Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-03-16
A TAXPAYER.
A growing letter from John Smith


OXFORD. o. March 1856.
DEAR EDrroR:--As you have a col
Iege at Brookville. l will make your
paper the medium of announcing to
the world the following proposition.
to-wit: any young gentleman who will
prepare and deliver an "oration" at
any public exhibition or commence
ment" at Brookville or elsewhere,
without any allusion. direc or remote.
to Greece or Rome, or the Progress
of the Race" or the "Star Spangled
banner" and omit all reference 10 the
land Of the free hearts only home."
shall be entitled TO the original auto
graph Of John Smith. which ! will
forward 10 him In nste Of thanks.
ofall the unmitiaged bores extant
a literary exhibition is the most terri
bic. as they are usually conducted.
You go and sit ON hard board four
hours. to hear that Greece and Rome
were powerful ''ked entries" long ago.
and that they fell; or to hear that
man Is a progressive being; or TO hear
that tho United States is Paradise Re-
stored; or TO learn that Education sis
the only safeguard" Of republic. In
addition to this feast Of reason, you
have to suffer your ears TO be split by
the hideous noise Of some half dozen
brass horns-uneasy all the while lest
the eyes Of the performers should pop
out of their heads.
In the name Of reason and common
sense. ask. can we not have some
thing nsw on such occasions9 Must
this old beaten track be followed for
ever? A man goes to college COM
mencement now, with full knowledge
Of all that will be said and DONE
Might not some new element be intro.
duced, that would give variety and
add interest to the occasionY Az all
events LET US have less Of Greece and
Rome.
l say nothing OF the feminine gen.
der in this connection, lest I get into
another squabble with my cousin Jane
But eycnthc ladies (gIrls alasl are nc
more, might take hint from. the
foregoing remarks, and mend their
ways. Education cannot be oyer-esti'
mated. But Il may not be deemed
absurd TO remark that the present
modes Of educating are capable Of i'm
provement. Why not, for instance
educate a young man for the business
hc expects to engage in? 1.-The intendl
TO be farmer, a physician. a mer
chant. or a lawyer. let the training b,
adapted To the intended pursuit-ioi
life Is too short and time too preciou
TO be squandered.
When ! was boy ten years old
thought the schools were not conduct
, ed properly, and to avoid giving coun
tenance 10 them l used TO run of a
often as l thought prudent, AM
End "books In stones and runninl
; brooks" Now tLatI have grown Il
manhood md become the "falher @
|, family" ! hold the same opinion
{ but cannot Of course approve my for
mer conduct In running away.
pray Mr. Smith since you seen
r so remarkably wise. tell u ehat TO do
' Very well. dominic. I'll toll you wha
Think, and then you MAJ do as yo
please. First, keep your children |
. school three hours day; instead Of 81
!. or eight. Atthis distant day. shud
j, der when l reflect upon the agony
a have endured sitting in one position
during the whole ola long, brigh
summer dayl The true idea Of educa
ton is a sound mind In sound bod,
But our schoolmasters seem 10 ignor
the body altogether. !. Ike some 9th
er great men, my allitu 10 is absurd
limited; and charge the whole Of
d upon my early schoolmasters. Ho
= could grow without the air and SUI
T. shine, and exercise so cruelty denie
l. meg And ifa generation Of To,
N Thumbs comes soon. why let Il
>, schoolmasters look to it..
r In the second place, let the schoo
l. room he an attractive and pleosa
l. building, That old school hou'
'e where I used to go-when can 70
ID get its grim ghastly walls, or its dal
rs and gloomy interior' Churches an
RI schoolhouses. where the heart and Il
l. mind are instructed. ifnot elegant ar
r imposing. ought to be. at least. con
o Portable and beautiful edifces. Ifye
,e turn your children into a! pen, hard
N fit for cattle. will they not becou
rough. uncouth and vulgar? An
: how can you learn them 10 venera
70 the house Of God. II It Is q house tn
l. resembles a delightful old stabl
m --l.-l 4 If l.s