The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1849-03-23
fortke Free Trader.
Education.
No. III.


is true that the process Of education
begins with the dawn Of existence, that IT
ceases, neUcr. II continues 10 ihe close Of
our existence heT,-it must Continue IN the
world TO which we hasten. forever. "Ihe
world Is one great school. hou>e" in which,
not only all human beings, but even the
trees and rocks and running streams" and
the mnutest events aud circumstances Of
lie are teachers. But there is n period in
lie when most especially the process of ed.
ucation Is considered to be going on; when
this is the very object sought after. This
il the period OF youth passed IN what is, in
distinction from common life, termed the
school A better, a fuller less otiectiuua-
BILE definition OF education than what might
have been inferred ircm the remarks in our
last number, may be stated in the words of
one of the best thinkers in our land, at the
present day. He says: "Whcn we speak
at the education Of man, we mean a process
by which all his powers are developed aud
brought 10 answer the ends for which they
were constituted by infinite wisdom" This
is what we should seek Tor during every
period Of life pre- eminently during the
period spent III schul. To convince any
reasonable man or woman that educ alton
thus defined, is ueedful, is essential, is Of
importance to every human being, needs a
little careful thought ratherthan argument.
No objection can be raised to this, II co-
vers the needed grounds aud no more. II
remains then only to cnnsides by what
means "all the PIONEERS Of man can best be
developed and brought to answer the end,
for which they were designed by infinite
wisdom" As first step towards this. the
teacher must decide trhGi are these tends"
Unless he does this, he must work in the
dark and at iandum. No man can labor TO
any good purpose unless he have a definite
end in view, and il is vitality important TO
anything verify the ZANE o! success, that
this end be correct one. Let us enquire
then-do these sends" Of existence relate
10 this life uuly, or TO a higher. do they
relate TO self qualification alone, or to right
and duty? II the child TO be educated is 10
exist forever, if this world is only a scene
OF discipline aud trial for higher life, then
surely according TO our exposition. educa-
ton would tend TO fit him for tins higher
life: if the idea Of duty is to enter into all
his acts, then surely, most carefully should
the teacher endeavor to eulighten, develope.
and quicken hi, moranaturc. Reader. hast
thou ever conscientiously pondcrcd this
subject parent, thou to HON the most
sacred OF all trusts is committed, hast thou
realized thy responsibility in regard to it (:
especially thou who caIlest thyscf chris
tian parent, -ha>t thou, when thou hast
committed thy chila TO the guidance and
moulding of another, onquircd whether he
had any clearly defined end in view in re.
gard 10 that child and whether that end was
the true one? lfnot, woe unto thee sosure
as effect follows cause ,riH woe come upon
thee. Thou hast violated the most sacred
trust, neglected thy dearest, most imuera-
tive duty. How wilt thou answer il TO ,hv
Creator; how when that child shall have
grown TO manhood or womanhond. untitled
for the responsibilities Of lie, for the reali-
ties Of death, the slave Of his own passions.
wilt thou answer il 10 him-to thine own,
conscience? The heart Shrinks back an
palIed at serious, cauded thong hts of such
delinquiucy-the heart Of a parent must. if
that paren, would only consider and realize
whaf this failure on his part is doing for his
enid. why then is this beet So little re-
gardcd? Why is a khowlcGcc oitnc >cicr-
ceS Considered the most essential requisite
Tor teacher! Why i he examined upuu
these: nercr upon the Nature, the end Of
eGHcNttOn, the mature the dfSRuy Of the be-
WgS he Is to vGuCatcf Alas for the incuu.
Nl>tcuoIes Of man. lie proit S>cs TO believe
mat his chIid II an immortal being; that the
present HE is school IN Which that child
Is to form character which will award 10
him endless happiness or misery that ths
attainment Of virtue is the great end of his
existence, aud, with this belief, commit, hi,
chIeld, for the formation Of his character.
for the developcment of h> being. te one
who perhaps can teach him mathematics
and language and natural sricuCp. but who
has never settled the great problem Of life
the end of mans existence hrre-who
denies the fundamental articles Of the m
rents faith and rchucrs p'r'Uc and rice 10 a
tS'DH oi the imagination on 10 a mere fhc0-
~ OF pleasure aud pam. II there is a world
wh,r created beings act consistently with
their belief, this tale would not be credited
there, nay mere, it would scarce he concci
we'd; aud even among the inhabitants of
our darkehcd earth, II is not true IN relation
to any other than the highest Interests. fla
parent wishes 10 cduCa,c his son TO he a
mechanic. a merchant, physician. a law
yer; he considers the end he has in view
and places his child under the care Of on,
htied To accomplish that end. HernuuircS.
not only whether the mechanic. the physi.
can, the lawyer to whom he committed his
child, understands some Of the miner de.
tails OF his profession; but whether he I'M.
der>tandS the profession itself, and how Ia
lmpnrt 1t tn this child. The teacher has a
profession, the noLleSt. the most important.
lie deals with mind the lof,icSt existence in
the universe; he acts upon that which can
neverperiSh, It's future destiny, lis We al or
woe Tor time and eternity are, 10 a great
extent, committed to him-his profcssioni>.
or ought TO be, to .form character, to iii
mind tor its lofty destiny. Shall We then,
in regard to him, TO whom is committed
the most sacred trusts enquire only whether
he be acquainted with n few of the minor
details ut his profession; not whether he
understand the profession itself and the ma.
iure OF the material uponwhich he is 10 act ?
Christian parents, where have thy thoughts
thy conscience wandered? What is the end
thou hast in view in educating thy child?
Thou wouldst fit him for life, here, there.
tore art thou careful to give him n profess
sion. II is well. tut above and beyond this
art thou not desiring TO educate him TO be
an angel in the paradise cf God, and, if so,
should not every step in his education tend
10 this glorious result? ShouldSt thou mt