Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-06-23
COMMON THINGS"

MARIUs: l glanced over an article in a fonetic
work, recently, with the caption waking up
mind" 1 was pleased with the headin 3, but
thought the article might have been better. My
thoughts went back to times when there were
Lessons on things" CONVERSATIONS on common
things and other small books of kindred charac-
ter. A fnll believer in progression, may feel regret
that the good and the true of the past is forgotten,
overlooked, or unknown. That which has adapta-
ton to carly development, is applicable in all
stages of progress, forasmuch as the children OF
all conditions, in all generations, have the same
starting point. If the organization is perfect,
they start with equal advantages. The proper
business Of the guardian, is so to surround them,
and exert such influences over them, as shall in
duce them to make an Industrious; careful use
of the facilities with which they are endowed, for
acquiring a knowledge of the things with which
they are surrounded-their external senses are
here alluded, to by the use of which, only, can
they obtain accurate knowledge of visible things
their forms, consistency, color &c. By such exer
else they acquire simple ideas, true TO the things.
Without such preliminary labors,a all after learning
will be an 'up hili' work. The Pupil and student
will be like one in search of something by twi-
light. (Quere would it not be better he *ere in
total darkness, when probably the first cafe would
be to procure light?l lessons on things " and
conversations on common things" did great good
in their day, and would be profitable now but so
far as known, are out of print. There should be
new editions, or new publications of similar charac-
ter This should be done not merely for the useful
information such works contain, but because they
are eminently suggestive. With a book Of this
kind before him, an enlightened teacher might ask
scores of questions, and give dozens of items Of
information, hot only for the information, but to
the great delight of his auditory. The best waJ
to wake up mind, is by a constant recurrence to
the learners own experience and knowledge. 1t
reminds him of what he knows, and may be SO
managed as to vitalize the desire to know
more. Conscious that he knows something, and
aware of the means by which he arrived at it, it
brings confidence in his own powers, and inspires
the wish to make further acquisitions. lie makes
the important discovery that he must do his ocn
learning ;-that though his instructor may tighten
his labor, shorten his journey or substitute an err
rome Gus idea with q true one, his Advancement must
depend upon his own efforts. If he relies on any
thing else, should he not perceive it, others will,
that in seeking a "roydl road to learning" he has
missed the way to knowledge.
To some, it might appear simple for a teacher
holding an apple in his hand, to inquire of a class,
or the whole school, regarding its form and color,
its parts, uses &c. Those who think so have not
reflected. After it shall be described as an oblate
or probate spheroid, one color, diverse colored,
consists of seed, seed vessels, pulp, rind or skin
and stem that the stem is for suspension, the
rind for protection, and the seed for reproduction,
if no new idea has been thrown out, old ones have
been presented in connection, and suitable Ian
guage has been selected for clothing them. Lei
such a one ask himself if has not gained some
thing.
There are hundreds of subjects with which
learners are partially acquainted and would like
to be more intimately, if curiosity were excited
If called upon to tell the resemblances and diff
ference between domestic animals which they SCI
daily, they might find that they have peculiaritie
of which they were ignorant, at the least the,
will have learned how to describe them, and thi
itself il no small matter. Many adults who neye