Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1857-08-20

rest satisfied with a system which says te
the proud waves of intellect, Thus al
and no tather''? That the American stu
dent is not satisfied with this system. every
active. earnest graduate knows and feels
when he thinks of whs: he might do. were
he permitted. and had the opportunity &c
proceed with his studies. But he must.stoT
just when his thirst for knowledge is ava
kened; and he leaves his Alma Mater with
the sad consciousness Of not one single
branch of study is he the master. This
narrow policy is sometimes surmounted
and. like Copernicus, breaking away from
the bonds of ignorance and prejudice by
which they are surrounded, there comes
forth our Everetts, our Hitchcocks, our
Fultons and Silimans. We need sys-
tenn of education that will develope every
power Of the human soul--that shall give
the human intellect, which is as as Horace
Mann has said-"Fitted to 90 on bounding
from star to star, in the armament OF
knowledge" full scope for all is mighty
evoluticns. Thus. and thus only can the
American mind, ever active, ever restless,
be satisfied. The Prussian, perhaps,
would come nearer satisfying our wants,
than any other existing system, but it
would necessarily receive many modi6-
cations, to suit the genius of our people
and our liberal institutions. We have the
primary school; we have also the gymnasia
in our Colleges; we need now the cap.stone
and crowning glory-the University. where
every branch of knowledge is taught. and
the student pursue his studies to any ex-
tent he choose, his course being limited
only by his own desires. If such sys-
tenn be beneficial in monarchy. much
more so is it in Republic. Her citizens
are even more than her sons-they are her.
self. Let her provide for their education
in the best possible manner. Let her
cherish them, for, like the sons of Cornelia,
they are her jewels As people. we are
verging too much toward a material view
of things. We need to have the force
and energy of mind which forms Ameri-
can character, transferred from Its devotion
to material pursuits, and turned into new
channel. 1t is well to have things useful
and prosperous-it is better to have things
good and great. Ii is well to have houses
and railroads.&c. is better to have men. II
is we'll to have dollars and cents IN circula-
tion among us-it is better to have eternal
thoughts.
There is another element of education
which should. in this country, receive the
closest attention.
I | refer to the moral element. This j,
needed as regulating power. In monar-
chies and aristocracies. mems passions are
held in check by the strong hand of pow
er. But in republic it is otherwise
Here the whole man is developed; the evil
as well as the good. Evidently something
is needed as a substitute for the arm of des
potism; and nothing can be so available ir
correcting mans evil propensitles. as deeE
well grounded morality in public and pri
vate; and this morality to be made univer
sal must be taught in the schools. 1
should be such morality as IS based on th'
scriptures. 1t should be bothing less thar
religion ITSELF This should form par. o
our educational system, and be compan
ion to the intellect in its highest flights
A good man is strong man, and tn
more good men nation contains. tn
E stronger is that nation. Ten righteor
men would have saved Sodom from des
truction, and if this nation shall see to
, in her systems of education, that he
children receive the highest culture, NOR
ally, as well as mentally, she will be lik
house that was founded on a rock; but le
her neglect it and she will be like the hous
that was built upon the sand, and when tn
winds blow, and the floods come, and tn
tempests beat up,n. her. she will fall. an
| and great and terrible will be the fall {
her. Would any nation reach the highes
! point in all that constitutes nation trul
' great? We may answer in the words {
9 Him who spake as never man spake; ''See
v ye first the Kingdom of God, and h
n righteousness. and all these things shall
a added unto you."
# In system of education, such as
e here briefly limited at. to make it MOI
g perfect, and as an improvement on II
: system of Prussia, woman should in o,
/ country be sharer even to the highe
J, culture of the university for she occupies
# position in American society. where 81
h lexercises vast influence on cur polite
). institutions. Give her then the highs
e culture. If republic cannot spare h
J: sons. neither can she spare her daughter
II ~ L<.na