New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-09-20
THE PEOPLES COLLEGE.
ADDRESS AT The LAYING or THE COMMISSIONS,
HAVANA, \. v, SEPT. !, 1855.

an eminent scholar and critic. writing some thirty or
forty years since Of the Ignorance of the Learned,
says
&" Learning is the knowledge OF that which none but
the learned know He is the most learned man who
knows the most of what is furthest removed from
common HE and actual obsery ation, that ~ OF the
least practical utility and least liable 10 be brought 10
the test of experience and that having been handed
down through the greatest number of intermediate
stages is the most full Of uncertainties difficulties,
contradictions. II is seeing with the eyes ~ others,
hearing with their ears, and pinning faith their
understandings. The learned man prides himself on
the knowledge of names and dates no. of men aud
things. He does not know whether his oldest ac-
auaintance is knave fool, but he can pronounce
a pompous lecture on all the principal characters IN
history. He knows NJ much of wha, he talks about
az blind man does Of colcrs.
Such is the Learning which the Peoples College is
intended to supplant-such the ignorance which II is
designed to dspel-such the reproach which it is in
tended to remove
A. one of the early and earnest if not very efficient
advocates of this College allow me to state briefly the
ideas and purposes which animated the pioneers in the
enterprise Of which to-day celebrate the preliminary
! triumph.
l. The gerIninsl idea of tie Peoples College alirms
the necessity of thorough and appropriate education
for the Practical Man in whatever department OF
Business or Industry. The Farmer, Mechanic Manu-
iAtiUrtr Enquirer, W. W. h''"H w
stand thoroughly the materials he employs mouds
and the laws which govern their various states and
transmutations. In other words, thorough mastery
of Geology Chemistry, and the related Sciences, with
their applications is to-day the essential basis of fitness
to lead or direct in any department of Industry This
knowledge we need semnaries to impart-seminaries
which shall be devoted mainly, at least emphaticay,
to Natural Science and which shall not require of their
pupils the devotion of their time and mental energies
to the study of the Dead Languages. am not here
to denounce or dsparages classical course of study.
trust and have no doubt that facilities for pursuing
such course will be afforded and improved in this
institution only protest against the requirement of
application to and proficiency in the Dead Languages
of all College students regardless Of the length Of
time they NAV be able 10 devote to study and of the
course of life they mediate. classical education
may be very appropriate, even indispensable, for the
embryo Lawyer Clergyman, yet not at all suited
to thu OF the i"ooPeotv" Farmer Artisan OF
Engineer. We want seminary which recognises the
VARYING intellectual needs of all aspiring YOUTH
and suitably provides for them. We want seminary
which provides as fifty and thoroughly for the edu-
cation ofthe Captains ofIndutry, Yale or Harvard
does for those who are dedicated TO either Of the Pro-
fessons.
H. We seek and mediate perfect combination
Study with Labor OF course this is an enterprise OF
great difficulty, destined to encounter the most forind-
able obstacles from false PRIDE natural Incidence, fash
ion, tradition and exposure to rdlcue It's deporaby
true that large portion, if not even majority OF our
youth seeking liberal education addict themselves to
Study in order that they may escape life Of Manual
Labor and would prefer not to study if they knew how
else to make living without downright muscular exer.
ton but they do not so they submit to be ground
through academy and college not that they love study
or its intellectual fruits, but that they may obtain
livelihood with the least possible sweat and toll OF
course. these will not be attracted by our programme,
and II is probably well for us that they are not But
think there is a class-sma, perhaps, but increasing
who would fan study. not in order to escape their
share of manual labor ut to qualify them to perform
their part in it efficiently and usetuy-not in or
der shun work but to qualify them to work to better
purpose. They have mind to be made drudges, but
they have faith in the ultimate elevation OF mankind
above the necessity oflife-ong unidentified drdgery
and they aspire to do something toward securing or
fastening that contamination. They know that Man
ual Labor can only be dgniied elevated by render
ing it more intelligent and efficient and that this cam
not be so long rs the educated and the intellectual shun
such labor as tit only for Doors.
Our idea regards Physical Exertion essential to
human development, aud Productive Industry as the
natural, proper, Godgiven sphere Of such eurtion
Exercise Recreation, Play we'll enough in their
time and place. but Work il the Divine provision for
developing and strengthening the physical frame.
Dyspepsia, Debility, and hundred forms of wasting
disease the results of ignorance defiance Of this
truth. The stagnant marsh and the free, pure
running stream aptly eKemplify the disparity in
health and vgor between the worker and the idler.
Intellectual labor rightly directed, il noble-ar be 1t
from to dsparage t-but it does not renovate and
keep heal.hful the physical man. To this end, We
insist, persistent muscular exerion is necessary and,
a. it always well that exercise should have pur-
pose other than exercise every human heing not para
lytc or bsd-ridden should bear part IN Manual La
Dor, and the young and immature nsst Of all The
brainsweat OF the student--the tax levied by study
on the circulation and the vson-are best countsS-
acted by daily devotion Of few h1urs to Manual
Labor.
Moreover there are thousands OF M lectua, as2ir
ing youth who are engaged in q sscsn wrestle with
Poyety-who have no relatives u1o essentially
old them and only few dollars and their own mus
cles between them and the alms-sols These would
gladly qualify themselves for sa highest usefulness
bat how shall they II they must give six months
Of each year 10 teaching, sae other vocation, IN
order to provide means f0f pnrsuing their studs,
through ahe residue Of sAe year their progress must
be slow indeed. But bxrns the study and the work
togethsr-et three our hours Of labor break up the
monosony Of .he day ls~s ns-and they may pursue
their studies from Nsviears 70 Christmas, and from
their sixteenth year 10 veir twentyfrst respectively
shOad they fit, without serious or damaging inter-
ruption. know tbs great difficulties are to be en-
eountered great OH taces surmognted in the OUTSET;
but feel confident that each student OF sixteen yesA
or over who give, twenty hours per week to maous'
labor at this Cslege may earn at least 81 pr "oeA