Mankind in the MakingWells, H. G. (Herbert George)
Philosophy
Mankind in the Making
Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)
Social problems; Social sciences
We may begin upon this complex most hopefully by picking out a few of
the conspicuous and typical elements and using them as a basis for an
exhaustive classification. To begin with, of course, there is the home.
For our present purpose it will be convenient to use “home” as a general
expression for that limited group of human beings who share the board
and lodging of the growing imperial citizen, and whose personalities are
in constant, close contact with his until he reaches fifteen or sixteen.
Typically, the chief figures of this group are mother, brothers and
sisters, and father, to which are often added nursemaid, governess,
and other servants. Beyond these are playmates again. Beyond these
acquaintances figure. Home has indeed nowadays, in our world, no very
definite boundaries--no such boundaries as it has, for example, on the
veldt. In the case of a growing number of English upper middle-class
children, moreover, and of the children of a growing element in the life
of the eastern United States, the home functions are delegated in a very
large degree to the preparatory school. It is a distinction that needs
to be emphasized that many so-called schools are really homes, often
very excellent homes, with which schools, often very inefficient
schools, are united. All this we must lump together--it is, indeed,
woven together almost inextricably--when we speak of home as a formative
factor. The home, so far as its hygienic conditions go, we have already
dealt with, and we have dealt, too, with the great neglected necessity,
the absolute necessity if our peoples are to keep together, of making
and keeping the language of the home uniform throughout our world-wide
community. Purely intellectual development beyond the matter of language
we may leave for a space. There remains the distinctive mental and
moral function of the home, the determination by precept, example,
and implication of the cardinal habits of the developing citizen, his
general demeanour, his fundamental beliefs about all the common and
essential things of life.
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