The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-02
DEMOCRACY OF sCIENCE-NO. 90
BY JOSIAH HOLBROOK

BY JOSIAH HOLBROoK.
No established operations in human society
make so small returns for OUTLAWS in time
money, and effort, as school systems. The rea-
son is plain. They place the water-wheel over
the stream, requiring the water to be beat upon
the wheel before it moves-with the slight in
| convenience to the teacher that when he stops
beating, the wheel stops moving The simple
| fact is that school systems do violence to the
Interchangeable and glorious laws Of our Creator,
rendering penalties in some form inevitable.
| Abortion, or frutless effort is common pen
atty of disobedence to the Divine law, in the
training of young muscle, mind, and soul
Rowdyism is another, and at this time, in this
country, Il severe and threatening penalty
1t is fixed and almost universal law Of our
Creator, that strength is the result Of exercise,
not only in muscle mind, and soul, but even
in the vegetable creation An oak, buffeted by
the storms Of hundred winters is stronger,
more durable oak than one sheltered from
winds, rains, and SHOWS
1t is a selEevident truth, that for training
up children in the way they should 90, all the
faculties with which their Creator has endow-
ed them so bountifully and wisely must be
brought into exercise, and exercised in connec-
ton with each other, directing the whole of
this combined exercise to the high and holy
purposes of their creation The harmonious
exercise Of all the human faculties applied TO
the divine purposes of human existence, is so
plainly implied in training up children in the
way they should go, as not to permit doubt
in the mind of any rational being.
1t is equally evident, that school systems pre-
vent this general and harmonious exercise Of
muscle, mind and soul and that their very
partial, mcager exercise il not directed Mt best
very poorly directed, to the exalted purposes Of
human existence. A little five year.old girl,
on being asked what she did ut school, replied
promptly, correctly, and graphically al say
A and b, and sit on n bench" Those doubt
ing tho positions above taken, may explain in
their own way how sitting on-a-b bench
system can train vigorously, tremendously, the
greatly varied human faculties and especially,
apply those faculties to the purposes of their
creation.
Knowing producing. reciprocating, are the
three great purposes of human existence. To
know to produce, and to reciprocate, are de-
sires deeply implanted in the human soul The
qualification Of these desires il human happi-
ness II is hence a simple truth, that instItu-
tions expressly designed for the formation Of
character, and preparation for future voca-
tons, should aim especially to provide for the
harmonious exercise Of all the faculties, direct
ing all to the purposes Of oar existence--know-
ing producing reciprocating.
As words are the signs Of ideas, not ideas
themselves, and books the Instruments not the
fountains Of knowledge, mere book lessons do
not and cannot crafty that desire of knowing,
30 ardent in every young mind. As words, the
signs Of ideas, are acquired only by their con-
nection with the ideas they represent, attempts
at learning words by mere repetition must also
prove abortiycr they do prove abortive. They
are worse than abortive; they do lasting and
irreparable injury to the inherent character OF
mind-blunt its desire Of knowing
Producing, still more than knowing, II pos
sible, is prevented by school systems. What
can be produced by muscle, however powerful