The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-03-13

/ in respect 20 principle"
/ z, That College mechanism should, iu gen
enl, have respect 10 the most perfect deyel
opment Of the powers u students lhat no
mechanism however organlcllly perfect lha
does not embody righteous moral principle
or that cannot be operated in consistency
with II, cannot bo otherwise Than Injurious ir
. iis results"
Upon this basis IL 70 affirmed that sys
TEN n scholarships and prizes, as such sys
TENS have usually prevailed, cannot be intro
ducnd into College mechanism, or be carried
on consistently with righteous principle and
fa'ofably 10 virtue In young men, or to true
knowledge and wisdom, 80 Gar as they pre-
suppose virtue and depend upon H."
IN confirmation Of this position the test.
mony Of students Is proddced, "About
twenty-five years ago there arose, Ot Ia alleg-
ed,l O simultaneous queslioniug among the
students NJ most Of the New England Col.
legos Ia regard % College appointments IN
general, Il was spor tnneous movement of
the young men, consequent upon an unusual
religious awakening among them, and seem
ed q common reaction Of conscience against o
common injurious custom, The alleged ren-
son Of this opposition 10 the system then h.
use, was their experience Of i,s bad effects up
on themselves, 90 measured By the higher
moral standards % which their attention had
been drawn, II was perceived % Himulatc
the PASSIONS 10 unhIngo mutual affection
aud confidence 90 cNalt the individual above
the class, aud the class above the kiDd. II
fomcnted icaouses, hatred, Nindicuycness,
disorder Il proposed ialso end Of study
and bcha,ior-priyatc iutcrest--and tempted
young men beyond what they wer1 able to
bcaT 20 the use of questionable means for il
Ollainmcul-to ihwnng, subscricnt spirit .
20 clcclionocring, bribery, couVi,ial entertain
mcnls and = disproporliouoto culture Of the
faculties on the part Of some, which led 90
the wauton neglect on the part Of others g.
producing, on the one hand, the evils Of graf
lied ambition, and, on the other, the greater
evils Of disappointment aud supposed ths-
grace, which reached beyond the students
themselves 10 their families and friends 40
sufficient offsets for these evils, were seen iu
improved scholarship Of few competitors,
Il indeed such improved scholarship we're not
imaginary, affected and not real or, II real
not aItaiuablc, equally upon more moral
systemi CT, ~ IL higher general average Of
scholarship were not more desirable than the
disproporlonale advancement Of the few. and
the encouragement Of the many" Such was
the Judgment Of students, That this judg,
ment is justified hy the observation and oN,
pcricucc Of mankind In general, the Report
labors to show II nllims as the result Oft
investigation, that honor and emulation"
10 EcUcTdliy employed as legitimate forces 6y
the generality IN our schools Of learning, are
mere vices Of the mind, and arr 70 be en-.
coumgcd, The appeal is made not to the
love Of essential excellence, but Of personal
prominence, The stimulusis lcltiuthc wrong
place, not ly The sense Of dudybut the sense
of interest and il effect is 10 encourage,
not weakness, which 4, the ordained pfcrc-
qui'iic Of Misdlm.- hul-tAe pInud-oaeeeitc,l-
cgutism which goes before drs,ruetian, Sup
pose an ambitious and cmupus student lust
following this bent Of the dpccitfll mind. lie
willbcmorc a,sduousprobably fora timc,than
hiss better balanced noighbor, and seem great.
or on occasions, But he will work unequal
i, according to his humor and -diApfat.as-.
t5oBdbiy, according to his policy, applying
such faculties, or branches, as will best suit
his- eHts5--He wilt be orderly even To a fault,
where It may contribute to his success lie
will be fawnng, trucking, subserVicnt, syco.
phantc, till he gains his place but viii then
fold his arms and be insolcnt and oycrhcaring.
Or If he succeed not, he will "subadc into
Indifference and sloth, or be chafcd TO mad
ness Either result is alike TO be avoided
and the doctrine Of the Report is that highc, !.
principles should be oppcalcd.to us tho prop
n motive power in the work Of Education.
The proper education Of the conscience |
If the students, its author remnrks) would .
secure the best posi- bic exercise Of all the fac
iltics, and the highest dignity and usefulness
If College, short Of what God only can ef. .
Get. Well taught and unsophisticatcd young
men, respond to a right appeal to the moral
ense, as they do not, and could not, to any
over principle The response is sometimes
lcepj deeper than it scemsi deeper than is
acknowledged The higher principles Of the
mind uru stirred new resolve succeeds; a
'etter order, more vigorous study, and more
irtuous life. a more profound sense Of re-
ponsible manhood is produced, a healthier
reedom ofthc will, loitier courage, more
General activity and then the greatest work
f natural discipline is done"
We have quoted thus freely from this dis.
ussion of principles involved in the work of
education. The doctrine inculcatcd appcr-
aims to education not only in the College,
nut every where else, in the nursery, at the
lmily Preside, and in the Common School.
I deserves thoughtful study by all parents
nd teachers, Jor whatever may be true in re-