The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1861-02-28
Richmond, Feb. II, 1861
educational Column.


What School should be IN its full sense.
seems not TO be fully understood. That il
is place where persons are to obtain an
education" all admit, but there is no fixed
and definite idea, in the minds Of communi-
ty, in what this education consists. The
child is sent to school. book in hand. and
the teacher puts him through the usual rou-
tine OF study, smoothing the roughness OF
his course with more or less of that e, SEN
tial auxiliary, ''ihe oil OF birch" until he is
considered to have completed his educa-
ton; which. by the way. is a very eqaivo-
cal term, meaning anything. from an abii-
ty to calculate interest, to the a,,ainments OF
an Oxford graduate. II. perchance. he
shall be able to make latin quotation, he
passes AZ once into the rank of % ripe scbol
arship," and the profundity Of his knowl
edge. and the completeness Of his education.
remain henceforth upquestioned. This
seems 10 be a great farce. aud it is just what
it seems. The rubbing. for few months,
against college walls. has often the effect of
wearing off what little mother wit" boy
may have been born with. and his finished
education" finishes him for anything useful,
or practical in life.
What should school be? Manifestly a
place where the child may learn how TO HUe
mere all the duties Of a citizen, a christian
ana patriot. in short where all the obliga-
"ons OF true manhood are carefully set forth.
as well as roots and powers where the in
'eIeS' OF the great human family is consider
s su' as well as interest on promieeory notes.
wdIgm Know that character is formed more
rapidly in the school room, than during any
other period in the history Of man. We
know that there is given to his mind a
"bent" which almost inevitably determines
his future position. Since we know all this
how imperative is our obligation to our
children. that we give them proper oppor,
tunities for instruction that their characters
may be formed Alright. By proper oppor
tunities we do not mean proficient teachers
alone. lthough these are necessary but also
proper surroundings. withall Let the
school room, the buildings, the yard, be
such. that the mere contact with these will
have an elevating tendency. Do his sur
roundings have nothing to do with the man?
We know that that is not SO. We know
that the Switzer breathes in liberty with the
mountain air; that the grandeur and noble.
ness OF nature around him fills his soul with
he Grandeur and nobieness OF himself
Inc Character Of every nation may, in
srea measure be determined by the nature
" me country they intabit The character
.iiax Ian NAV be determined by knowing
the character OF his youthful associations
Send child to school kept in dingy apart
ment, with smoky walls. ricketty seats.
and with all a small duck pond before the
doorway, and he hates his school, his
teacher, and everything connected with his
prison Give to him neat rooms decora-
ted with beautiful paintings, having carpet
ted floors with a tasteful flower garden in
lieu of pig pen" yard. and the nob!er
propensilies OF the child are necessarily
drawn out into active service, and. by con
slant practice. they become the predomi-
mating propensities, assisting to form tue
noble and generous character.