The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1864-01-30
The Design of Popular Education.

gard the inquiry suggested as both simple
and absurd. "The design of popular edu-
cation-why it is for the education of the
masses What more can it be 90 But
why should the masses be educated :?
What important purposes viii be secured
by such diffusion of knowledge ? That
question: being answered, another follows.
How much education ought the masses to
have? 1t is no uncommon thing for many
to associate good education, with indol-
ence or skill in the arts of crime. One in
dividual. and he paper, some time since
was sadly complaining of the degeneracy
of the age 81 don't know what will be-
come of the boys! They are all for getting
so much learning. I'm 'fraid they won't
be able to take care of themselVeS.' An
other suggested the idea that great scoun-
drels were sometimes educated, consequent
ly education wos dangerous. Others take
the ground that if an individual knows how
to DO common business and make money,
she is all right" and anything more
would be super1uous. This latter idea of
ten takes this form-"It is well enough for
professional men to be well educated, bat
for farmer or mechanic, it is an absurdity
and pure folly"
Now, as the common school is the col
e ge for the masses, how extensive should
be the routine of study prescribed: and at
what point should an individual be gradu-
ated and regarded as fitted for the duties of
common men and aconaen Now, as a mat
ter of fact, many men and women get
through the world without being able 10
read or write at all, accumulate property and
indeed are called smart. This shows that
knowledge of letters is not condition for
procuring subsistence-what need, then, of
any education al all At least, why need
we have free schools {? 1t is better to save
the expense and follow the plan that. for the
most part, has been pursued in slave States,
discard free schools, and let those who
want an education pay for it themselves.
The common opinion, however. is that an
indiV idual ought to be able to read and
write, and keep accounts. These are re-
garded as essential to common business
men; and along with these, little of ge
ography and grammar will not come amiss.
With these views, then, the main end of
life is to acquire property. Except that
property ministers to human comfort, what
osr h. koC Al
in collecting huge pile of rubbish
But is it not desirable, at least, that a
young man or woman should know some
thing of their own system, and the laws of
health, even though they are but common
people?" Then we want physiology. Isit
not. also. desirable that our youth should
understand the history of our country,
and its form of government, especially as
the government is vested in the people /?
Then we want the history of the United
States in our common schools. But it will
not ipjure our boys and girls to understand
something of the laws of nature, of gravi-
tation, of the thunder, of the rainbow,
electricity, facts and phenomena of hourly
observation, and principles embodied in ev-
cry piece of machinery, from the boys
windmill or water wheel, up to the steam
engine. These are all simple and easy Of
comprehension. Certainly, what young
man or woman would lot wish to under
stand these? Then we should have natur-
al philosophy in our common schools.
have suggested nothing more than ev-
cry intelligent boy or girl may, and ought
to acquire, at the common school. What
parent would not be glad to have his child
rem not only understand arithmetic or geo.
graphy, but be able to speak and write cor
rectly; to understand the principles of
forces, as applied to machinery electricity,
magnetism, laws of light and heat, of dew,
rain, and hail, facts and principles pertain
ing to every day life I?
The only question with many in regard
to this would be, whether SO much can be
accomplished in our common schools. IN
hesitatingly answer, most assuredly it can.
Some might suppose that the introduction
Of such aivariety of studies would distract
and lead to the neglect of reading and
spelling, departments which, under no cir
cumstances. should be sighted. This evil
will not follow with an instructor that un-
derstands his business and. besides, the
graded school system should be introduced
wherever practicable, thereby enabling the
pupil to advance as far as he may desire
even to fitting for tie first OF. second years
standing in any of our colleges. But our
common district schools ought to offer op-