wise that he would not profit by such an extension of his range of interests, nor so busy that he cannot listen for twenty minutes—at ease in his chair, while dressing in the morning, at meals—wherever it suits his mood—to the wisdom here garnered and made accessible on literature, history, science, the study of the classics, art, and music, or the work that is being done for peace and prosperity at Geneva.
Why, I venture to ask, does not every branch of the League of Nations Union purchase a record of what Sir Eric Drummond and Lord Cecil have to say of the organization, or Dame Rachel Crowdy of the social work of the League ? Surely also those of us who are seeking for a better understanding between nations will want to hear Sir Arthur Salter on " The Return to Prosperity," Mr. Butler on the International Labour Office, and Sir Henry Lugard on the Mandate System ? In other, but related spheres, we have the Chief Scout on " Boy- Scout Training," Dr. Ballard on " The Changing School," Mr. Amery on the Empire. Each of these subjects should have their groups of listeners. The last, particularly, is a record that should be known throughout the country.
From Spain and Madeira have come inquiries and orders to the International Educational Society. The United Farmers of , Winnipeg have asked for records. The Universities of Montana, Texas, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Hong-Kong, Dacca,, and Johore have installed, or are installing, gramophone libraries. The British Consul at Helsingfors has purchased six records, and the Consul at Isfahan eight. Thirteen ships of the merchant marine are to have the records, and some have also been pur- chased by two of His Majesty's prisons. All this shows interest, but not that wildfire of wonder and enthusiasm which should have been evoked by the possibilities of the Society. I wish it could expand more quickly. It is a non-profit-making organization : everyone who buys one of its records is not only getting good value, therefore, but encouraging a good work.
By word of mouth, as I have suggested, thoughts filter through to the brain more slowly and purely than by writing : here in the coarser, stronger medium I have tried to make the idea as plain as print can, but there is more in it than meets the eye. Those with ears to hear and a few sixpences to spend on a new thing should realize in themselves how light and learning may be spread in the coming years. I hope that many will make
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