Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1862-01-08
For the JOURNAL.
SCHOOL PAPERS. NO. 3.
C0mposition-Writing'.

Education is not merely acquisition Of
knowledge. Education, indeed, presup-
poses certain amount of knowledge,
but there arc many men of wide and
varied information who can, in no proper
sense, be termed educated men. The
arm of the blacksmith is educated when
1t becomes strong and exact in its mo-
tons. Tho muscles Of the ropo-walker
are educated when, without trembling
and without mistake, they bear him over
any dizzy height and hold his body in
perfect poiso in any posture. SO educa-
ton Of the intellect is shown by power,
accuracy, aud fertility of thought. II is
not simply tenacious memory gathering
up the thoughts of others and holding
them in store. Memory is noble fac
ulty. Who can value too highly that
power which boards for US tho inteIloctu-
al wealth of tho world? Yet it is nobler
to be 4 creator of thought than to be on
ly q collector. Any man can place
good book az his library; many men
can read and remember its contents; but
few can wriic it. Tho ability to think
sceU is the Characteristic mark of the
man of education.
How can education, thus defined, be
secured? To answer this question fully
and in detail would require a volume. In
a general way we may say, whatever
stimulates ana requires thinking deyel-
ops power of thought, and thus cduca.es.
It is not schools alone that do this. Out
ct study at home has given us educated
men. Busincss-life with its varied ext
gencies has added to their number.
National tumuits, rousins slumbering
energies to activity, aad calling for brave,
comprehensive thinking. are fertile
source of educated men. The sufierings
and spurs of misfortune sometimes call
out intellectual power.
Combining ourselves to school oxorcis-
es, we know Of nothing, Which, as a
means of education, can be deemed SUI
perior or equal to composition writing.
Proof seems hardly necessary. We
know not how man could strengthen
his arm but by sgorking with his arm.
AS little do we know any method of
acquiring strength Of mind, except work
ing with tho mind. The very unpopu-
larity of compositions is almost proof
of their benefit. They are unpopular
because they require Thinking, and
thinking is not more in favor than other
hard labor.
Let us notice the kind of labor requir-
ed in composition writing. After the
choice of the subject, comes the collection
of material. This must be obtained
either by original thinking, or by reading
and conversation. Whether the material
be original or otherwise, there must be
careful sorting of thoughts and facts,
and rejection of those not pertinent to
the subject Next follows the arrange
mcut of the material selected. Facts and
arguments are to be so placed as to give
them n cumulative and resistless force,
and a limpid clearness. The final work
is TO clothe these thoughts in words, TAX
ing care that the words be not less
strong, clear, and beautiful than tho
thought. What boy or girl can go
through an exercise like this, and not be
benefited thereby? IF the ability to
think or to express thought is valuable,
then is training in composition writing
valuable. We hazard little in saying,
too, that he who cannot express thought
in some manner, either by tongue or pen,
cannot make great progress in thinking.
We cannot see how parent can do his
child g greater good, in the matter of
education, than by seeing that he has
thorough, honest training in the writing
of compositions. Faithfulness on the
part of the pupil in this exercise, can be
secured quito as well BY the parent as By
the teacher. L, B. t.
- A splendid assortment of very use
full Appara tus has been procured for our
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