Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-06-22
PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION..

In the admirable report OF AgaZZls In re-
latlon to the museum of comparative ZOO
logy. the great naturalist gives an interest
ing sketch of his method of natural history.
He puts them at work among the specimens
themselves, studying facts, tracing analo-
gies, developing differences. aud mastering
principles; for, says he, 81 have satisfied
myself long ago that the general and most
elementary princi Piles of one science are bet
ter understood when Illustrated from nature
than when explained in a mere apstract
manner. On this the Washington Ihroa-
icle makes the following sensible comments
The divorce between textbook inStruc-
ton and practical knowledge is one Of the
eat curses of American education. We
know accomplished divines who cannot te Il
the difference between chestnut and an oak
We have seen more than one excellent Greek
scholar who was incapable Of DISTINGUISHING
between field OF growing wheat and one OF
rye. y large proportion Of our college grad
uaieS are ready TO confound iron pyrates
with specimens Of gold ore; and We have
known numbers who made capital recitatiuns
in chemistry in their college course. who.
never really learned, are now in entire prac-
tcai ignorance OF the appearance charac-
Istlcs and uses o. the simplest chemicals.
We have seen more than one young man
who, after twelve years good schooling, and
under accomplished teachers at that, could
n0t draw All Ordinary nnte OF hand Or calcu-
late n simple sum at interest
1t is this ignorance Of every day things
which makes our scholars the sport Of your
rough practical men They get plundered
"a the market and cheated in TIE store.
They are taken advantage of by their grc-
ccr ami imposed upon by their butcher.
Conscious Of their Ignorance of what many
wIde-awake eight year old is famiiliarwitEi.
they shrink from coming in contact with
men III business ways, and so 20 through
Me oDe-Slded. We do not believe it will
hurt statesman to know how to sew on {,
button or handle a hammer We are sure
that no divine will be worse for being faIuil-
liar with the secrets or the kitchen and pan
try and We are quite certain it docs not
hurt an editor TO be judge of -four or of
good beet. Ours is 4 practical people, and
We need a more thorough everyday educa-
uon Of young men and young women. The
highest society is the most thoroughly self
helping 1t Is compatible with the highest
culture TO be able TO wait on ones self. For
ourselves We would as soon be handed over
TO the executioner as 10 be dogged by a va
let. But in order to free men from imposi- /
ton and fit them for every day duties they
must be trained to them in their youth. !
child will learn by observation and by !
touch thousand things in his early years !
Without effort, which it would take weeks OF /;
hsrd work TO secure at a later period We |
gggou our children too much in school rooms. |
hey waste too many precious hours over /
asks that, liawdling over them as they do. |
10 The mind more harm than good. They !
,,nould be surrounded more with objects and /
iesS with textbooks: taught sizes, forms, /
f(ai'iie5 coloF2, actual contact, rather than .
IaOcF to acquire abstract descriptions We f.
hope some day to see 4 reform in the meth /
"t5 oi teaching, anu to see children practi-
raIiy indacted into the secrets of nature, !
ahd acquiring by actual observation and ex
Ptnment AT amount Of valuable knowledge |
,it Th.eh mere study OF textbooks cannot pos I
ably testow. /