Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-12-26
Correspondence of the Advertiser.
EDUCATIONAL.
"Iiong haze thought my good old friend,
4 something to haze sent ye,


4 something to haze sent ye,
II f'tG0uld dnSUcr nG Hher end
But just kind memente."
You seem to be kind enough, Mr.. EDITOR, to al.
low space in your much valued sheet for those o!
the various callings in the community, who wish to
spread their views on such matters as may be con-
neeted with their professions, over the intellectual
field OF your extensive circulation. Such being The
case it occurred 10 me that you would not refuse the
SAN. privilege to an individual who s~ays with hum
bls pride The Scepirs Of a Village School. lou'
courtesy on former occasions, has prompted me to
solicit this hyer at your hands; and it may be e1-
pected that a corresponding regard for The EDITOR
and Pruprte,urs shall restrain me from violating any
russ they may have established for The government
of their Office.
have assumed n position, which 10 some may ap-
pear extravagant but whichto me seems necessary Tor
the purpose of discussing the topics that may intro
duce, viz: will look upon the world as School,
.nd all men, women and children as my Scholars );
and when so happens That they violate the rules OF
my discipline, they may expect that sovereign remeuy'
ihs se Of which Solomon says is indispensable to The
curing uf children. Elevated by the nrce OF " inter-
nal suggestions" 10 this gan.ifc standpoint, it will
not, presume bear the appearance Of stepping out
side nay boundary if take peep intO the moral
political and even fashionable department Of my
School, H. .. the world)-Rlso the manner OF cschng,
the latter .. which, as best becomes me, will take
up first.
In orie, that n person may become IN efficient
teacher i. all indispensable requisite thahe should
first understand what II is that the human mind stands
in need Of, and what he going to teach it; then that
he should bc capable las far poss ble) of supplying
that want. Unless this is understood in its proper
light, We may have many Schools as there are
plantations in the State, and as many snpcrlntend.
ants rs there are uversees still the ends OF an educa-
tim arc left untouched But The question will arise,
what are these wants that the teacher has TO supply
In answer 10 such question, il will only be ncces-
sary TO remind the inquirer that if Adam had never
fallen from his state Of purity there would have been
no nerd Of teachers, because he would have known
all the truths of nature by intuition. But the fatal
consequences of his transgrcssion deprived him and
his poscry Of every thing but capaciy hence arises
the the necessity for Schools, and le Importance Of
teachers who il they fill their positions they shund,
mist make it their aim 10 hiring him back TO the posi-
lion from which he fell, by strengthening, extending,
and ecvag the capacity, so us to enable him TO un-
dcrsiand the truths Of nature with facility which
approaches as near intuition as possible. This ca,.
only ic accomplished by exposing to tie intellect those
immu,abIe principles which form the framework Of
lie creaiOn-lle nervous system as it Of the uni
verse, that regulates and mudles the minutest as
we'll The supendous operations Of nature from
the instincts Of The reptile, to thr highest flight 10
which the wings Of genius is capable of bearing the
human soul These principles, which are as cterna!
A"d Interchangeable as the Almighty mind That pro.
eccd and c+rarcu nvrrf, clearly perceptibe-so
The relleciing mind in The calIngs Of life. as
they are in those sublimer studies which caused the
Divine Bird in the rapture of His vision 10 eXcam,
chow wonderful are thy works o Lord: how beauli
fu are thy tents o Israeli Such unal,erabe prin-
ciplcS call ideas, which form the giuundwoik of all
studies !; and this is the business Of the racler-o
show tho pnpil the law, the principle the truth or Tic
idea upon which that branch Of science which he is
studying is based, and by which il Is regulated.
The extent 10 which The nnccnls cxcrIlrd US in
every branch Of mental as-wcl moral science, can
be accounted for only upon the grounds thai they
studied nature, natures laws instead Of books
that they cnravurcd to Pc themselves oi pruri-
pies or ideas in place Of learning their results Tie la.
ter Of which, from my own experience am sorry to
say constitutes the grand rounds of our education,
from the ul.iirld School 10 our highest Scmnares oi
learning. Even in our Colleges the degree Of talent
is estimated By tile facility with which lhe student
can rccc what another maire has said or written,
when lcrlars he could not al the same time tell you
villa, the book was written about let alone the prncl-
prs or ideas cunlainedn tie work And the teachers
in place of explaining these things which is their only
use make it their business 10 confuse, by cross exam
nations ON verba! matters, the mind OF The student
and leave his understanding moro e!ouueu than belurc
he entered the recitation ruom
AS we'll might person set himself up for skll!iul
Physician, who merely knew that the human system
was composed Of boue muscle and skin, s TO say thai
he can teach wi,lIou Knowledge Of the laws which
r.nula,e tle operations ufihe human mind, or The end
for which such laws in the econcmy OF nature were
established. 1t is strange that men Will admit that
the physical world is governed by unolterabe laws,
and still supunse that ,l mental department OF crea.
lion i. suffered to run Wild. without bride or check
over The wide field Of ilsown ninagsnatiois, governed
in its ccons only by r dictates Of its own appctltes
and passions.
such had been the rews OF our fathers in learning,
ve neyer would have had That collection Of rules
which constitute the bl,ndaliun Of grammar; and
what ARE such rules ur more Than The laws by which
The human mind is governed in tie communication Of
its IDEAS from one pesn to another Lrsic is nothing
mora. as its great founer has sad than exhibition
TO the mind ITSELF Of Il. means 1t makes Use ol In lis
search after truth Nos would only ask, which Of
the two is the most mprant to be Taught, The book
or ,ha, from which the book is taken' Therefore
saw that the business the teacher or professor is TO
eyplain The laws or principles upon which those
branches that he ulrtakes TO teach are based, and
upon which they opera. In fact they must under
stand that what they tnch is not the invention oi
man. but the result Of laws which arc Us important
for Il ends of crca,ln be fulfilled as that the
earth should 60 aruln,hc sun 10 produce tie VICES
STUDIES Of the
write you this, Mr. EDITOR, rs i mere Introdnc-
ton. showing The has upon which will ersct
system Of Lectures to m classes next session, which
will furnish you with they are produced. Hoping
that will develop tough them what have adfo-
Gated in this article, I:oncludr for the present
SuooI. MASTER, IN Ills Den.
----<s<----
For lie AdEtiser.
THE SECRET OF TCCEss IN NUTSHELL.