The national Republican., 1861-01-10
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN.
For the National Republican.
THE KIND OF EDUCATION WHICH
OUR COUNTRY NEEDS.
ICONTINUED.

CONTINUED.
Though my chief purpose is to speak of
schools and school systems, yet ! cannot re.
frain from expressing an opinion that the most
prominent Of all the evils which result from
wrong training, receive their examinations, hrst
growth, and continual nourishment, in the nur.
sery, in the family, and from the influence OF
unreasonable and unframed parents. We can
not now give utterance to the many thoughts
which the subject of family training suggests;
for il requires special and Independent cou-
sideration.
But it is to be greatly feared that very many
of the friends Of education, both parents and
teachers, and even the chosen school guardians,
have, to q very great extent, it may be uncon.
sciously, and honestly, been appealing to and
fostering the lower motives of our being, by
presenting to the State, as inducements to more
liberal endowments for educational purposes,
and to the youth, as incentives to diligence and
improvement, those facts and inducements only,
which prove that education increases the power
and wealth of the State, and also gives the
possessor peculiar facilities for acquiring wealth,
honor, power, and present qualification. II
these are the chief and highest motives which
are offered by the teachers and guardians of
education, is it any wonder that men, trained
under their influence, resort to every expedient,
X,
obtain the muchdesired objects of an unholy
ambition? This ambition has been generated
and cherished by q continual appeal to these
low motives, from the piece of sugar given to
stop the crying Of punished and guilty child,
to the boon of Office and spoils, which are held
out as rewards for faithful party allegiance.
Such motives may make distinguished scholars,
or shrewd, ambitious, grasping, and even sue.
cessful men; yet, if their influence is not coun.
teracted by constant and faithful appeal to
the demands of our spiritual being, and the
holy precepts of divine truth, they will train
up and send abroad over our country the most
high bred libertines and consummate swindlers
with which our country has been so remarkably
cursed. Too many of the ruling spirits of our
land have been so trained as that they can feel
the influence Of no motives which do not pan.
der to their passion for wealth, plunder, and
power. Hence originates peculation, meanness,
violence, and inordinate domination.
1t is not, therefore, the amount and variety
of knowledge which our youth may acquire, sc
much as the proper training and preparation
of the mind for the reception Of knowledge
which constitutes The kind of education which
our country needs. 1t is true that the ere7cis
of the mental powers in the acquisition o
knowledge serves to develop and mature NOR,
perfect character; and that in this consists tn,
chief excellency Of good school !; yet it is jus
here, where we shall find the cause of the grea
failures in our schools. There is no create
mistake in education than the mere training Q
the intellect, without regard to the affection
and the will and yet it is this mistake NOR
than any other, for which our modes of educa
ton are at fault. PHILoMATH.
TO be CONTINUED.