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Evidence that science was not slow in recognizing its duty and opportunity in this field of service is complete and convincing. It is found in the list of those who have shared in the work of these several Staffs. Many of the sciences and their branches have been represented; medicine and all of its numerous specialities, biology, chemistry, psychology, surgery, education, and sociology. All have given their services without thought of other reward than the success of The Training School Expedition, under the direction of Edward R. Johnstone since 1900.

The expedition, born of a dream, founded on faith, maintained on hope, has been in the field forty-five years. Its work, begun before the present era of large "Foundations" for scientific and humanitarian purposes, has been financed during all of those years by itself through the large and small gifts of money by generous friends who had an abiding faith in the value of its work for humanity. Equally valuable have been the gifts of time and service from the scientific and educational worlds.

What the influence and support of "The Gang," the "Paidological Staff," have meant during the years since that chance (?) meeting on the train in December, 1901, are seen in the development of the Summer School for Teachers, the Research Laboratory and the Extension Department.

Twice a year, at its own expense, the "Paidological Staff" assembles at headquarters, The Training School. Its more than forty members, reinforced by invited guests, represent great universities, public school systems, research laboratories and social welfare agencies. For a day they live in The Village of Happiness, breathing its atmosphere, observing its work and play, asking and answering questions, giving and getting inspiration. A common interest shared by many diverse interests holds them in close fellowship. This has gone on for thirty years. There must have been something in the Village very much alive and growing to have drawn and held their interest. Perhaps the reason for this is found in Earl Barnes' prophesy of 1903 -- "It may very well be that the most ignorant shall teach us most."

The members of the Staff live and work in the outer world in the midst of civilization's roar and ceaseless grinding. Each in his own sphere of service is engaged in the study and betterment of the human race. They are specialists in education, psychology, psychiatry, biology, medicine, surgery and public welfare.

No single mind can grasp the infinite details and delicate adjustments of the vast machine we call civilization. The Supreme Mind alone can understand, control and direct it. That Mind alone knows its ultimate destiny. The machine never stops. Its speed accelerates. It pours out its product relentlessly and a large part of it is damaged. Repairs must be made while it runs 'on high.'

The Village of Happiness is a slow motion picture of life in its every day living in a world of constant adjustment and readjustment of its children to meet their own needs. Those needs, in greater or less degree, are shared by all children, for all, in the Village or outside, are members of the same great family. The problems of childhood are the same in the Village as elsewhere. It is, in itself, a complete world in miniature where civilization's step is slowed down, a place where its processes can be followed more easily. The outside world presents its problems in the mass, with many unknown quantities. The Village world, unhampered and unhurried, working on the same problems, has reduced and is still reducing some of these unknown to known quantities. Little wonder then that the scientific world, as represented on the Paidological Staff, finds inspiration and help at The Training School for its own labors and brings to it the encouragement of its own interest and support.

Toward the closing decade of the last century Education was beginning to realize that she was badly astigmatic. For many years she had been crowding into her primary, secondary and higher institutions for learning all sorts of children. Her highest wisdom had been displayed in the method pursued in dividing these children into chronological age groups of forty or fifty or sixty, beginning about the sixth year after their birth, made up of both sexes, and in giving to each group daily doses of educational medicine during the school year. Each group was given the same dosage, fed out of the same bottle, with the same spoon. The second and each following year the strength of the mixture was increased but the same old bottle, old spoon and dosage were used. The method had stood the test of time for the great majority of children, but for a very considerable number of them the results, so far as intellectual growth was concerned, were not only not apparent but in many cases poisonous.

It was about this time some observant and anxious people began to ask Education why her intellectual suits, renewed or enlarged once a year, but all on the same pattern, fitted so many of the children so badly or not at all. These "whys" became more and more numerous and Education, unable to answer because she had taken too many things with her children as a matter of course, began to look herself over. First she sought the answer in material things, such as better and larger school houses, better equipment, revised and uniform school books or disinfected old ones. Yielding to religious or race bigotry she practically discarded the greatest and most inspirational text book of all time, the Bible.