Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-08-11
For the Spirit of the Age.


4
Amid the rapid advancement Of our peo-
pie IN the cause Of Education, the public
mind, through excitement ard enthusiasm,
seems 60 nave become perverted with re-
gard 90 the tue meaning and ultimate OBJ
Ject OF " Educati0n." There appears to be
no meaning attached to it at all, or if any, a
very vague and incomprehensible one. With
out ever rejecting on the possibility of being
wrong, without thinking of what we are try
ing to do, the world is making education the
great theme Of talk and pretension and our
youth of both sexes are leaving the honest
vocations of their ancestors packing off to
College, and eagerly pursuing it merely as a
matter of fashion, an object of speculation,
with no aim on application.
loo many young men look upon College
as a great store house, where lore is kept TO
be dealt out by a Professor. They believe
it can only be acquired there, consequently
seek it no where else. Placing themselves
under the tuition of a Professor, they seem
to think if they serve out a term of four
years, in hanging round the college walls,
they are educated and entitled to a diploma,
though half their time has been squandered
at the Female Seminary, gazing at the girls,
smoking cigars, drinking lager beer and play
ing chess.
We believe one great cause of so many
2 shallow and superficial scholars is, they de-
2 pend too much on the ability of the teacher
and not enough on their own exertions. Now
education can't be bought, except with labor.
8 One man cannot educate another. There can
= be no time prescribed for It's completion. 1t
is progressiye-eternally so. Its object is to
discipline the mind and prepare it for any
i and all the duties of life; and this can only
g be effected by close, patient, hard study !;
h and it makes nc difference whether it be at
school, at home or at the plough handle.
The primary object of our Female Schools
b seems to be to teach young ladies to dress
e fashionably, spend money, be extravagant and
keep up appearances; while the study of the
= solid sciences is made only a secondary con
N Germ. This false impression of what consti
er tutes female education, instead of teaching
ut humility, fills the heart with pride, make.
IS, girls fashionable ladies, with no settled aim
~ no noble purpose. They look with contemp
upon domestic work, and live only to be Low
ed and get married. This standard of edu
" cation, and this idea of a modern lady, goinI
!. forth from the great tribunal of our Colleges
lis is spreading itself like magnetism over tn
tie, whole community, making it fashionable an
popular to be of mo account" The effect
to fill the world with a host of bewildereG
RI. day-dreaming old Bachelors and the sam
number of modern ladies, who know notl
ing Of history, politics or government, bl
MS fritter away their time in looking after oth'
peoples business, and talking about cour
- ships, marriages, shows, balls, parties, vi
~ its, &c.
Evooes nrod,6oe d;sor5or Now w
llu- no+ o,noea Mo- ond Eronch IN +bo;r nr
= per places, but only where they are studi
to the neglect of the solid branches. Know
ooh edge. to be useful, must be practical. A
at the risk of being denounced as a "youl
leie fogy," we must say we are opposed to o
modern system of college Commencement
LIZ M They exert no influence for good, lead to
Tue serious thought, while they excite and d
the sipate the mind and foster and favor net
Ups less and extravagant expenses. A Cole
:eso commencement is a place for all the you
II u Americas, dandies, idlers, l~oafers, count
ou' firts and village bellies, who crowd in fol
'Pl9' frolic, to exhibit a new dress, a new coat
5 oi- charming face, or a cherished moustac
Here, before the restless eyes of the crowt
dunn OF French ana music, TO pIeast~ r14 /
~ az cy, while there is exhibited a grand pa
) ~ rama of nothing.
! !. ~ We are friends to acknowledgements
~ liberal science, and approvers of decent
nv aminations but we are opposed to all
" old women and children, old men and yol
, aa Americas, going there to help swell the Gre
~ and raise a row. We are opposed to
whole world being thrown off its hin;
49, turned upside down, neglecting its busir
GUYS and running to a thousand useless expen
at the approach of a Commencement.
DIX And we are opposed to so much outside sf
l"ui% ridiculous fashion, and senseless hum
snI gerry. RANDOLPH
man Bloomington, N. G.