Daily American telegraph., 1852-10-14
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLGIRLS. XIV.
By s. s. RANDALL.

The course of instruction in all our elementary
institutions Of learning should be far more practi
cal than it generally is; better adapted to the
existing condition Of our modern civilization; en-
bracing larger proportion of utility and less
liberal and dundiscriminating infusion Of ABsrRAcr
SCIENCE. In saying this, trust l shall not be
suspected Of undertaking. the acquisition, in their
proper time and place, of the higher and more
| abstruss branches Of knowledge. only desire
that in laying the foundations amore exclusive re-
gard shoald be had to those elements which all
experience shows are indispensable to the en-
lightened prosecution Of the ordinary and every
day duties Of life.
A thorough and comprehensive acquaintance
with the general principles and prominent results
of natural history and philosophy, including
physiology, with ancient and modern history and
geography, the constitutions and institutions Of
the various civilized nations Of the globe, and
especially and intimately with the constitutions
and general laws of our own Union and Of the
several States of which 1t is composed, win, It is
believed, be found at the present day Of far
greater practical value and utility than an equally
accurate knowledge Of the abstruse and recon-
dite principles Of logic, rhetoric the languages,
and the higher mathematics. These, however,
in their turn, ought not to be neglected. They
should foltop and not Precedt, is too frequently
the case, the branches of more immediate and
general importance.
IL Is not uncommon In the intercourse OF society
| to meet with young gentlemen profoundly versed
in all the lore Of science, the mysteries Of meta
physics, the distractions Of geometry, and the
philosophy Of languages, who nevertheless are
utterly and deplorably ignorant Of even the ele-
| mentary principles Of the animal, mineral, or
vegetable kingdom of the structure and physi-
ology of their own bodies and Of the institutions
laws, and customs of the community in which
they live. And yet these are subjects upon
which they are or may be every day called upon
to decide or to act Is not that, therefore, o
very deficient and incomplete system Of education
which produces such results Is 1t either neces-
sary or desirable?
BY the republican institutions Of our common
country, every free white male citizen, on attain
ing the age Of twenty-ons, whatever may be his
qualifications either in an intellectual or moral
point Of view, is, with few unimportant e1cep-
entitled to the full and free exercise Of the right
of suffrage, capable Of voting and being voted for,
and authorized to participate in all the prominent
and essential rights Of citizenship.
However extensive, therefore, may be his ac-
ouaintance with the higher branches Of science,
it is Of the utmost Importance in practical
point of view that he should be well versed in
the theory and practical workings Of the institu-
tions under which he lives; that he should be ia
milisr with their history, their relations to each
other, their design and object, and the detail Of
their operations In this mode only can he como
to the exercise Of the responsible and important
duties devolved upon him with any prospect Of
usefulness to himself or to the community and
in this mode only can we hope to preserve, ex-
tend and perpetuate the noble fabric of free gov
ernment transmitted to us by our fathers. "These
things ought we to have done and not to leave
the others undone."