The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-07-22
ADDR ESS ON EDUCATION.
BY HoRAcR GREELEY.


deon, on which six immense folios, volumes
OF the Biographia Britannica, were piled as
stand for his notes; and with voice and
manner which seemed as if his muse were
| pltchforking great loads of thought out of
his interior, with Tremendous effort, but
which grew gradually easier, began as fol-
lows:)
I come before you to-day with no elaborate
address prepared; for l think the speech
which will best suit the occasion will be one
inspired by the occasion. The theme is of
course the one, the only one, which would
be fitting here and now; need scarcely
name it; EDUCATION. Yet not as an advo-
cate of Education am here to address you;
she needs no advocate here, or you would
not be here to-day. All this vast multitude,
gathered from distant homes, have came as
her advocates. There is surely no need OF
dwelling on the value and importance of
lha, which is the engrossing theme of thought
and ineres, with all | see before me. The
intelligence, beauty and attention here COL
ected, the halls in view of which we are
assembled; the addresses we have already
heard, all the memories our young friends
bear from this place, and all tho hopes which
beckon them 10 the future, are so many les
limonials TO the importance of Education
But, that we may bring our thoughts TO some
practical issue to-day, indulge me with your
attention, and while my feeble voice eau
make you hear, and SO long as your patience
ought 10 be taxed, will offer some remarks
as the fruits Of my reflection and experience,
on EDUCATION, IRIS MOTIVES, METHODS AND
ENDS.
The word Philosophy, in its proper and
dervative meaning, denotes love of wis.,
dom or knowledge. But ii is more common
ly used in an accommodated and inaccurate
seEse, as indicating a system or circle of
whatever pertains or ministers 10 the intel.
leclual needs of man. Taking the word in
this, now its almost universal sense, we may
say that the world of Philosophy has pro-
duced two great thinkers, Plato and Bacon,
who, above all others, have been and con-
time to be kings in The realms of thought
Plato was acknowledged as supreme dic,a-
tor of the human intellect for ages before
Bacon wrote; and, indeed, among scholars,
IN our colleges and academies, our systems
of education, and the literary world at large,
the philosophy of Plato still weds para
mount authority. We may say that nine
ten.hs OF the thinking world bow 10 him.
These two names then, raised on high, stand
to-day as landmarks 10 all who so forth upon
the sea of thought.
Plalo's philosophy begins by conlempla;.
ing the soul rather than the body. II views
man m ore as pure spirit than as an agent
in the material world. 1t deems the noblest
work of education 10 be, not so much the
workman as the man. Its objects are in
ward, and its means, therefore, are chosen
for their reflective action on him who en-
ploys Them, not for their power in the world
But while Plalorism thus builds on intuition,
Baconism seeks its foundation in reason.-
II begins with facts, and aims al fruits. II
rejects everything from the beginning but
clear, proved facts, and calls forth all the
energies of it's disciples in the search for
practical; useful results. The Baconian idea
regards man as placed on earth 10 be a
worker; and the true education as that which
best fits man for his work. 1t therefore cuts
of from youthful training everything which
gives no promise of being turned 10 account
IN manly work.
The civilized world, as have said, sat for
more than fifteen centuries at the feet OF
Plato; receiving his words with as implicit
faith as was given them in his own school al
Athens. And still his ideas prevail in our
scholastic system. Ask an old school pro.
fessor of to-day why he insists so much on
the general study of the higher mathematics,
the dead languages, and such other branches
as have no practical work TO do in the hands
of these pupils; ant he is sure 10 answer you
as an orthodox Platonist; To discipline the
mind. This is the grea, aim Of our college
and academy systems. But since the gen.
eral diffusion OF the art of printing, the op-
posite or Baconian idea has been steadily
gaining ground. And now The great queS-
ton in which the educational mind of our
own age is engaged, is whether this idea
shall be adopted in the training system OF The
coming era.
Baconism, then, commences with care
ful, intelligent observation Of facts. 1t as
sumes nothing; proceeds by strict education;
takes nothing for granted; and postpones all
theorizing until by an adequate Interrogation
of facts, we shall be pointed irresistaSly TO
the conclusion. The model Baconian Of our
own nation, and of what We may call our
own age, in comparison with the vast extent
of history, was Benjamin franklin. He was
not, indeed, a model man; as man his char
acter had many faults; but we speak OF him
now only as thinker, and in this light, he
was a model Baconian. Olher illustrious
disciples of this school, however, belong to
these times; such as Fulton, Watt, Whitney,
Morse, Daguerre, and many more. For this
IS the school of practical men. who do the
work.