Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-01-03
NUMBER 42.


at the expense Of labor. The savage does no
educate himself and il all schools were abolished
civilization would soon become barbarism. Civil
zaton itself is condition of unstable equilibrium
which requires constant effort to be sustained anc
still greater to be advanced t sa
Here he dwelt on the Importance OF individual
action, in this generations educating the next
Modern civilization Is founded on knowledge and
application OF the moral intellectual and physical
laws by which Divine wisdom governs the world.
The laws Of morality have been revealed, but re-
qure constant enforcement and habitual obscr-
! vance; and the laws Of the material and intelec-
tual univcrre, have been discovered by profound
study, and should be taught in their purity
| But few can devote themselves exclusively to
abstract science, and only such as are fully quail
idd should prepare textbooks for the instruction
| flthc many. Hc could not agrcc to the idea that
superficial men are best calculated to prepare pop
| ular works. II is true that some have the art Of
Simplifying SCIENCE but in most cnses this snpliica
tion consists in leaving out the difficult parts .
The tendency of modern civilization Is to dimn-
ish respect for authority. While 1t elcvatcs the
many, and increases for the timc at least, the sum
Of human happiness, il does not tend to increase
the amount Of knowledge in a corresponding de-
gree Thcrcsawide difference between discovering
| new truth and spreading the knowledge Of old
oiea. The latter, though known to milliOns is not
equivalent to the former. That civilization may
advance, It is necessary that provision should be
made for the Increase Of knowledge rs wen as its
diffusion. And, also, that the great truths which
! have been established should not be diluted. OBJ
scured, or forgotten. Also that the truths of mo-
ralty should be actively, constantly and habituay
applied. And this can only be done by the action
of Individuals But the tendency of high civiliza-
ton Is to relax individual effort. As elementary
knowledge 10 diffused, the voice Of the individual
is less heard.
knowledge has arrived at such stage that di-
vision of labor is necessary. And SO the reputa-
ton Of tho student Of branch Of science, rests
with profcients in the samc-and as these are not
generally the dispensers of favor-those who seek
wealth or Influence in general knowledge appeal
to the public gcncrally-hencc the tendency to
Charlatanism. a
| 1t is impossible that all who arc engaged in
| business should have time for profound thought;
they must be content to receive their knowldge at
second hand. But they are not content to remain
students, but aspire to become teachers--and are
ambitious of authorship.
The prosont 40 ICuuiIIB abU--but rond tJU
quickly to read well-this is not proportionatoiy
thinking age. The sum Of positive knowledge is
embraced In but few books. Too many silly, super
fetal, and bad books are published.
Here be alluded to the present copyright system
between this country and England as debasing
literature, by supplying cheap books, and said that
unless scientific labor is properly paid, the market
will be supplied with the inferior article Also
to another result Of the wide diffusion ofelcmcntmy
knowledge, without proper cultivation of the
morals, being an inordinate desire for wealth;
who glories in his shame, and unblushingly de-
scribes the means by which he has defauded the
public. a
He now spoke Of the want Of appreciation for
profound learning and abstract science-of editors
being the most authoritative teachers on all ques
tions, the abuse of their positions by many of the
class, and proper use of it by the few.
His theory of education is to adapt instruction
to age. Memory, imitation, and the formation Of
mental habits exist in early life, while the reason
ing faculties are Of slower growth He would store
the memory at an carly age with valuable rules 10
be used in future life. Mental cultivation should
have three objects; TO impart facilities In perform
ing various mental operations; to store the mem
ory with facts and prccepts, and TO impart the art
Of thinking, Of generalization, Of deduction and
induction.
Many children Of eight years can be taught to
speak correctly number Of languages and yet be
upable to understand single abstract principle
of grammar
he thinks the idea that nothing except that
which he can fully comprehend, should be taught
the child, Is prcposterous and mischieyious, that
tits nverting the order Of nature, and though hmay
produce remarkably intelligent children, Il Is also
The order Of nature is art before science-the en-
tire concrete, before the entire abstract. Those
two extremes should gradually run into each Others
as the pupil becomes older, the course Of instruc
ton should become more and more logical.
The Importance Of early judicious training, is
often referred TO- but it is not sufficiently apprc-
ciated. In connexion with this point he advanced
an idea which seemed new to the association, but
was received as worthy the whence IL came.
Il was that the science Of statistics has shown that
certain crimes which are peculiar 10 the season OF
YOUTH disappear comparatively with advancing
age, and re-appear again toward the close Of life.
Among those arts, he thinks may be taught
before the age Of ten, arc reading, spelling, Chi
rography, and drawing, composition, correct enun
citation, and the use Of the various languages,
ancient or modern At the same time the memo.
nv may be educated TO habits Of retention and
precision Ho does not think Il Is sufficient for
pupil to express rules In his own language, but
that he should learn them by rotc, and that the
memory is susceptible Of an indefinite cultivation
II was not his idea that the child should not
ceiye as clear explanation as possible, as far as he
is capable Of receiving II, but that habits OF pre-
csion Of memory should receive much attention
during early youth. He is not in favor Of cram
ming the memory with too much at time, but
would have it gradually brought into high state
| Of cultivation.
He Thought the error Of the old system Of educa.
ton consisted in continuing the drilling period ioo
long, and mot shading Il Oh gradually into that Of
the logical In this country Il Is defective In not
imparting the mental facilities which can most easily
bc acquired in early rfs and Is equally detective In
the other extreme IN not habtuating tho student 70
habits oflogical thought or deductions from general
principles. He thinks the science taught in our
higher scminsrics, with some exceptions, is OF
superficial character as facts rather than princi-
pies are taught; and the branches Of science which
have assumed the most systematic form, are crowd.
ed out Of the collegiate course by others moro str
king but Of less profound character sn
He thinks the great object OF intellectual educa-
ton to consist not only in teaching the pupil how
TO think but also how 70 do. He places great stress
on the education Of the habits. One can be edu.
Gated to habits Of truth, couragc generosity benoy
olence, and OF justice, or may be allowed to fall into
habits Of an opposite character. Man is the crea-
ture Of babitr-it is TO him more than a second ma
ture bat, while bad habits are acquired with read
| ness, good habits can only be formed by unremit.
ting labor. And the habits Of hdiVidla,s form the
habits Of a nofion