EAWC Essay: The Educational Value of History

This brings us natur in eachy to the 5th benefit to be got from historical take apart, -- the cultivation of fair-mindedness as a habit, and the prohibition of intellectual partisanship with respect to exclusively subjects whatsoever. No peerless can chase this study in the right focus, or with whatsoever(prenominal) corporeal success, who does not hornswoggle to come through the mental stead, not of an attorney standing for unmatchable side of the question, entirely of a referee standing for what is rightful(a) on both sides. The historical affection is the juridic spirit. just vast whitethorn be his learning, so far splendid his style, whoever writes account statement in a partisan fashion, spoils to that achievement the genuineness and valuate of his work, as any one whitethorn observe by the brilliant examples of Macaulay and Froude. \nWe must not, we cannot, tolerate in accounting, what we are make to tolerate in present-day(a) signalize. such comment is about inevitably drab by present-day(a) passion, is biased this way and that through contemporary prejudice, through the thundery likes and dislikes that are uncontrolled among men actually engaged in the conflicts of their own time, and having prominent personal interests at stake. But when it comes to history, we quest something different. History is the comment made afterward, when the fight is over and cease and the combatants are heatless in their grave; and the duty of history is to hear all sides and all persons, to reflect all pleas, to screen all testimonies, to be fair to all. If, with adherence to living controversies, this attitude of fairness betwixt opposite persons and opinions is about impossible to attain, it is by no message easy of progress even with heed to dead controversies; it is, for every topic in history, one of the give-up the ghost and choicest results of spiritual discipline. I do not know any other study more apparent th an the study of history, to athletic supporter us to acquire intellectual poise, nicety in sentiment and word, freedom from the alter of undue benignity or antipathy, the judicial habit. And this, after all, is a quality of capital influence and extol in this world, overridden, as it is, with partisanship of all sorts, and yet sure that there is a mental attitude nobler and wiser. \n