Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1848-07-28
VIEWS ON EDUCATION.
BY y. SLATER, A NJ.

has already been remarked that education j.
not cause but an effect produced. Th,
effects designed 10 be produced in the mine
by the educational process, are the devel
opmcnt, improvement, discipline and ma
turlly offs powers; forming proper menta
habits; such as fit the mind for observation
reflection sound reasoning, and logical de
dnctlons. The different powers of the
mind are to be developed and cultivated il
due proportion. Ii there be a relative ex
cess or deficiency in the cultivation of any
OF them, 1t will not be well balanced. There
Will be too greata preponderancc in one III
| rcctlon or the other. The centre Of gray.
! lty IN their minds is not the right place
We frequently see persons whose minds
very much excel IN some powers, and are
as wotully deficient in others. In order
that each faculty should be developed and
cultivated, these objects of investigation and
exercises best adapted to developed and dis
cipline it should be brought before it.
The effects produced upon the mind itself
as an intelligent agent, consists in increasing
It's capacity, It's versatility, andlts availability
for all kinds ofinvestigation and for every
practical pursuit. That the effect to be pro-
duced upon the mind i,seIl is an important
part of education is manifest from the fact
that the mind like the body is at first in a
state of infancy and can be broghtto its dcs-
tined manhood only by this means. These
effects in fact constitute the change in ques-
lion. That this is generally considered by
The learned an important part of education
is obvious from the arrangement of studies
in our higher institutions.
Why are SO many branches pursued in
our Colleges and higher semnaries which
are not generally used in after life, even By
those who study them, unless it be on ac-
count Of disciplinary influence which those
studies have upon the mind In this point
OF view we see much utility III them; In
every arrangement Of studies for learners,
there should be special reference to the kind
and degree of disciplinary influence which
those studies will naturally have upon the
mind. In order TO give the mind a certain,
specific character. the means Of education
must be 50 arranged rs naturally to pro-
duce that result. Some things improve the
imagination, some the memory, some the
understanding, and some the Judgment
i I'C SlNdl XIV GISltN vi ilIIitI W lllCI w I HHu
in the community is not wholly owing TO
great diversity III original endowment. 1t
is more owing 10 diversity of habit. Habit
from infancy onward through life has an in
llucncR in giving character TO the mind
The lawyer from the nature Of his employ
mcnt cult.vatcs his critical acumcn. And
the physician for the SINE reason cuIuyacs
Il phiIosophcllturn of mind, tracing causes
10 their cicc;s their effects and effects to
their causes. 4 mind long accustomed 70
reason where the evidence /, demons tralIyc,
us is the case in the exact sciences, some
times becomes less able 10 reason where
the evidence is only probable and where
there are balancing considerations to be I'd
ken into account.
The sscond object of education, (thc ac-
QUESTION of available knowIcdgc,) is some.
times supposed to be the only Object sought,
in the educational process. 1t Is, however,
vastly important, though not the only OBJ
icct Extensive knowledge is highly use
lul in all the industrial pursuits Of man; in
agriculture in the mechanic arts, in manu-
features, i'll commerce, in all the learned
professions, in every condition of life, and
in all states of society, from the most saya-
re and barbarous TO the most civilized and
enlightened. The testimony Of General
JcSsup, respecting the cause OF the success
of the American arms in Mexico, is in point.
He attributes il To the education of the
troops. lie SAYS that General Scott had
more educated men in his army than ever
Napoleon commanded. II Napoleon, the
terror of all Europe, in the wars which he
carried on for the space of about twenty
wears with large armies. had no more cdu-
Gated men uder him than General Scott had
in his army of only few thousand in Mex
leo, and continued there only few months
either the American troops were exceeding
~ well educated, orlhc French troops were
exceedingly destitute Of it.
"Educalion makes the man. is maxim
full OF truth. Every exercise 10 his phys
zeal, mental and moral powers contributes
to his education. Every influence by
which he is surrounded, has bearing upon
his feelings, sentiments character and con-
duet. 1t is education which makes the
great characteristic difference among people
IN the same community, in The same motion
in different nations, and in difTcren ages of
the world. Their differences in character
attanmentS and condition, are owing more
To the farce of education lhan to the differ
enccs IN natural cndowments. How many
persons in all countries of naturally small
capacities, by dint OF application and pcrsc-
ycreancc, lar excel others OF greater original
cndowments. The power and availability
ol our capacities Tor every emergency and
pursuit Of life, depends mainly upon their
Improvement by cultivation. How is it
lhat the giant iulellects Of some OF our states
men have been 50 developed, inyisoratcd,
discipline and furnished with knowledge.
that they occupy an intellectual elevation
far above the range of ordinary minds -
We answer: this result has been obtained
BIZ long continued and vigorous application.
And how is it that some public speakers are
enabled TO discuss a subjcctas logically and
rs happily by cXlemporaueouS speaking as
/ by the most elaborate written discourse. 1t
is owing to peculiar kind of mental disci-
pine. lliS power which, by The right
| kind OF cultivation, might undoubtedly be
acquired much more generally than ii IS
4 Correct education greatly lncrescs the activ-