The digital edition of all books may be viewed on our website before purchase. Excerpt from The Curse of Education (Classic Reprint)
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“The author is careful to point out that, in giving this title to his work he has no desire to disparage culture. The term ‘education’ is used to express the conventional mode of teaching and bringing up children. It is with ‘educational systems, with the universal method of cramming the mind with facts, and particularly with the manufacture of uniformity and mediocrity by subjecting every individual to a common process regardless of his natural bent,’ that he has chiefly to find fault....In many ways we must confess to being thoroughly at one with Mr. Gorst, and whether writing of ‘Flourishing Mediocrity,’ ‘Square Pegs in Round Holes,’ ‘The Destruction of Genius,’ ‘The Output of Prigs,’ “Boy Degeneration,’ ‘Youth and Crime,’ ‘Mental Breakdown,’ or the many other branches of his subject, he is invariably interesting and penetrative. We would recommend this book to all who are concerned in one of the most important questions of the day.” -The Publishers' Circular and Booksellers' Record, July, 1901
“Mr. Gorst writes from Rousseau’s point of view; but whereas Rousseau blames civilization in general for human suffering and inefficiency, Mr. Gorst more philosophically blames education. The human race has for a few hundred years been misshaping itself by forcing its youth into the mould of a preposterous education; and we are today killing by the same means character, talent, genius, individuality; producing miscarriages of vocations and an output of prigs and misfits, where instead we might have a group of vigorous individuals, who, if more ignorant, would be better adapted to their environment, happier and more effective.” -The Ethical Record, October, 1901
'An able and suggestive book.'—The Spectator.
'It is a sane, healthy indication of the weak spots in the country's armour, and a practical attempt to indicate remedies.'—The Sunday Special.
'The author's contempt for the time-serving politician, who in this country has, unfortunately, come to count for so much in all governments—Tory or Liberal—will be shared by the thinking portion of his fellow countrymen.'—The Financial News.
'By such suggestions the author of "Drifting" does good service to the country.'—The Outlook.
I. FLOURISHING MEDIOCRITY
II. SQUARE PEGS IN ROUND HOLES
III. THE DESTRUCTION OF GENIUS
IV. HUMAN FACTORIES
V. THE GREATEST MISERY OF THE GREATEST NUMBER
VI. THE OUTPUT OF PRIGS VII. BOY DEGENERATION
VIII. THE STRUGGLE OF THE EDUCATED
IX. WOMAN'S EMPIRE OVER MAN
X. YOUTH AND CRIME
XI. MENTAL BREAKDOWN
XII. EVIDENCE OF HISTORY
XIII. THE APOTHEOSIS OF CRAM
XIV. THE GREAT FALLACY
XV. REAL EDUCATION
XVI. THE OPEN DOOR TO INTELLIGENCE
