The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-08-18
Urttten .f"r he -1bJcriHe Ramner.
EDUCATION mo

notwithstanding tn" h",st.d progress OF the
present age. the careful observer cJnu,t fail 10
perceive that we are III no wise be tier prepared
for tho duties of life than were oar fathers and
great grand fathers This vhv ious truth 10 tbo
rejecting mind. is iraught with wcigh,y cunse-
qurnccs and cannot fail TO ca u into active ex.r-
c'Sr, among those who think ut alI, those powers
OF mind, upon the cult walton and expansion of
which, all that is useful and noble in tn. ya,ious
departments of effort has oriuinnted 'rh.
thinking faculties at the rh,enoloris,s, say. mus,
. be aroused TO explain this anomaly in existence
ana II 's with the hope that investigation may
be excited towards this pon, of social and civil
Importance, that w i'll rn,lcavor to account for
The fuc a!rc ady stutcd which because Of its al.
, WI:tcd truth, wc have made tho predicate Of
; THIS essay. The first question which naturally
pre- sents Itself in this connection, is the Impor.
that qucslonWhut is Edmcn,ionl : Men form
very vague ideas as 10 the true answer to this
question: Single ideas, local prcjuliccs. narrow
minds, monoimania! thoughts, trnn.ngurs
Priests all nave different answers agreeing in moth
ing bu, the scIii>ncss Inherent to narrow virws of
extensive suhi"cts; and upon III" answers ns thus
Oh f'iuca'lD nal policy
wrch. from their very heterogeneous nature
prove them weak and incIlicacIou, in the yrca,
task Of educating humanity.
We may venture the assertion that our fathers
knew better, with all their ignorance. than ,ln
the b"as'ing representatives of present refine
in"nt ani civilization. Certain it is, they had
moro practical knowledge of the sirnlicamcy Of
the term, Education and hnv ing tins knowledge
equally certain it is, they madn that use Of it.
which II Sc"ins we have entirely I.rglccicl. The
mighty agencies, now in co'irs" of employment
en!cr 'h" "rainining system. like huge sausage
siu'irts. 10 the work chrhp!y, cxprdi dilously and
upon the most improved scientific principles in
three, or at f,rhc>L four years. The lmy or rir
Is crnnn"i with ,l." living, dead nn.i living Ian
gunyr.. I'll" whole alrhalmL of a,t and sciences
1t n'Ird and matter, and enters upon TIA" active
""'ics OF life wth just enough "i physical lfr to
1--we, an not "m"ngl, Of moral and mental subsis.
tanc" t" die. Two COURSES Of lectures make Il
Doctor. armed w:'l, ,r"lskiu aud commissioned
10 d" Deaths work for filthy lucrcs sak. A less
inclinatI"n makes IL Lawyer, with head su full Of
blackstone that littln room is left for natures
"""ap a'i"rnrncnt cot,m"m sense. In fact, if
we except Tia. m"chan cal and industrial or np.
r;culinral pursuits, everything is done on the.
"iw"-f"riv' principal, aud it is called "rro,
gross Th" i'a,irnt industry and pcrsrvcrinr
efforts Of our fathers is Imgh.l ut :.s f,rysIu
t" philosophy Of mental labor, snrrrrd n, us
in''"rIlny the m"v ing Of the soul arL III ind in
thu calm ahs,rarl".l ,I,nurh.f,,ncss rf we'll ,ii-
rcr'c'l Effort clas>ei with 'l"ta.c rr,arliur the
,,.,rI,, ,C,l.
men, fast women, fast h"ys. fast girls, fast ,a-
bics fast horses, fast scIuols fast colIeges fast
teachers, fast Dcctcrs Lawyers, Preachers aud
S'atcancn, CONFUSE the mighty team which
dr;gs the Earth with sIch fast motion toward the
milicnium. Now, let us examine the Question
What is E,ducations IT. is tina. preparation
"f tho mental, moral and physical man, whicl.
best prepares him to fulfil the ends Of his cren
ti"n. Tn" best system Of Education lien ce, is
that combination Of mcans which VIII srsr Sc
cur" that ciri We speak Eow always Of Edu-
cation in its acknowledged gocl sense.
Is such a combination Of means di:covcraLl.
by The light Of reason AMI common sense, md If
80, what is lis nature, md what are its ee
ncn,s
Are those means Of general adaptation. and
universal III :heis results
How are We to inanguraie them, and by wha,
authority are they to be adopted?
These questions argued aud answ cred, and we
will retire from the subject conscious if no rood
is effected no evil will follow
We say, then, that Education is that prcpera
ton Of the mental. moral and physical man
which best prepares him to fu iii the ends of his
creation. Viewed from this stand point, il is in
hnitely superior i'll Importance TO all other sub
Jects. involving the interest Of mankind, because
1t embraces within its extensive limits all the
fields for mans exer,on, and opens out a Cod
like destiny. rcwarlmg the honest endeavors of
all with rich treasures, that gold and S liver can
not buy II owes no supremacy but Of mind,
and grants no fLvors but to truth. 1t humblcs
the purse proud fool, and wrings from his miserly
grasp his gold, TO extend its conquests 1t COM
promises not jot title Of its just demands
lis motto is Ercclsior, and lis triumph Glory
How few are educated, how few, we may say,
have commenced their education, and yet how
often do we hear Of Mr. and Miss co and so,
fniNting their education, ms though mankind
were walking canes, roughly cut out of the pa
rent wood, AMI sent to college to be vanished
with coat of pc'lanc gloss rubbed over w h
professional pnmicc stone, and finished on Com
mcncemcnt Day. And oh, such specimens a.
we havo seen come out Of these mind manufac-
tores
have my minds eye now, ayoutli pure and
holy III simplicity, and endowed by nature with
a head that would have graced an angcl-he the
gifted. generous and noble hearted was sent by
indngent, but weak father to ono of these men,
tai machine shops, and finished" We watched
the operation of finishing First, they rubbed
down his physical system with what they called
study, until il resembcd the shadow of n human
figure; then a thin glue Of classics to the out
side Of the mind was applied by an a,tenuated
dealer in the Dead Languages After which
operation Il Philosophical Professor, with a pair
OF Metaphysical bellows, Inflated him with II