Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-02-09
Modern Education.

Education, as a system, is as different from
what it was twenty years ago, as day is from
night. This may be expected in view of the
great and unitarian changes that have been
Effected in every department ofpursuits among
men. But the question arises-is our sys-
tenn of modern education as advantageous as
it was in the times of our ancestors, or as
practical as it might be? We think not, and
with a view of bringing Our readers 60 reflect
upon this important matter is our apology
for the present article. 1t is a general rule
to confine a child for the first twelve or
eighteen years of life exclusively to books.
and then, mid a pompous display, to publish
that the young hopeful has finished his studies
and is now to be introdaeed into the stern
and eager pursuits of life. If the child Is
girl, a fashionable party Is given and, if her
parents are sufficiently wealthy, she is, amid
all the pageartry and ecldtof wealth, drought
cut" and virtGally advertised as a marriage
able lady. From that hour her studies cease.
Both girls and boys are practically told to
lay their books on the shelf and forget them.
What is the result of this system ? The bow
learns a trade, studies a profession, or goes
5 to a tape measHrer. The girl begins to leok
1 around for a husband and commences a prac-
teal system of Irritation. So sudden a tran
a sition leads to an entire forgetfulness of the
} little they had learned in the schools. How
f often do we find tradesmeA, lawyers, doctors
' entirely ignorant cf the first rudiments of
. what they had learned at school! And fash
ionable mothers unable be- teach their chill
dren q correct prOnunciationof the most SIM
+ pie words
We are clearly of the opinion that book
education and practical education should be
intimately blended. The boy should have
certain duties assigned him, consistent with.
er his years, connected with the farm, the work
is shop or the counting room. A similar plan
re should be adopted with the girls-let them
m perform little household and domestic duties.
v But, says the objector, they would not learn
III so fast. Very true, but they would learn it
IL better and become better qualified to act out
5h their parts as men and women in the great
ed drama of life. There would be fewer youth
full prodigies and astonishing precocity of in
~tellect, so alarming to the well informed
!. mind. There would be fewer educated dun
ces and graduated ninnies. Under a iudic-
ious system of Education, in which studysand
vet labor were blended, there would be a more
lb, healthy population, and far better qualified
me for the ardous and onerous duties of life the
III moral physical and intellectual culture would
cr- progress simultaneously the attachment to
Ids intellectual pursuits would not diminish in
ner telligence, business qualifications and good
nf health would be combined in one person ; the
artisan and carpenter would be as intelligent
our as the divine or author; and the divine, or
act- author would be cured Of the dyspepsia, or
on- be less subject to a post norton examination
It'll for softening of the brains at the hands Of
the Doctor.
Oh Let parents and preceptors regard this the
: 70 DRY in the simplicity Of common sense; lei
: them consider what education they have nee
ton ded the most, and train up their children ac-
e of tonnht; = ourmodaSS pnsHine
of { ~ "hicI
and are, too often, the glory of vain and ambiti
ome Gus parents, are all well enough in their pa
OF ces, but to tax the minds of the young will
them to the entire or partial exclusion of tn
nm more solid and useful branches, is the mos
uu1-
it ~consummate tomfoolery, and will be sorel,
lner repented Of by thousands of the victims of in
Judicious, fashionable, modern education.
Let the good old days of Apprenticeship
4. measurably return, and our young men /
taught their trade, good morals and bool
keeping at the same time. Let the days {
fifty our mothers measurably return, when III
one girls were taught all that was truly usefu
anu cheese and butter making, sewing, knitting
3 :, darning and sweeping not omitted. Let til
days Of physical exercise on the commo
come back to us, and we will have fewer n
~ pulsive dwarfs and physical excrescences t
offend our sight. Let the time honore
hours of moral teachings around the fresii
visit our nation again, and we will have le,
otod riots among the boys on the Sabbath an
), brawls among the men. Alas those worth
ouh precepts and doctrines Of " Lang syne" ha1
: been showed under by the fashionable chin
. in any y any src
,nds, ~ 'ra' VIE = "orlu VI ours Is SO sa
> y " out of %joint?"
We have been led to these reflections |
hu+ meeting with this stray waif, which sums L
TX to our views upon this important subject in
had nutshell
e old The cardinal maxim to be remembered
ears training up children is, that education
just threefold, viz :-moral. physical and int
%lectual. Give a child the last only, and
i rs. probably becomes either a knave, or a val
tudinarian. Give him the first alone, al
the chances are that he turns out but a we
'alr? meaning fool. Give him the second, at IL
ID to expense of the others, and he is a bully horl
mum Jockey giutton' or worse, as his taste ms
1ool decide. But combin all these judiciousl
~ and he cannot fail of being a good member
society, of being successful in life, and of Ii
ing to a happy old age.
Con- --~~>>>~ ~~,~~-
aull LAUGHING-Is a healthy exercise it ali
While o anu n0iae lat our ahcesuO
nit it knew this, and by jests and witty retort
cy.- they sought to excite 1t at their tables. i