Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1863-07-30
G0ulationol.
sff From the Press.
ESSAY ON EDUCATION.
No. 1.

The sni jcct of Education is fraught
with great, intense interest to ell, and
o. specially to the American people. who
live in . country where the highest po-
; siiions of honor and distinction are open
alike to all. and where intelligence and
moral worth are the criterions Of charac.
ter. rather than wealth. noble birth or po-
sition. We know of no subject more in
timately connected with the interest OF all
classes. and yet but few Of equal i'm.
poriance are SO much neglected.
In the first place lie: us enquire. what
J is education? We answer-whatevcr
tIains the faculties Of the mind and cult.
Yates the intellect. whether benefcially or
otherwise, is education. In our hitherto
! Heaven favored land the pathway to fame
and honorable di>tinction.-to usefulness
AMI rcnown. is alike open to all. The
highest p' sitions OF honor and distinction
are as accessible to the son of the poor
laborcr as to those VIII, are dandlel on
The lap Of luxury aud affluence: but a
proper culture of tho mini. the acqri>ton
Of a c,rtain am ,nnt of scientific knowl-
eige is requisite t" cnatle snv one proper
" to discharge the duties incumbent on
them in life. IAN | the more elevated an |
responsible their position. the more ns-
cessary are thu requisite qualifications.
1t is generally suppose, that IN order
to have q COOL eincstion.-in order 10 he
lea, ned, on. must have the benef, of cel-
brac seminarle> OF learning. Thi- j. an
error /, we make ourselves acquainted
with the history of those who have oc-
eupiel the highest positions of renown
and usefulness in the world. shail find
that a large maj 'rity of ih'm have arisen
to their eminent positi ms. from ob>enrit,. t.
and that with our superior advantages.
they have surmounted barriers apparently
insuperable. by dint of their own excr-
tions.
'Tis ourp pride AID out glory though sentenced to
plod,
Till the earth to her bosom receive us again,
That the notles of nature, the great men OF
God,
Have come from the ranks Of our lowliest men,"
We all mention the name Of franklin
with pride and qualification; and who wa>
he? The son of poor taliow chandler
and soap boiler, who was unable to be-
stow npon him anything more than the
rudiments of an education. BY dnt Of
his own industry anil application. he be-
came not only learned. but renowned for
his researches into the mysteries of tci
ence. and for the discoveries he male,
which have been. and will ever prove
blessing to his race. lie it was that
brought the iorked lightning from the
gold fringed clon,ls of Heaven nor let it
run to its thunder home; and every Ugh ing
rod that points to heaven is monument
TO his greatness. Doubtless many. pos
sessing AZ great natural powers Of mind
as Hid franklin. have lived and die,, in
obscurity. without ever having arrived 10
any position OF usefulness or distinction
for want Of properly cultivating their
natural powers of miud. while his memory
Is surrounded by halo of glory which is
undimmsd by the lapse of time.
: Full many gem of purcst raw
The dark, unfsthomed caves of ocean bear,
Full many flower is born to blush unseen.
And waste ils sweetness ON the desert air y
1t is education that Lrings t" light the
hidden gems Of thought ani intellect and
directs the faculties OF the mind into those
from which they may f,w out
with heneii, to the world and credit to
their possessor Education should be the
business of life time; not in the classic
hall above. can the mind be trained. but
those who are eager to learn, can climb mp
the raggedest hill of science without such
aid. In every age of The world self
taught men have inscribed their names on
the annals Of fame.
There is scarcely q yoith in cur lsnl
but what allows sufficient amour. Of
time to run TO waste. which. if emp!oyed
In mental improvement. woul,l he OF in
calcnlahle valne in fitting them for present
enjoy men, AMI future usefulness. Now
while VIC pen these thoughts by the flicker
ing light Of the lamp. as the curtain Of
darkness envelons this side of the earth.
and morpheus snfolds many of the human
family in hi> arms, somc little by may
lie poreiDg over his lesson to I've recited IN
q common school. who MAJ yet occupy
the same position. as once did Washing
ton and jefferson. sn preside over the
dss'ine> oi this mighty na ion
The amount OF tims which j. wasted i'm
idieness, in trivial amn>emen,., aud in
reading love lick novels which fll the
mind with sicky sentimentaIi,y. if EN-
pIoyel in the acquisition OF u.eiul knowl.
edge. woul place the stu,iens in position
Of usefulness and respectability.
The subject Of c.incation j. en- in which
We have long felt deep interest. and
having had much experience in. to us. the
delightful employment Of training the
youthful mind. we have thonght that pos.
sibly we could not better subsurvs the in
terest Of the great AMI important cause.
than by giving our views in . series OF
articles TO the readers of the PREss.
For many years the school-room was
our Mecca, whether we repairs to render
ourself useful TO the rising gencrasion;
and from our experiences ", have formed
Q no usions which We think enables ms to
give useful hints to those of less expert
encs. We are glad to know that in many
respects as general thing. the system Of
education. is improved. from the old
fegy manner in which il WAS conducted
when We were youth. and . student in