The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-01-01

UNLESS lnlS preparatory favorable llpTeS
sion be made, and this desirable informa-
, ton be communicated. we must expect that
few substantial beneficial results will be
realized, and little of the ultimate purpose
of progress ard improvement be success
full " and efectuatly accomplished.
In your instructions 70 teachers, you
will not forget to urge upon them the i'm
portance of habituating their pupils to
think, to reflect and reason for themselves.
The opinion is prevalent that our schools
have degenerated within the last twenty
five or thirty years. The true and pre-
else state of the case perhaps is, that more
information, more knowledge of things, is
now acquired, than formerly; but pupils
leave school with less of vigorous, set're-
wing and independent thought, and con-
sequently with less energy of character.
Formerly, the pupil had often to grapple
with subjects abstruse and difficult, and
perhaps entirely beyond his capacity yet
the mental effort pat forth in the struggle
was useful, and when difficulty was once
fairly surmounted, the success was calcu-
lated to inspire confidence for future efforts
Now, the various branches of study pur>
sued in schools are so simplifed as to
render the business of study little more
than mere process of committing 10 mem.
Dry and teachers have found it easy 10
spare themselves the labor of keeping the
other powers and faculties of the pupils
mind in full and active exercise. And
some have not supposed that this involved
any neglect upon their part. Two oppo>
site systems of education are urged at the
present day, and strenuously contended
for, by their respective advocates. The
one looks exclusively to mental discipline;
the other would store the mind with &nowl-
edge directly adapted, as it is asserted, 10
the useful purposes Of life The one sends
forth his pupil TO fight his way through
life, a giant in vigor and strength of limbs,
but unarmed, and Jeff to pick up his weap-
ons as chance may furnish them; the
other sends him out into the world COM
paratvely STRIPPING, bu! loaded with i'm
pIements of warfare, which he has neither
strength nor skill TO WELD TO any effective
purpose. Here doubtless, as in thousands
of cases where opinions are in conflict,
"tru!h lies between extremes We be-
lieve however, that the prevailing error
in our common schools, lies on the side of
too great neglect of the important object
of securing a harmonious development of
all the faculties of the pupils mind,-
The rejecting and reasoning powers. cs-
pecially, being left TO droop and become
enieebIed from inaction. And hence
while we would not, on theS'one hand,
con6ne pupils to the study of Pixies arith-
metc, Fuxions and Hebrew, for the pur-
pose Of securing mental discipline, growth |
and vigor, we would not on the other
hand, leave them entirely to the compara>
lively enervating employment of gather
ing and storing up facts in geography,
history, chemistry, and the other natural
sciences. Yet even in the pursuit of these
studies the whole mind may be brought
into a good degree of exercise, by proper
effort on the part of the teacher to engage
its various powers. Under this view of
the subject, the difference of the results Of
school instruction now and formerly, is |
not necessary consequence OF the SIM
plication spoken Of; nor can this simpli>
ication be deemed otherwise than benef~
cial, when other measures are Instituted
in reference 10 it; for it at least often saves
toll that is comparatively if not entirely,
fruitless.
Any suggestions, however, which ]
can now offer, must of course be very
general in their character. Your own |
labor will be worthily bestowed in inves.
tigating the nature, cause and remedy OF
evils or defects existing, whether in rela.
ton to this or any other point. Indeed
various objects will come within the scope
of your attention and care, which | cans
not, and need not, advert 10. Not only
are you made the direct and immediate
agents for carrying into effect the bene-
fetal provisions and purposes of the law,
but it lies mainly with yourselves 10 de.
eide in what manner your agency shall
be exerled, and to what specific points it
shall be more especially directed. The
great and ultimate object is, the elevation
and advancement of our common schools;
and this object affords a wide field, not
merely for direct effort, but for the exer>
else Of your highest skill in devising the
means and mode best adapted to secure the
speedy, efecual and complete accom-.
plishment of the grand purpose. What
more lofty and comprehensive subject
could you desire for the exercise OF your
or the application Of your ener>
gies than that of education2 1t has re.
spect 10 the wide world Of nature, of NOR
ais, and of mind and its object is, to pre-
pare us for the highest degree of useful
ness OF which we are capable, and the
highest happiness Of which our nature is
susceptible. The more you contemplate
the subject, the more distinctly will its
various points appear, and the more will