New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1861-03-29
WHAT KNOWLEDGE is Of
at MOST WORTH?
FROM "EpucArIoN," BY HERBERT SPENCER.

FROM "EDUcATIoN," BY HERBERT SPENCER.
We need not insist on the value of
that knogledge which aids indirect self
preservation by facilitating the gaining
of a livelihood. This is admitted by
all; and, indeed, by the mass is perhaps
too exclusively regarded as the end Of
education. But while every one is
ready to endorse the abstract propositi-
on that instruction fitting youths for
the business of life is of high impor-
tance, or even to consider it ofsupreme
Importance; yet scarcely any inquire
what instruction will so fit them. 1t
is true that reading, writing, and arith
metic are taught with an intelligent ap
probation of their uses; but when We
have said this we have said nearly all.
While the great bulk iof what else is
acquired has no bearing on the indus
trial activities, an immensely 'of infor-
nation that has direct bearing GU the
industrial activities is entirely passed
over. as
For, leaving out only some very small
classes, what are all men employed in ?
They are employed in the production,
preparation, and distribution of con-
modities. And on what does efficiency
in the production, preparation, and dis
tribut,on of commodities depend? 1t
depends on the use of methods fitted to
the respective natures of these commod
tiles; it depends on an adequate knowl-
edge Of their physical, chemical, or vi
tai properties, as the case may be; that
is, it depends on Science. This order
of acknowledge, which is in great part ig
nort d in OF SCHOOL, lrses, is the or ler
acknowledge underlying the right per-
formance ofall those processes by which
civilized life is made possible. Unde-
niable as is this truth, and thrust upon
us as it is at every turn, there seems to
be no living consciousness of it; its very
familiarity makes it unguarded. To
give due weight to our argument, we
must therefore, realize this truth to the
reader by rapid review of the facts.
For all the higher arts of construct
ion, some acquaintance with Mathe-
matics is indispensable. The village
carpenter, who, lacking rational instrut
ion, lays out his work by empiracle
rules learnt in his apprenticeship,
equally with the builder Of Britannia
makes hourly reference to the laws of
quantitative relations. The surveyor
on whose survey the land is purchased;
the architect in designinga mansion to
be built on it, the builder in preparing
his estimates; his foreman in laying out
the foundations; the masons in cutting
the stones; and the various artisans who
put up the fittings; are all guided by
geometrical truths: Railway-making
is regulated from begi ming to end by
mathematics; alike in tt Q preparation o.
plans and section s; in stalking out the
line, in the mensuration of cuttings and
embankments; in the designing, esti-
mating, and building of bridges, culverts
viaducts, tunnels stations. And simi-
larly with the harbors, docks, piers, and
various engineering and architectural
works that fringe the coasts and over
spread the face of the country; as well
as the mines that run underneath it.
Out of geometry, too, as applied to as
tronomy, the art of navigation ha
grown; and 50, by this science, has
been made more possible that enormous
foreign commerce which supports a
largo part of our population, and sup.
plies us with many necessaries and
mosRof our luxuries. And nowadays
even the farmer, for the correct laying
out of his drains, has recourse to the
lcvel-that is, to geometrical principle!
When from those divisions of mathe
matics which deal with space, and nam
Der, some small smattering Of which il
given in school, we turn to that othe
division which deals with force, 0