The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-07-01
LEARNING WITHOUT A MASTER.

Not few books have been published, pro-
| Tossing to induct the student into the mysteries
of various languages and sciences, without a
MASTER Did it ever occur to you, most eour-
teous reader that anything within the capacity
of the human mind may be learned in the
same way Studying without master" is
not Of course, to be understood literally. The
master is there, but he appears only in the
printed page. and not in his bodily presence.
| We will not say of the schoolmaster, as some
| ilmannercd critics said of Paul, that his let
tiers are weighty and powerful but his bodily
presence is weak" The reverse of this is COM
monty true, as was often most satisfactorily de-
monstrated to US, in our jacket-and-trowser
DAYS when the whole subject was ably ex- pound
ed, and illustrated with numerous cuts But
while admitting the force there is in a living
and active presence, before the student, it is a
question whether there is no. in some minds Il
| tendency to lean too much upon schools and
| teachers in the work Of education. Far be it
from us to utter word in disparagement of
the work of the instructor of youth. This right
hand though never trained in academic halls,
would almost refuse To obey the impulse which
| guides it, sooner than record an unjust word
concerning those who are engaged in this good
work But it is no dsparagement OF the teacher
or the school to say that they are not ,ndis-
pensable to the student They are invaluable
helps it is true but since all cannot enjoy their
aid, it il consoling to know that many have be-
come wise without them James Furguson,
the celebrated Scotch astronomer, learned to
read without an instructor. and mastered the
elements of his favorite science, while shep-
herds boy, watching his ilocks in the fields by
night Sir VIM. Phipps, former Governor OF
our own State, learned to read and write after
entering upon his eighteenth year, and while
serving an apprenticeship to shp-carpenter
in Boston Thousands of similar instances
might be adduced were it necessary to show
that education does not depend upon teachers
and schools President Hopkins has wisely OBJ
served, that every man who is educated at all,
is, and must be, @t-educated. Daniel Web
ster uttered the same truth, when he said, The
Creator has so constituted the human intellect,
that it can only grow by its own action ana
by its own action it will certainly and necessa-
riy grow Every man must therefore educate
himself His books and teachers are but helps
the work is his This sentiment should be i'm
pressed upon the mind of every youth who has
been denied the advantages of the school-room.
True he is deprived of a valuable assistant (;
but let him not give up all attempts at mental
culture, on this account.
As the winter schools y are now closing,
probably we address many young lads and
lasses who have just enjoyed their last " school
ing and who will receive no farther assistance
in their studies but such as is common to all,
We have word to whisper in the ear Of all
such Young friends, don't stow your books
away in the garrett nor consign your studies
to oblivion, because you are no longer subject
to the constraints of the school-room. Your
education is not inshed-it is but begun. You
will soon forget much of the knowledge you
have 80 laboriously acquired during the win
ter unless you occasionally recur to your books,
The mind is like polished piece OF metal-a
little rubbing every day will keep il in good
order, but if long neglected, it is difficult to
put on the shine again, BY keeping up