Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-05-12
Che Mutt SLAVERY Buolc.
ARE THESE THINGS so?

Ht| AhE 1I1COE IhlNUo DOF /
There Is solicitude felt lest the awakened inter-
est in the subject of Education may ultimate in
something not wished, nor anticipated by the Phi
lanthropist
A"thofough course" is much spoken of, and u
thorough course is p%racticed, so far as recitals-a
knowledge Of the contents Of books is concerned.
Il question ought to be put to every teacher and
student, (Which is the desideratum, to understand
Principle, and make the application MS Taste or
Necessity may require? Or to commit to memory
and 50 become familiar with details, the applica-
ton Of which, for practical purposes, is not known,
and which, therefore, must soon be fcrgottcnH"
It is the order of the day to go into details, but
with all the added care and expenditures, it may
be doubted whether intellect is expanding as some
suppose. 1t is well worth the enquiry, what is
gained in morals.
The surface manifestations are gratifying but
the substrata Of Earth arc not more i'm portant to
the Agriculturalist, than are those of the mind to
tho Philosopher. The comparison is defective, for
tits in the under strata of intellect-decp down
there, that great thoughts gcrminate and mature.
As shallow soils yield quick growths of light veg
citation, so superficial minds produce tasty tho'ts.
Withou. fgure, it is sturdy intellect which the
world needs: and he is not its benefactor who
diyerts its attention from this necessity. That
should ever be in requisition, which produces the
full man. Not the Exhibitor, not the Automaton,
not even the mere Scholar, can elevate the race
Mental power, which can be rendered available by
its capacity of application to Scientific, Artistic,
Moral and Social questions, as they come up. is
our great need in this day of romodeling and re-
iecting old ideas, and investigating new ones.
To d mind of such Power, it matters not that a
proposition is new to Il tits knowledge Of prin-
cipleG and general laws enable it to subject the
proposition to such tests as will warrant a conclu
sion as reliable, as any thing can be which is at
tainable in the present state of development. Or
a lower plane, it was less, on a higher, it will bC
more so.
Reading comes first, and is second to none il
importance, in school exercises. Every one know
that its use is to give us access to the thoughts o
others, for our own benefit, and that they may bt
made vocal, for the benefit of others. The frs
can be secured, only in the direct ratio of the read
ers comprehension Of what he reads; and for the
second may be added sympathy with the author
1t is not too early to enquire how far either Of these
is attained by formal rules, and Mandavillean
analysis. Rules there are, but their life is in Ma
ture, not in books. We are Cheerful, Scornful,
Grave, Gay, F~acetious, &C., &C., by turns. A good
writer knows how TO pen what is legitimate to a
mood, and a good reader knows how to tell it after
him. This is all there is aboutit.
Analysis too, there is, but it does not consist in
vcrbiage. Wemay gabble of Subjects, Predicates.
Copulatives, Objects. Major and Minor, and be
but little the wiser. But there is an Analysis
which enables both reader and listner, so to speak
to keep company with the thinker. By intuition
by sympathy, the reader participates in the writers
mood, and imparts it to the audience.
Writing is taught that we may transfer on
thoughts to paper; but let US be certain they ar
our own thoughts. The manuscript should b
a picture of our thoughts clothed as they are i
our minds. As we reach higher thoughts, clothes
in better language, our essays will denote it,
Writing for display, does not pay" the seeker al
ter the pith and marrow Of manhood. lie mus
feel that he has drawn something out, which wa
dormant within, and as an accompaniment, he vii
be conscious Of increased power.
1t is feared that modern methods do not accom-
plish all this and worse, thatit is not their loft
aim.
Every triumph over Inertness, or stupidity il
cTeases confidence in our powers, and vitalizes hol
Of future conquest. Every item of solid know
edge acquired, so far augments a capital stoC
from which continual drafts may be made witho
danger OF of deterioration, but with certainty
increase.
Do the Intellectual, discriminating friends of c
ucation recognize she elements best ad, pied to Il
real development, here glanced at, in the econon
of the Union Schools? Are the school exercis
u- ct,cb n q tho loet vvic1or, oe Tho dow ~ dn-;soO
Do the results answer the aspirations of sober pl
lanthropy? Amos GILBERT.