State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-08-16
COMMUNICATIONS
For the State Journal.
REMARKS UPON THE STATE OF
AMERICAN EDUCATION. No. a.

OF the learner has been said to be OF prlma-
nv importance in the education of children !;
and no one, it is presumed, will attempt its
controversion. An admission of the prn-
ciple involves a necessity for the exercise of
much discretion in the Individual who shall
assume the responsibility of teacher, each
peculiarly, of habit, capacity and sensibili-
ty of the pupil, constituting a subject of
momentous consideration, which requires
a plenitude of ingenuity to reduce it to
successful practice.
The first and inevitably fatal embarrass-
ment, therefore, is the present almost uni
versal incapacity of school teachers, who
throw themselves upon community less
instructed, if possible, than themselves,
with whom they are enabled to pass off
their pedantry as learning and their dog
matism us infalibilty. This evil can be
Obviated in no other manner than by the
institution of polytechnic schools or schools
for the especial qualification of teachers,
who, alone, when duly qualified should
receive the public patronage, while tyros,
miksops and blockheads should be left to
less responsible omploymcnts than that of
moulding the literary character OF individu-
ais, communities and nations. Teachers
must be, themselves, educated, well and
practically, before they can be proftably
employed in communicating instruction to
others--a judgment, also, acute, appropriate
and matured is an indispensable adjunct to
the other qualifications of teacher who,
though he may, by tenacity OF memory,
alone, be enabled to ape superior acquire
ments by rehearsal of the sayings of the
wise, is, nevertheless, altogether incompe-
tent to the duties of instructor, unsupplied
with discretion competen, to dictate upon
all occasions.
Initiatory books constitute another SUBJ
ject ofsome alteration and enough apathy.
That they should be constructed in refer
ence to the principle of progressive ex-
FEASIBILITY of intellect, no rejecting indi-
vidual can persuade himself to doubt; and
yet SO inappropriate have been most of the
compilations, heretofore in use, that an in
calculable amount of time has been squan-
dered in unmeaning recitations, the mere
mimicry of sound. Education consists in
clear, distinct and practical apprehension of
facts and their legitimate principles, and
not, as multtudes suppose, in volubility of
speech, which is only medium of COM
munication, and exposes with equal facility
the wisdom of the sage, the imperiincnce of
the clown and the simplicity of the block
head, Words should be taught in connec-
ton with their commonest meaning and
sentences with their palpable intention, and
no word should be pronounced nor sen.
tence recited without distinct knowledge
of the definition of the former and full
conviction of the meaning of the latter
and until course shall have been adopted
and specifically pursued in consonanc,
with this principle, our literati will remain
plaglarists and our science contemplate
nimicry. Those who talk without idea,
have the peculiar advantage of being able
to talk necessarily without embarrassment
Children are altogether incapable of com
4 pretending the terms of abstract science
Principles, therefore, can only DO laugh
them in the form of allegory, the only sue
cessiul mode of enlightening the consum
I mately ignoront in every age of the world.
What benefit would child be able T.
derive from disqusition upon the abstrac
principle of Kindness, however perfect il
elocution, or impressive in sentiment, un
connected with its practical presentation
Would it not stare as at vacancy and won
der at the profundity Of wisdom whc
requires SO many analogous words to pre-
vent its being unprecedented? Reduce, O
the contrary, that principle to practice
d delineate it in the conduct of William an
Juliet as contrasted with that OF Robert an
Caroline and mature philosophy will scarce
ly succeed to higher appreciation of
Z than infancy itself. In all rudimental stud
les, then, which are susceptible of practic'
illustration, land no others should be pre-
sented to children) this course should b
\ most sedulousy observed. The period, I
which children should commence the
pupilage, constitutes another subject upo
which much discussion has been waste,
Different constitutions are known 10 cha
aaIerize the precocity or stupidity of pal