Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1837-03-08
SELF.EDUCATIoN.
BY JOHN NEAL.

But who are the privileged class in our
country, where all arc oqual--whcre VIC
have no kings, no princes, no nobility, TO
titles Look about you say again--look
about you, and Judge, every man for him.
self. Are they not the better educated ey-
cry wherc-and the children of the better
cducated-throughou the land? Go abroad
among your neighbors, and let all your ac-
quaintances pass in review before you.
and see if those who arc better off in the
world, more influential and happier than the
rest, other circumstances being equal, are
not all--all without any exception, better
educated than the rest? 1t is not college
education that speak of here; it is not G.
ven n school education, Obtained before
man sets up for himself, but it is education
at large, in the broadest and best sense of
the term-the education that any body may
give himself, any body at any age. Again,
therefore do appeal to yourselves to call
to mind any of your acquaintances who has
got ahead of his brethren-who is looked
up to, not only by them, but by others, end
my life on it, you find him better educa-
ted man, self educated or otherwise, care
not, better informed aboutsom things which
they do not consider of importance. I go
further, so perfectly satisfied am of the
truth of this doctrine-of the Importance of
things which the uneducated regard as triv-
ial, that would have this taught as fun.
damental truth, namely, that if two persons
were TO begin the world to-morrow-both
Of the same capacity-bo.h Of the same age
and character--having the same friends, the
same prospects and the same health--ho
who was best acquainted with the multiple
cation table would beat the other ia the long
run. ! would have it generally understood
as another maxim in morals, if not in reli-
gion, that every sort Of knowledge is Of
some value to every person, whatever may
be his character, station, or prospects. | do
not say that it would be of equal value to
every person, or that every sort Of know
lcge is alike necessary. | merely say that
we cannot acquire any useless knowledge.
But say those who appear to have under
standing in these matters, we have no time
to study, we are mechanics. No time for
study What have you no time, when q
huge ponderous body is to be lifted no
time to fix the lever and the fulcrum, 10
prepare the inclined plane or hitch the tao
kle? Is it economy Of time for you to do
that with your hands, which might be done
with the simplest piece of machinery
Would you SET your apprentices TO work,
| your journeyman and yourselves, TO lift and
carry, by main strength, what child might
push forward on roller, if you would but
take time enough to fix the roller Nv hat
would YOU say Of a man, who, instead Of
using the plough, as others do, should per.
sist in digging large field with a firc-sho-
vel, because he had never been brought up
to the plough? What of man, who in
stead of splitting his logs for Grc.wood, with
a beetle and wedge, were to saw them with
a key-hole saw, declaring all the while, that
as for him, he did not pretend TO know
much about mechanics, that key-hoe saw
was good enough for hm-and as for the
beetle and wedge and other out of the way
con,rivances, for his part no had no belief
in them. al.s
Would you not laugh at him as poor
economist of ti,nc--and verypoor reason
erl and would he rot be likely to continue
q very poor man ? Yet he would say no
more than you say, every man OF you, when
YOU declare you have no time for reading,
no time for study, no time to improve your
self, each in his particular trade, by STEP
ping out of tie circle he was brought up III.
How do you know but there is some short
or and easier way of doing all that you do
in YOUR workshops or factories 7 BE assur-
cd that there is a shorter and easier way
for ali of us-that there is no one thing we
L l.. IL
Have you not the proof continually before
your own eyes l--Are not the master cork
men, the orncrs, and the employers of 9TH
|. er men---are they not the men, who have
made the best use, not only Of their Fingers
but Of their thinkers3 ~. -
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