Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1841-05-15
FoR THH TIMEs,


journals and in almost every circle OF society.
There are few, especially among our YOUTH who
do not evince great anxiety for mental i'm =.
provement nor do parents appear less DESTROYS OF
procuring the means of instruction for their GILL
dren, than they are to avail themselves Of it,
; when attained. Nothing excites in the mind OF
contemplative Observer sensations OF more
pleasurable character, than the praise. worthy
efforts now made in Missouri 10 erect high
standard Of moral and intellectual cultivation.
But are there not some fears, in these ncipient
stages Of intellectual advancement, that a real
injury may be done to the cause Of education, by
too eager desire to proceed from state of com.
mon school instruction, 10 the higher grades OF
Academies and other Sc mnares without number.
, in which, branches are attempted to be taught,
which the pupil is unprepared 10 learn, and which,
| am sorry to say, in too many cases. the teacher
is unable 10 teach, having only an imperfect
knowledge Of them himself? To illustrate my
meaning, we will suppose, that in some Of these
institutions, the students are pursuing various
sciences; such ns Philosophy, Rhetoric, Astron-
omy, &C., without an efficient knowledge Of
; spelling or reading. much less OF English Gram.
mar, Geography or Arithmetic, so Indispensable
in the prosecution OF an education. Now is it
not apparent to the most superficial observer,
that student thus prematurely hurried, will learn
very imperfecty, branches, which we all know
are useful and importantto US, only in proportion,
, as they are understood?
: The idea OF students engaging seriously in
the study Of Astronomy, without an accquant-
ance with common Arithmetic or even some
higher branches Of the Mathematics, is entirely
preposterous, and should be regarded as an OBJ
struclion to the diffusion Of knowledge, rath er
I than an evidence that we are on the advance.
Children thus unnaturaly urged forward in their
literary and scientific pursuits, mbbe far more
the lessons Of pedantry and arrogance, than they
i, do those Of knowledge and wisdom. At Acad.
emies Of this grade the whole ambition Of the
teacher, and the whole business Of the pupil,
| seem to be TO show off at an examination. Hence
we see nothing like solid and useful study-we
= hear Of nothing but compositions and speeches,
i except perhaps, the recitation Of few pages in
each of half dozen different sciences, as par
rot repeats sounds, he does not understand, and
: words, which though full Of meaning to others
=, are foreigners Language 10 him. Your reader:
). mus, not understand me as disparaging such ex
IS ercises as these. By no means. am only anx
= ous that more attention be paid to the solid and
n useful branches, while these, which now occupy
IS the chief place in these Academies, shall take a
subordinate stand, and be prac,iced mostly as
- recreation from more serious studies. | an
# utterly opposed to the community's having i'm
s. posed upon it, race Of ignorant pedants, who
e pretend 10 scientific attainments, when they are
y in fact, not sufficiently advanced TO be aware o
the utter poverty Of their intellect Before we
claim the character Of an enlightened and edu
Gated people, let us prepare to give indubitable
J. evidenc. that we are really what we seem TO be
It This cannot be done without a thorough and
judicious system Of common school education
IT Our sons and daughters must be efficiently in
II structed in the minor branches before they are
- advanced to the higher grade Of Academic in
structfon. While we are aroused on the subiec
It daon broad and deep, that the supersructur
re we rear, may be durable and useful.
In what manner can this be done? answe
ct let no parent suffer his son or daughter to forsak
a the elementary principles Of an education at tn
10 suggestion OF every pedagoSuc who wishes Il
o establish an Academy, to get a smat,ering it
~ some half dozen branches Of science, whicI
=, can never be useful to the studeat, because i'm
:. perfectly understood There are many men en-
:. gagged in teaching what they call Academies, who
: out Of mere desire TO appear conspicuous il
the community, or perhaps from more mercenar
- considerations, advance children so rapidly fror
III the lower to the higher branches Of science tha
~ their minds are perfectly incompetent to the vi
Outstanding OF any subject we'll. And who aite
spending several years at school, go to college
where they mortified at being placed in som
VI Of the lower classes when they calculated o
q being prepared for the higher; otherwise the
le leave their studies and mingle with the worlC
where they soon forget the little smattering the
got at school, and from the wreck made OF the
intellect by injudcious instruction, they have n
taste to prosecute any study that requires
Vi effort and discipline. In confirmation Of III
lis fact how many do you meet with, who tell 20
rs, classics and sciences, but they now know nohu
Of them, that they have forgotten what the
iii learned &c7 Now let me ask is this encou