The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-07-28

22d Of August, 1851.
/. PRELIMINARIEs-II. WHAT Is EDUCATION 7
III REPUBLICAN scHoLARsHIP-Iv. COLLIE
GIATE EDUCATIoE-v. FEMALE EDUCATION
VI. THE AMERICAN SYSTEM.
IcoNcLUDED
g. REPUBLICAN SCHOLARSHIP
Prof Bates was full of suggestions Not Tn,
least curious one was, that Republicauism i
unfayorable to profound scholarship He quo
ted from Mr.. Chapman, member Of Congress
from Michigan, that Democracy is opposed
to education ;" and pronounced it sober truth
If it were So it is grieyous fault; but every
consideration that can be drawn from the orr
gin and nature Of Republicanism, confutes the
doctrne--or rather the assertion, for it is nc
doctrine. RepubGcanism is the offspring Of
cholarship-DemOcracy is the child of educa-
ton. In all ages Of the world, the best edu-
Gated people have enjoyed the freest Govern
ments. Witness the Grecian the Italian, and
the American Republics. They mark pecu-
liar era in the progress of human Development
What do we hear from every educator, except,
perhaps, Professor Bates when advocating his
cause! Is it not that education affords the
only safeguard Of Republic and that popular
sovereignty cannot be maintained except by an
intelligent population But it is said that with
us all is activity and restlesness; we have no
time for patient study Very well; here there
is the greater number aspiring to scholarship
for the more activity there is among the people
the more are there computing in every race
and, therefore, the more profound scholars We
shall find
1t is said that we are money making, Nam.
mon worshpplng people. True; but then We
have more abundant means for pursuing science
al ort twill al q L.. l.. 4
this reason we should expect more profound
scholars in Republic than in a limited Mon.
archy, where the few possess all and the many
nothing-where the few grow rich on the pro,
ducts of others toll and the many are not per.
United to indulge hope or breathe an aspira-
ton. Those who are fit for thorough scholar
ship will not be led away by the temptations
of avarice; for, being imbued with love for
learning, and ambitious to excel in what is most
really glorious, they will press on under the ex.
traordnary stimulants which Republic af-
tords, to the highest seat Of learning. Of all
the forms Of Government that have been tried
we may be assured that Republic is the most
favorable to thorough scholarship.
A. COLLEGIATE EDUCATION.
Mr.. Mahon, formerly of Oberlin College, now
President Of Cleveland University, gave an ad
Systems Of Collegiate Education. He though
the old system quite defective, and therein hi
thinks correctly. He specified defects as
/. The compulsory element by which each
student is necessitated to pursure one prescrib
ed and fixed course of study, without reference
to his natural capacity taste, adaptations, and
prospective pursuits.
2. Excluslveness-its almost exclusive adam
tation to educate mind for the learned profes.
sons only.
3. An almost exclusive education of the Ia.
tellect.
4. melancholy absence of all adequate
provision for profound study of the two great
volumes which God has written-the Books of
Nature and of Revelation.
s. The njudcious division of the time occu-
pied in the preparatory and collegiate depart.
ments--oneh half being consumed in the study
Of Latin and Greek, one-half of the remainder
in mathematics, and TIC balance of the time
divided between twelve or fifteen different
sciences, smattering of which the ri ldcnt
must acquire to be literally educated man.
8. The main direction of the students mind
which, under the old system, is not toward the
solid facts and problems of the material and
moral universe, nor to the laws and principles
by which they may be explained and solved.
1t we would have mind move in the sublim
ity Of its power, it should be habituated during
the progress Of its education, to those forms Of
thinking by which it shall be long held in deep
and solemn converse with the great realities
finite and infinite, within and around it, and
with the laws and principles 10y which such
realities are controlled and governed 1t is by
graphing with the great problems thus pre-
scented, and sustaining the weight of the great
truths thus laid upon it. that mind towers up
to an overshadowlng greatness and stands be-
lore us with Atlantean shoulders fit to bear
the weight Of mightiest monarchics." With
no such reference as this however, AS the old
system of liberal education projected. The
idea of producing such high forms of mental
development, seems hardly to have a place in
any department Off
Mr. Mahon would correct all these defects
by instituting a new system. He would have
the student thoroughly learned in each branch
he undertakes. lie would have him educated
for practical life and 80 organize the new sys
tenn that it would send out thorough engineers
for whom there is q great demand in our coun.
try; thorough agriculturlsts, astronomers, geol-
oglsts, hnguists, &c. Those who are best en-.
dowed for the study of languages, he would
make ripe scholars therein and so of every
other branch, not permitting them to glide from
one study to another and fail to acquire COM
plete knowledge of anything. He would grad.
unite students for exactly as much as they knew
and to obtain the highest card they should re-
main until they had mastered the whole pro.
gramme of a thorough education
Such is an idea of President Mahon's system
OF Collegiate Reform. Ii is u great improve.
ment upon the old system, and we hope all our
colleges will be remodeled accordingly But
there seems to be one or two glarng defects in
the proposed new system
/. 1t permits the student to exercise his own
choice as to tho studies he shall pursue, and
complaint is made of the old system that it does
not defer sufficiently to the taste, capability and
aptitude Of the pupil We believe that the old
system leaves too much to choice, apd if 80, the
new system is still more defective in this respect
When pupil chooses his studies, he selects
those which crafty his leading faculties, and
deyelope them to still higher degree This
is not what is demanded to build up true
man. The weak points of his constitution
should be made strong by development, and to
this end the pupil should be told of his defects,
and persuaded that ii is best for him to pursue
with the most zeal such studies as are the least
agreeable. They are disagreeable because
their weak powers are exercised by them Is
not this the only course by which the mind can
be tremendously developed? But says one,
there is not time for this There is time to do
something toward ito make far more har.
monious mind than the new system can pro-
duce, by developing still higher the strongest
faculties and making him still more unbalan-
ced. But says the objector again, we must
EDUCATE men for business and for the greatest
success, they should have their natural adap-
tations consulted Our people are sufficiently
business -like-they can make livng-and all
our educational system is concerned with is,
how shall good and true men and women be
deyeloped-how shall the defects of all be cor
rected! Enable all to to think correctly upon
every subject and they will not thank its col