Series Fourteen - Ethical Addresses and Ethical Record

Ed Porter Explaining the Importance of Archives

I've now had a chance to see the originals of some of the items to be included in the Bibliography, and it was quite interesting, especially when the originals had not yet been bound together into a large volume.  These small sections devoted to inspirational readings or music were originally separate books that could be tucked into a pocket or purse.  Seeing the originals in the archives of the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture (thank you, Ed Porter and Team for allowing me to join you for a couple of hours) and in the Adler Study and general archives at the New York Society for Ethical Culture also gave me a better sense of the magnitude of the task.  "We're gonna need a bigger boat" doesn't begin to touch it!  Still it was wonderful to meet all the folks who are involved in preserving the archives of Ethical Culture.  I know there are others that I have yet to meet--and I look forward to doing so.  I will write more about the project and potential plans for the work as they develop.  In the meantime, this part of the project continues.

Series Fourteen of Ethical Addresses and Ethical Record (EA&ER) continues the transformation of that AEU publication into an omnibus for development of thought about Ethical Culture, practical discussions of moral education for children and youth, and documentation of the progress and development of the Movement.  As well, this volume includes an independent section of inspirational verse, widespread focus on international strife and hopes for peace, and the full constitutions of the International Union of Ethical Societies and the American Ethical Union (with a bonus listing of the officers of the AEU on p. 314).  Promotional listings of additional printed material are included on pages 142 and 286.

The AEU held a conference, entitled "The Moral Education of the Child," May, 1907.  Three presentations from that conference were included in the final issue of EA&ER for that year.  James H. Leuba contributed a discussion of the moral nature of the child; Alice L. Seligsberg reported on moral instruction in the public schools; Robert A. Woods commented on ethical construction as part of Ethical instruction.

Another set of entries focused on "The Russian Situation," with two speeches by Alexis Aladin and Nicholas Tchaykovsky with that title.  The speeches are prefaced thusly:

[The following addresses by Alexis Aladin, leader of
the peasants, and member of the Group of Toil in the first
Duma, and Nicholas Tchaykovsky, were given before the
Philadelphia Ethical Society, Sunday, March 17th, just
after a lecture by Mr. William M. Salter, of Chicago, on
"The Russian Revolution." Mr. Salter's lecture will be
printed in the April number of the International Journal
of Ethics.]

Salter's lecture, in IJE 17/3 (1907), is available through JSTOR.  In that lecture, he explained why he felt that a revolution--like those in France and colonial America--was needed in Russia, leading to a democratic government and new hope for those then oppressed by the Czar.

One additional point of interest in this volume:  David Saville Muzzey was at this point in his career on the verge of becoming a major influence in the US by virtue of the high school history textbooks that he would publish.  These books would eventually dominate the entire nation as means of educating youth in the the history of their country.  That these books were racist in their orientation toward Native Americans and former enslaved persons should not take away from the Muzzey's contributions to the thought and practice of Ethical Culture.  Except they do.  It is hard to read his lecture ("Three Hundred Years of English Settlement in America") without sensing the taint of what is unspoken in his praise of "the glorious freedom of such a faith" (as Ethical Culture) and cringing.

And, finally, there are the Constitutions.  That of the AEU mirrors that of the IUES in several ways, most notably as to "Objects":

AEU Constitution, 1907

The AEU General Aim says "any," the IUES General Aim says "all" when referring to "theological and metaphysical considerations."  In Special Aims, the two organizations refer to their specific geographical areas (the US vs. the world), and IUES takes on the additional task for its (g):  "To maintain an International Ethical Library."  Otherwise the two organizations share the same General and Special Aims on different scales.