The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-08-29
Rducation

NNAuOhblou. r..
- III the last number or tne Westminster
Review, is IN interesting article on selEedu.
cation. The reviewer commences by say.
ing:
Every age has hs watchwor1 and panacea
for the evils Of life, but seldom is full i'm.
port or due application known TO the men
of the age who use IT, "Education" has
been the cry of this century; but who shall
We find to tell us what education really
means! 1t would be wearisome 10 90 over
the various notions which that word con.
veys to men Of different sects and opinions.
and might hnply awaken laughter over a
fact far too melancholy to admit of r,irth:
for If education really be the papacea for all
human ills, and no two individuals have vet
agreed as to what education is, we are still
struggling on in darkness; and the activity
Of the last fifty years may have led US as
tray instead of advancing us on our way.--
Perhaps we shall find tho best clue to the
definition by attending to the derivation of
the word: education Is assnredly dra,cing
out Of what is ALREADY ia the being subiec.
ted to it: not the impressing fresh charac-
ter; 1t follows, therefore, that ducation con-
sists in perfrcting the natural faculties. The
only legitimate inquiry, therefore, IL: what
is the process by which these faculties may
be best drawn out3 ID this short prelimi.
nary inquiry, we think, removes good deal
Of the difficulty in Judging between the va
nous theories on The subject, and may help
to clear away some OF the n,ists Of prejudice
which obscure it, We have believed too
long that certain amount of information
inserted into passive, recipient was educa-
tiOn, and, as Mr.. Mayhem well observes,
have crtmmed our intellectual prize oxen
into obesity rather tsan strength. Il IL n
mistake Of the most mischie, ous kind, and
We are beginning 10 feel its effects in the
dead level to which it has reduced the high
er orders, aud In the hebetized intelIects of
the lower Take a boy. !or instance, Of the
higher class from n public school, stuffed
most creditably with Latin, Greek and math.
ematics,-in fair way to take honours at
the University, and act down by his teach.
ers as very promising youth. What is
his cducationi Is il not rather gained n
mong his companions than from his tutors?
From his companions he will take ND his
opinions and his manners; among them, and
from the circumstances in which no Ii placed
at that early age, his character will be FORM
cd; for among them he will have learned to
wish and TO seek to have and 10 be some
thing, either good or evil; while his school
studies will at best have given him the KEY
Of knowledge, but seldom the wish to
use it."
IL Is evident, and observation must have
confirmed the belief in every one, that child
may be sent to school at very early age,
and every effort made TO cram anz amount
Of scholastic stndies into bis head, and vet
he may graduate with scarcely any more
real learning than when he first went
The progress of the age has changed ma
ny old fashions and customs. This we can
perceive 10 eveg branch Of science. The
rules Of the school room have also been re.
placed BY others and those again by Others.
However commsndable IL may be 10 send
child to sebool. and however iEeambeat Il Il
on tho part Of parents to do 90. yet this &C.
ton on their pait may b. attended with NJ
tie profit TO thar offspring, II cestdn fanda.
mental. natufal. collateral efforts srs anhsed.
cd. The parent and teacher esn iearn a
child nuch BY aaoptine that course Of ineul-
eating knowledge. which rnssss With coz
responding aptFuds and desire, from me
child GeograFhy. iiistoy. Astronomy AZ