Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1857-09-10
Educational.

tabIished an Educational Department, JAS
PER Packard, ESQ, Editor. Mr.. P. has
the reputation of being an elegant and for
chile writer. We rather like the tone of
his Inaugural. 1t sounds like there is GER
tain quantum Of common sense in the wri-
ter's head, which encourages us to hope
for something practical and worthy of con-
sideration from his pen on this subject
There is no denying that our present school
system fails to meet the expectation of it's
friends, and much dissatisfaction in con-
sequnce exists in the public mind. What
remedies are wanted, we will not undertake
now to point out, not having examined the
system with sufficient care, but hope Mr..
P. will give the public the benefit of his
views. The following is Mr. P.'s saluta-
tory entire: s iaa -a
| To talk of the benefits Of universal Edu-
cation, to extol its great and happy results,
and laud those engaged in the work, is an
easy matter; to take hold Of the work, to
harness ourselves to the task, and labor per-
sonally for the upbuilding of schools and
school systems is quite another thing. We
believe that our age, our State, and our
city have reached the point where action is
demanded; and in assuming the chair edi-
torial for the Educational Department of
the "Unioa,' we hope to be able to assist
in some small degree, in pushing on the
work of education, especially in our
midst.
There are many encouraging indications
around us, and not the least so is the fact
that our county papers have cheerfully Civ
en- us an Educational Department. 1t is,
at least in the west, the Inauguration of a
new era in educational progress. Thus en-
couraged we feel like laboring more earn
estly than ever before; and we enter upon
our new duties with hearty zeal for the
cause. in the hope shat we shall make the
Educational Department not unworthy of
the attention of our citizens. We desire to
make the subject of education felt, to
produce a rattling among the dry bones,
by holding the subject up in every possible
light. We long for the time to come when
our citizens shall be heard discussing, on
the corners of the streets, the means of i'm
proving our school systems, as well as the
rise and fall of stocks, specie, shinplasters,
banks, lands and railways. These are all
objects worthy of our attention; but are we
not, as people, inclining too much to a
material view of things? Material improve
inent is advancing with rapid strides; but
this progress must cease without cores
ponding advance mentally. The highest
advancement, materially, demands power.
full mental energy. 1t was thought, deep,
earnest, intenses that led sfy successive steps,
to the invention of the Telegraph, and moi
many weeks will elapse before, emerging
from the bed of the Atlantic will come the
swift intelligence from the Eastern world
This great material triumph is mighty tri-
umph of mind.
The steamer, plowing the wave, breast
ing the fury of the winds, and bearing
proudly the demonstration of the assertion
that the ocean could not be crossed by
steam, was proud day for the human
mind. Logic had shown that steam was
inadequate to the task; and its insuf1icicncy
to propel vessel across the Atlantic was
reduced to demonstration. The demon.
stratlon and the steamer crossed the deep
together, and the world was compelled to
| believe.
This was not the las triumph. To wait
ten or twelve days for news from London
will not do. We cannot bridge the Allan
tic. and erect line of posts; but we can
pass under its waters, and still on the wings
of lightning ride. The swift-winged mes
senger sets out from London, when.
"With single bound her goal she gains,
And laughs at the putting engines palms,
These illustrations serve to show that
mental energy produces material greatness
Then would we see our country great and
prosperous? Let popular education secure
our highest care; for, by the intelligence OF
the masses, our social fabric will be pres
ervcd to the remotest generations. 49,