Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1858-11-09
CoNINIUNECArED.
Practical Education.
IA, Essay Reaa Before tie Teachers 4ssoeiat.on
BY A. WILSON.

E1ery nation and age have char
acleristics and tendencies which dis.
tinguish them from all others. They have
not only their triling oddiues and local
differences, but strong, earnest inclina-
uons, which seem to guide and govern
their achievements both IN science and
art their Institutions and pursuits, their
external developments of every charac-
ter. indicate that they have these traits Of
intorn genius as . basis Of their efforts.
Their theories Of a government, of phi
Iosopl.y and religion, and all their origi-
nal works, bear 50 strong an impress Of
those who framed then, that they can be
as readily classified as the flowers Of the
field or the shells Of the ocean"
Necessity many tiues developes unex-
pected strength and regulates and directs
the forces that previously existed, g ii
knows no law and therefore, has no
master, it changes with every climate,
country and people. In our own country,
whose machinery Of government and in-
<tituIons are plain and simple, whose
population is spread over a vast extent of
territory, it brought out the practical,
common sense man - aad what we now
desire IS THOROUGH, PRACTICAL TEACu-
ING BY Intelligent Iaborers. Ideas are Of
but Hule use, If retained in confused
state, aud can produce nothing but dis
satisfaction when, THIS impaired to others,
The source must be clear and sparkling
in order to have the stream refre shing
and useful In the course Of education.
the descriptions must he clear, distinct
and attractive, clo,hed in beautiful IAN
euage and delivered IN an agreeable man
ner; the impression then viil be full and
complete. The teacher who would inter-
est and instruct must Know what be teach
IS and now to teach it; further than this,
in order that he may be truly useful 10
his classes, he should he capable of ex-
planning the practical application Of every
priuclpie iii The whole course Of study. /
would nos be understood as oue who de-
sDises theory, or who would Danish a
mere theorizer from any community, hut
believe that all theories, until established
By actual experiment, are about as useful
70 man as imaginary visits 10 the moon,
depicted by a school girl, OF a prospective
renr,sentation Of The condition ani Gil
cuns.ances of society two thousand years
hence. we want the result Of the ex-
periments and investigations Of reliable
men. in order to progress. It Is a posi-
ble thing for classes of intelligent persons
to 1rARN great variety Of studies with
OUT knowing them - study Geography,
dcscri5e rivers and chains of mountains,
the boundaries Of countries, the govern
ment and people, without kNowINe that
thev have sEtS the earth which they
have 50 accurately described - Arilhme-
tic. repeat tie rules with ease and lamil-
iarity. but, if pracucal example should
Be given, reply that they would solve II,
If some one would be kind enough to III
dicate the rule that is arplicable-Naiural
Philosophy, describing the various attrao-
tons which exist, the mechanical pow
ers and their combinations, discourse Wit
nuency concerning the laws Of heat and
light, force and mogjon, almost proving
that they have thought with a NEwroN
and experimental wi,h FuLToS and
WArr, without thinking that every sun
beam they behold and every particle Of
air thew inhale are compound elements,
and every force exerted IN the physical
world operates in accordance with the
laws which they have 50 clearly demon
snaleJ. 81 1 might s. On through the
whole catalogue Of studies usually pur-
sued IL school, and the same progress