The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-09-29
FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS SPY.
EDUCATION.-No. 4.

mr. Edltor,-In our last we endeavored to shev
o ous' the introduction of the high branches int.
Tui SCHOOLS was ruinOus to the cause of science
! tfe scholars studying them being peneraIlv igno
rant oil the rudiments of an education. In hi,
NUMBER propose to shew the influence of Acade
mics and High Schools upon common education
aiau we no experience on the subject, we should
conclude with readiness that they would raise
the standard OF popular education and actually i'm
prove our district schools But as the case now is
we must hesitate before we draw our conclusion
Anese sehlnarles are actually and Indispensable
70 certain extent. Those who are pre-
PHths 10 enter college, can obtain their education
III Ineih much better than with private individual
Dut the question with us is, not whether they
are Denehcial to those whit are preparing for Col
Iege, put whether they are beneficial to the cause
VI oh Ehgi,sh education. admit that Academies
are valuable, if they not multiplied beyond
! measure. AT the present day High Schools are
established In almost every town; and consequent.
" most OF them are but poorly patronized. Now
what Is the consequence? 1t is this THE teach
ers IN these schools have to humor the folly of
Pils and parents, and let them study what they
please. IT we had but few High Schools, they
would feel themselves independent. The directors
ana teachers would say we are determined to main
tam the reputation of this school; and consequent
an scholars shall submit to our regulations and
snail not study the high branches until they are
acquainted with the first principles of science.
But now the case is different Most of these
schools instead of aspiring at eminence, are actu-
ally struggling for existence. And what course
must they pursue? Why. they must indulge the
vanity Of every scholar in order to obtain patron
age. Let High School be established in any
town, and It Is not the best scholars who attend
IL frequently happens that the most superficial are
the very ones who present themselves at those
schoois; when such scholars present themselves,
they VIII desire to attend to the high branches al
most exclusively To go to High School, and
study toto branches, appears to them like contra
olctlon. NO matter whether they have a correct |
or incorrect knowledge ofthe Spelling Book, Arth-
meuc, or English Grammar,-they must attend to
Rhetoric, Philosophy, &c. &C., they must study
something which has not been soiled by vulgar
handling.
Now in such cases, if the teacher is what he
ought to be- he knows very well that such branches
are improper for such scholars But he must either
indulge their vanity or lose their patronage. In
this situation he receives them, and permits them
to go on and attend to subjects totally useless to
persons in their situation. To show that scholars
frequently pursue this course, will relate an an
ecdote OF actual occurrence. Two young ladies,
fraught with vanity and ignorance, presented them
selves at Select School, and being asked what
they intended to study, answered, "French-we
have studied all the English languages, and we
should admire to know the French" The teacher
smiled and permitted them to attend to the French
languages Now if our Academies and High Schools
proceed on this principle, instead of correcting the
evils in our common schools, they will actually in
crease them; instead of making scholars thor
ongh, they will, in fact, make them more superb
cial. BY INDUCING that vanity which RACES like
pestilence. they win add to the malady and soon
produce If may so express it, intellectual des-
olation. Even the subject of English Grammar is
discarded, in no small degree, in some of our High
Schools: A young lady who had but superficial
of Grammar, told me recently, that she,
within year, had attended Academy of no
small note in the southern part of this State and
he preceptor told her it was not worth her while
% give any more attention to the subject of Gram
mar Now what must be the influence of High
Schools, when they discourage the study of our
'wn mother tongue, to make way for something
lot half as beneficial
Since High Schools are established in almost '
very town. young Misses of 10 and upwards, and
MASTERS OF IA and upwards, must be taken from
common schools, and sent to those higher semna-
les to study such branches as their own vanity or
ne ignorance OF their parents may suggest. Rhet-
'rlc, Philosophy, Chemistry, yea Botany and even
Mental Philosophy or Metaphysics, must engage
ranches quarrer, they will either feel them
elves above district school, or if they attend,
hey will desire to study all these branches to the
neglect of the more useful ones. And study them :
hey will, or the teacher will be branded with being
gnOrant or vulgar. And how can we expect that
hese scholars will consent to go from Euclid to
Addition, or from Mental Philosophy
o the sounds of the vowels or from Botany to the
directions for placing the Capitals, or from the
boundaries of the Universe to those of their own
own Such is the folly of the times that I was :
ecently asked by young Miss, who wished to
attend school six weeks, to acquant herself with
English Grammar, whether she had better study !
Latin or English, to obtain a knowledge of our ;
language
Now if our High Schools pursue this course, they
will actually injure the of SCIENCE by making
scholars superficial, Nor is this all If they are
generally patronized, people will begin to think
that our district schools Of but little conse-
lucnce. Thus these little seminares which have
raised New England to her greatness, will be neg
lected. The people will say that common schools
of but little consequence, except to teach the
alphabet, and the children of the poor and in future
we will raise less money for their support. This
is the natural consequence, and as far my know-
edge has extended, this, in some degree, has been
the effect in towns where these High Schools have
been established. regard the system Of educa-
ton adopted by the Friends; as superior to any
other. Instead of aspiring at what is beyond
them, they begin with the first, and most simple
branches, and proceed no faster than they can 60
Let this principle be adopted,
and science, that is, practical science, will in
crease. MIR. Editor / fear shall weary your pa
tence, and hence promise to conclude in my
next. PLAIN MAN.