Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-10-02

| cOuld not be discussed but we may give the
outlines OF what we consider the principles of
education. In the first place we live in Chris
tan country, and the people of the United
States generally believe that all education
should accord with christian principles Not
that particular dogmas or creeds should be
| taught in our schools, but that the Bible should
be generally used, and that children should be
taught to respect the great truths Of Divine
revelation That they should be taught to
believe in the oyerruling Providence of a Di-
vine Being, and their accountability to. Him
for all their actions. That the principles in
culcated in the scriptures shonld be carried out
in the education of the youth That they
should be taught to love and obey their pa
rents, that the strictest morality should be OBJ
served, that profane or vulgar language should
not be used, and that politeness and kindness
is highly becoming in the student on all occa-
sions. Alteration of the Divine Being, love
to parents, affection to friends and high re-
spect for the laws of our country ought to he
strongly impressed on the Youthful mind. To
succeed well with such an education parents
and teachers must be united They must speak
and act with respect and courtesy to each 9th
er. The young mind is capable of strong inn
l'N~''''I ~ C'tNIiN bttlNt'l against tD>t W nose
duty it is to restrain and guard it from error.
If the parent drop a word of slight or con
tempt Of the teacher in the presence of the
scholar, it is increasing the difficulty with the
teacher and adding an increased weight to an
already overload of responsibility. With all
the aids and helps that a teacher can receive
from parents and the public, it is an arduous
and highly responsible SituationA The teacher
acts as snb-parent to the child, if | may use
such an expression. He Becomes parent tutor
and guardian for the time being The dull,
the wayward, the thoughtcss, and even the
wicked are al handed over to him together.
ana great and rapid Improvement expected
on them all. Many would be ready to say
the task was unmerciful and the result hone
less Not so. Teachers are formed with na-
tlence and perseverance equal to the undertake
ing. They throw the whole energies of the
mind into the business Of training the Young
they have made study Of human nature The
forward are restrained, the feeble encouraged
and all rewarded for every attempt at improve
mcnt. The study appears to be TO impart the
greatest amount of knowledge with the least
possible coercion The philanthropist is look
ing on with pleasure, and the intelligent are
everywhere viewing with wonder the achieve
ments made in the science of teaching.
1t may not be out of place to say here. that
almost all parents remark that their children
are harder to govern after they commence 60
ing to school, and that they lose part Of their
flial respect. This is no doubt true, and the
united energies Of parent and teacher cannot
entirely avert the evil complained Of \ al
most every school there is one or more master
spirits or mischievOus boys. Those master
spirits will be attended to bv their fellow play
mates and they will naturally make their i'm
pressions on the young mind. Those difficult
ties follow education through all its progress
Primary school, Academy and College The
education of our common schools, where the
young can be prepared for college, while they
are with their parents aud in a great measure
under their care until their character is at least
in part formed, appears to be the best safe
guard for the young student. 1t is common
to ask if it is possible for the United States to
progress as much in the next half century as
they have in the last This may be answered
in the affirmative In less than fifty years
from this date fine classical education may
be obtained and a profession studied in our
common schools. All the great achievements
of the by-gone century would be equallcd by
this one improvement in education. When 1
speak of obtaining a high classical education,
| do not mean that seven years is to be devo-
ted to the study of Latin and Greek The la
Dor is not repaid by the requirement. Per
hapS the principal gain in the study Of the
dead languages is the training the mind to
study but surely the same amount of study
nSefully applied, would be more profitable than
when exercised as a mere training. The know
ledge of the languages no doubt gives the pos
SCISSOR d great advantage over the man who
has but a smattering in those branches. We
delight in reading the productions Of our states
men who were fine scholars. John Randolph.
James Madison John Quincy Adams, and
Daniel Webster were all iue specimens OF
great attanmentS III education but their
greatness consisted principally III the knowledge
of the Engli-h language !; besides, we have had
great men who were not schoiarS-Hatrick
Henry, Henry Clay, and Andrew Jackson were
truly great men, without the advantages OF
classical education. No doubt classical edu-
cation would have benefited those men much,
but they are mentioned to show that long
training in the dead languages is not al solutely
necessary TO make great men. The subject OF
education has received the attention, the coun-
tcnance and support Of all the great men OF
the Union. 1t is a subject dear to the hearts
of all true Americans 1t is difficult to lind a
new sentence TO utter in its favor, when the
pulpit the press, the forum, the executive, and
the legislative branches of our country have
been yieing with each other in producing
speeches, documents, and essays in Its behalf.
Some noble hearted men have devoted almost
their whole lives to the cause OF cdncatIon.-
To name an individual amongst those, appears
almost like injustice but | cannot pass this
part of the subject without referring 70 one
Pennsylvania, who has with indefatigable eA-
ertion sustained the cause of general education
by every means in hispower, for nearly orquIte,
a quarter of century His body, mind and