Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-02-18

~ HiSsIess, Uut ike a DOnd slave for an
austere master. The mind, it is true, NAV
thus be stored with facts and principles, but
If gathered under %compulsion, they will be
lying SO much dead, barren knowledge in the
memory, unassimilated, unarranged, and des-
tltute OF vitality and ~yividness. The faoul-
ties may gain a certain dicipline, but unless
the heart be engaged and the soul fred with
zeal, they are cultured to little purpose. The
pupil goes forth like a soldier armed and
equipped at all points, thoroughly trained in
military tactics but burning with no spirit Of
patriotism, no love Of glory, no martial en-
tnuslasm, none OF that eagerness for the fray
which inspires a brave and successful war
rler. To change the figure, he is like a
steam engine, all its.cylinders, and rods, and
screws in their places, and abundant water
IN tne boiler but no fire to generate the
steam. All it is a beautiful machine, the
Periectlon OF mechanism representing i'm
rnense labor and skill! but unless you. con-
triye to put a fire into the furnace, it is labor
and skill thrown away.
Undoubtedly the mind and character will
long bear the unmistakable traces of early
culture; traces which q lifetime of Incidence
cannot wholly eradicate, but they will only
remind US OF one of those South African riy-
or courses seen by DR.. Livingstop-the ct an
mel deep and distinct, the bed covered with
the calcareous deposits of ages, the sides
marked with rolled pebbles, showing that a
mighty river once swept along there, but
now all dry and parched.
L remember once in the course of a sHm-
mer ramble among the mountains, coming
upon q mill situated in a deep ravine, and
surrounded by a cluster of houses, all deserted
and tenantless. | entered the mill and found
its appointments fresh and perfect; the great
wheel and the appropriate machinery there,
looking as if a touch would start all into
useful activity. Yet it stood, and would
stand idle and worthless, because the motive
power was wanting; the bed of the stream
was dry as Sahara. Far back in the noun
tains the torrent had broken into another
channel, and was roaring away in quite an
other direction.
So society is full of so-ealled educated
men, for whom the world is not one whit the
wiser or better; whose early culture
no purpose, either in advancing their own
happiness or in benefting their fellows. Eli
Their they exhibit no intellectual life at all,
or their abundant mental energy having new
er been thoroughly engaged in intellectual
pursuits, Is roaring away in the distance in
eager chase after worldly gain or worldly
pleasure.
We meet, everywhere, minds that were
once laid out with vast care and toll, with
broad avenues along which grand imperial
thoughts might course, and pleasant garden
spots well stocked, where the Imagination
might revel in a perpetual feast; but along
those avenues only the frivolities of the hour
are careering to and fro, while the cares and
pleasures of the world so trampling over the
garden plots, crushing every lovely foYer,
tearing up by the roots every rich, rare plant.
And not unfrequently education becomes a
means only OF increased mischief to mankind,
when the evil spirit of ignorance exercised
by culture, but not supplaAted by a love of
truth, returns to the swept and garnished
soul with seven other spirits worse than it
self, and the last state of that mar is. worse
than the first.
We are prepared to enquire, now, what
should be the grand endeayor of the wise in
s~tructor
Its of course of the utmost importance
that the young mind be stored with knewl-
edge, that habits of study be formed, that
due attention be paid to the cultivation of
she memory, and the powers of observation,
reflection, abstraction, discrimination, analy-
sis and illustration. But there is a higher
aim than this, which should engage the CON
slant and most thoughtful effort Of the faith,
full teacher, and the idea of which should
pervade all his endeavors. It is to- call into
activity the mental t1s, to put in motion the
intellectual energy of the pupil, to start, if
possible, the very soul into eager, enthusiast
tic, vigorous, rejoicing effort, and to inspire
him with motives for permanent action. It
is to awaken what | have called a selfim-
polling pewei within the soul; power which
will make him something more than an un-
willing drudge, a mere machine, but will
stimulate him to earnest e1ertlon In every
path Of noble, intellectual eldeavor. If this
is accomplished the great work Is accom-
plished. More is attained than by any con-
ceivable amount of mental culture apart
from this. If this is unaccomplishsd, tins
work Of education will be, to a great ex-
tent, f~ruitless, its results inadequate and un-
satisfactory, and the man himself but a Gull
tivated drone.
/ am aware that I have here set before the
teacher, what will be often a difficult, some-
times, perchance, an impossible tesk, and it
becomes me to show, as far as | may, how
this work is to be achieved. ALLOW me,
then, to suggest, in the first place, that you
strive by all means to interest the heart and
soul of your pupil in the subject of his study.
10 do this successfully, the teacher must
be himself an enthusiast in his department.
alive to all its beauties, and able eloquently,
or at least earnestly, to set them forth. En-
thusiasts are always successful teachers, and
never fail to surround themselves with a cir
Gle Of enthusiastic pupils, while if the in
s%trnctor be evidently uninterested and list,
less, the scholar will pursue his studies with
disgust.
Let the teacher have a thorough acq uain-
tance with his subject, and an earnest appre-
citation of it, and then let him take his pupils
by the hand, lead them patiently through
the field, point out to them the objects of
interest, and their points of peculiar interest;
display to him the beauties that lie strewn
abundantly about in every department of
science; and if he does this, eyincing him
self a genuine sympathy with his subject.
and striving to kindle a corresponding avn
patty in them, he cannot but succeed: if not
with all, at least with the majority Of those
under his tuition.
Especially there will be brS little Difficult
ty with those branches Which appeal most
to the faculty Of obs ervation, SO predominant
in the young, like the various departments
of Natural Science with their brilliant ex.
perlments End curious specimens. These
come nome to the bodily senses, which long
malneaV' a supremacy over the undeveloped
intellectual aptitudes, and just in proportion