The Port Gibson reveille. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 185?-1857, 1854-07-26
EDUCATI0NAL.
Home Education and the Claims of
Oakland College
~ Aaalress ~ JoHN MuAbock. Eso.. ae.


GENTLEMEN OF rue BELLEs-LErrREs So.
cIrTy AND or THE ADELrHic INSTITUTE ~
obey your invitation with alaerity. have a
theme TO present Of momentous importance to
you It lies close 10 my own heart. And
YOU. respected audience. il you should deem
me prosy. aud are wearied by the weakness Of
the advocate. do not let it prejudice the good
cause be advocates.
Happy is the country where education is
become a necessary Of life When am told
Of the wonders Of Egyptian lore. the refine.
inents Of Athenian literature, the sturdy wis.
doni Of the Romans, and the glories OF the
Elizabethan age. / cannot but think Of the IL.
norant masses OF tue people. The great aud
learned men that illustrate those times. were
only
Specks Of azure in a clouded sky
Sunny islands in a stormy seal
Perhaps they only seem so great because
they lowered above the otner men Of their
times, giants like Gulliver in Lilliput. Aud
in modern days when hear of Cambridge
and Oxford the Universities Of Dublin and
Paris. Of Bonn and Gottingeu. spite Of the
splendid picture. sec the same background
OF ignorence among the common people Ed
uoation there is only for the wealthy and high
born
The despotic government Of Prussia CON-
peks her youth to take an education If they
hesitate. she drives them TO school at the
point Of the bayonet. Her peasant hates the
education that deprives him Of the labor Of
his son on the farm-he deems it as heartless
aud ohiectless a waste Of line, ~ tie learning
Of new trade is 10 the convict condemned to
the penilentiary for life which benefits only
bis keeper. To him it is badge Of his SER
viiudc to the American. the palladium Of
his freedom. The Prussian values it not, be-
cause il is not bought by the sweat Of his brow ;
Il il trammeled, il unfolds no temple Of fame
in the dim future. The American prizes it
as the master key TO all knowledge, all wealth,
and all donors. The one takes It as a use
less, undesired drug, forced upon him; the
other sells all that he has to buy it. as pearl
Of great price.
You cannot walk the streets Of our cities,
enter public conveyance, or hotel, that yol
ere not iostled BY the newsboy, with his arm
ful Of miscellaneous reading. The very num-
Der and importantly Of these newsboys Is ev-
idenco that VIC are reading people. lie
takes Il for granted not only that every one
can read. but that every one i anxious to
read. lou encounter reading and intelligent
men at every corner and in all classes through.
out our broad land.
The necessity for an education Of some sort.
and the growing desire for good one. has
heeomo with us a matter Of the 6rst import
ance. The common school is rapidly supply
iur the irst demand-the demand OF Auieri-
can uature-and the academy ano college are
fast bringing TO every door the tHrHTy OF
good education. :,
Half a century ago, tho man OF wealth
hardly thought be was doing bis duty unless
~ sent his son 10 classic England and no
youth was deemed truly accomplished. save
be who had wandered on the banks OF ISIS, or
oulloi flowers where peaceful Cam glides DC
,veen the tall masonry Of learnings homo.-
Those who returned from those classic SHADES
imbued with their lore, often came with mipas
thoroughly unAmercanized. despising tne
demoeratic institutions Of their own country,
and scornine their. old neighbors and friends
a. nncultivated backwoodsmen. Far the lar
gsr norton of those foreign reared sclons re-
mrned without the education. and with lar
less venial and curable defects. Corrupted
~ the Injuries and vices Of that opulent peo.
ME without the couuteracting influence OF
home. they came back sportsmen, gamblers
drunkards. guttons. or popinjays oil iaSnion
accomplishment that have wrung many
fond and loving heart with tho Rangs oil uis-
appointed hope.
The objections 10 the education OF our
voutb IN Northern Colleges. If not so numer'
ous or great, are yet Of much the same char,
.cter List while I sketch the career oil
moro than one Southern student resortlng 70
tbe North for an education. 10 is sn o.er
trus tale and no fancy drawing. de Is SIX
teen years old boy Of promise. IL y oe.er'
mined 10 send him 10 some renowneu inS''s4-
tion, that be may have every advantage. ne
il about to leave the old homestead. iis
mother has Just placed in bis bands her last
tear.bedewed gift, Bible. hoping u wiiiTe-
mind him Of her. Of home, and OF the pain sue
,ro,Id have him tread and his sisters ana
brotbers are there to bid him. the companion
Of their pastimes. long farewell Amid AZ.
r,onitions and tears and earnest requests W
write often. the sad parting Is done ana no -
-, "a see them again until he Is a man -
during The long Journey, many are the sol,
enn r, resolutions to do something worthy Of
tbs;r bieh hopes. Arrived at his destlna''on'
sSm;tte5 sa,,i to college. and placed under the
special care Of some Professor. hls ialneI, s's.
aPoi'r' Pesans ~;tb emotion now leaves him stran-
nas;n % strange land For days and weeks
e. davotes himself to study, the only reiiet
sro,a - The ,Ss broodiDg thoughts Of home. Soon
10 ,sO'n nr.ensnces =, Of those strangers become
Ss@iIisr FAN while the old home faces are fading
h. E~1 'Ds new tram he hears the Faculty. once
q BIS unsoph.tiosted eyes immaculate. s:1d~. sp0.
ken lightly Of by bis more knowl1s m s!ss,oI;0s iTTO
rtudents They rdicule tne ssIl'. ~ Sat u,,D aars
o sFa H. rsrsutaI roof and boast of little deceP
4, ,ious rs' D9sclced on the old folks at home At
sr.. first Il i startled at these things as sacrlege
ba, soon u, seeipc il is the fashion. and caP''va,
HXa