The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1851-12-13
OTTAWA, ILL, SATURDAY, DECEMBER IS, 1851

knowledge was indeed amiabe and highly com
menIlble; but the necessity which drove them
from their natural sphere i'll lie, in order to Oh
is truly dep!orablc.
But such system Of general education A We
now propose, would lin ways too numerous nav
10 nentionl tend to increase tue respectability
power, numbers and resources o! the true pfctes.
sonal class.
{ Nor are the advantages Of the mental and
moral discipline Of the student To be overlooked
indeed, should have set them down as most i'm.
portant of all, had not been distinctly aware
that such an opinion is a most deadly htresy:
and tremble atthe thought fo being arraigned be.
lore the tribunal of all the monks aud eclesias
tcs OF the old world, and no small number Of
tam It, their progeny in the new
/ 1t Is deemed highly impor tant that all in the
professional classes should become writers and
takers; hence they ale so necessarily drilled in
all .he forms of language dead and living, though
/ II has become quite doubtful whether, even in
thelr case such course is most beneficial except
in the single case, of the professors of literature
and theology, with whom these languages form
the foundation of their professions and the inds.
pensab!e instruments Of their future art in life
! NO inconsderabe share, however, of the men
'a' discipline that is attributed to thisl peculiar
course OF study, arises from daily intercourse, for
years with minds OF the first order in their teach.
efs and comraGes, and would be produced under
any other course if the parties had remained har.
woniouslv together On the other hand a cIn.-
steal teacher, who has no original, spontaneous
power Of thought, and knows nothing Inn, Latin
and Greek, however perfectly, is enough to stul.
tliy whole generation Of boy 5 aud make them all
pedantic fools like himself. The idea of in fusing
inina' or creating, or even materially increasing
it by the daily inculcaion of unintellipible worf,
all this awful wringing to get blood out of n
tnr9'p- will at any rate never succeed except
III ''ie hahds OF The emlnently wise and prudent,
VINO nave had long experience IN the process;
Nie pam punt sense oi the unsophlsicated will
"@e'e' @ 'e"'%e cost IN 'he 'peiatSon There are,
recover pfopaU!y' lew men who do not already
'ah more III proportion TO what they really know,
r wa" ."ey o"sht 10. Ihls chrome diarrhna Of
eAno'' 'auon' "l'ch the social atmosphere of the
"so, u"S W e'Schuer, TENDS lar lees to public
Heai.h m ''"h many suppose. lie history of the
Vuahris SHOWS lhat more sound sense, purer
NV amy "'''i more eIe'ated practical piety
"a" e"''' an" uoes exist entirely without II, than
'o.i''No'Iy iou'd win u. SIM, some should,
Nv uw"o,'e's oe 50 educated as readily TO discharge
",' U"e uncomfortable popular Wlnd they may
az an, H,i'' 10 nave on 'heIr st0machs {;
o"' '"e ''uuS .''' oasseS ior most part had bet
W WI" "'e"' u' III souIe o'her way-ahd, 1t
i,' sa""o' ""u "o'cs y" 'AP'eSs their IDEAS,
e' '"e,n ""." o'e'7' !" 'he must eHecIiye U! all
""!s' py ACTON "'a example
"a. "'' e,en'si We nnu' Us soc'ey becomes less
conservative ana PedantIc, aud more truly and
e'''eh'en'u' growing tendency, OF
al o'er c'as'es' except 'he literary and clerical,
10 omit 'hs supposed linguistic discipline. and
raPp'y themselves u'recly 10 the more immediate
uu'''s Vi 'he'f cali'hS ahu, as!ds from some b,te
~ "'s' III p'S outside oI caste mat
their own ihtefesps hi iiie aha TTe rle interest,";
Of society, there is no sufficient proof
Indeed think the exclusive and extravagant
claims setup for ancient lore, "a means Of discip
lining he reasoning powers simply ridiculous " hen
examined in the light Of those ancient worthless
who produced that literature, or the modern ones
who have been most devoted to its pursuit in
this country aud III Europe II it produces ufai.
lible practical reasoners we have a great many
thousand infaIlible antogonistic truths and ten
thuus and Conflicting paths Of right interest duty,
and salvation.--lf any man will lust be at the
trouble to open his eyes and his ears, he can per.
ceve at a glance how much this eyasiye discipline
really does and has done for the reasoning faculty
Of man, and how much for the power Of sophist.
cal can't and stereOtypcd nonselIse So that il
obvious facts, instead Of verbose defamation,
are TO have any weight in the case, am willing
to Join issue with the opposcrs of the proposed
scheme, even on the bare ground of It's superior
adaptation to develOpe the mental power of its
pupils.
The most natural and cffcctual mental discipline
possible for any man, arises from setting him to
earnest and constant thought about the things he
daily does. sees aud handles, and all their con.
nec,ed relations aud interests The final object to
be attained with the industrial class, is to make
them THISKING LABoRTRs, while ofthe professional
class We should desire to make LABoRIcus THINK
hrs. The production of goods TO feed and adorn
the body being the final end Of one class Of pur.
suits and the production Of thought to DO the same
for the mind the end of the o,her.-But neither
mind nor body can feed on the offals olpreccdng
generations. Aud this constantly recurring ne,
ccs-ity of reproduction, leaves an equally honora,
h!p though somewhat different career of labor
and duty open to both; and it is readily admit
ted, should and must vary their modes Of cduca
ton aud preparation accordingly
1t may do tor the man of books to plunge al
once amid the catecoinbs Of buried nations and Ian
guages. TO soar away 10 Greece, or Rome, or No.
ya.Zrmbla Kamskatka, and the fixed stars, boior,
he knows how TO plant lis own beans, or harncs,
his own horse, or can tell whether the function;
rg lis own body are performed by heart, slom
auh and lungs, or with gizzard and gs.
But for the man Of work thus to bolt away
at once from himself and all his pursuits in after
life contr yeues the pldinest principles Of natur,
and common sense. No wonder such educator,
have ever deemed the liberal culture OF the indus
trial classes an i'm nOs,ibility for they have n, a.