In the third

With the regeneration of physical existence goes, in the case of human beings, the hobby of beliefs, ideals, hopes, happiness, unhappiness, and practices. The continuity of any experience, through renewing of the social group, is a literal fact. Education, in its broadest sense, is the means of this social continuity of life. Every one of the constituent elements of a social group, in a modern city as in a savage tribe, is born immature, unable to help, without language, beliefs, ideas, or social standards. Each individual, each unit who is the carrier of the life-experience of his group, in time passes away. Yet the life of the group goes on. The primary ineluctable facts of the birth and death of each one of the ingredient members in a social group determine the necessity of education. On one hand, there is the contrast between the immaturity of the new-born members of the group  its future sole representatives -- and the maturity of the adult members who possess the knowledge and customs of the group. On the other hand, there is the requirement that these immature members be not merely physically preserved in adequate numbers, but that they be initiated into the interests, purposes, information, skill, and practices of the mature members: otherwise the group will cease its characteristic life. Even in a savage tribe, the achievements of adults are far beyond what the immature members would be capable of if left to themselves. With the growth of civilization, the gap between the innovative capacities of the immature and the standards and customs of the elders increases. Mere physical growing up, mere mastery of the bare necessities of survival will not suffice to reproduce the life of the group. Deliberate effort and the taking of thoughtful pains are required. Beings who are born not only unaware of, but quite indifferent to, the aims and habits of the social group have to be rendered cognizant of them and actively interested. Education, and education alone, spans the gap.