Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1865-01-18
.5,asll q u u . 1llll0 . J 3 :
For the Educational Column.
Literary Societics-No. /,


In the eagerneSs to educate our youth in
tie shortest possible time for the more
practical dutie, OF life, We are too apt to
overlu"k the more essential qualifications,
which every American citizen ought To
possess. Too much Importance seems to
be attached TO a limited knowad.e OF the
branches taught in cur common schools,
and too few advantages afforded Tor train
ING pupils 10 express what they learn at
school aud what they acquire alter leaving
it Some even contend that when stu
dents who do not intend to enter any of
the learned professions, have once passed
through the text books used in our CON-
mon schoolS they have arrived at "A point
where any further instruction in this direc
tlon would he OF little account pOiat Tor
which | know no term ia English, but
which our German friends cali ;au&yDterHt
After fniS!t,ny the branches named above
and enierlrg upon practical duties. then,
in fact, We are just he2iuning our educ..
ton. In conncxion with tue mechanical
employmentS aud agricultural pursuits with
which we now try TO acqnaint ourselves,
we must invariably study some of the high
er branches of education 1t may not be
in text books, but in the broad pages ef
the book of nature The farmers son stud
les geology while he follows the plow aud
brings to view new earths and the various
kinds of rock and fossil he studies chem
istry as he applies the fertilizing suhstan.
ces to the soil and cOntemplates the effect
upon vegetation, In acquainting himself
with the manner of growth ot the fruit
trees aud garden vegetables, he is studying
botany, while the principles of natural phi
losophy are studied and applied in nearly
all his lab0rs Most mechanics acquaint
themselves with some Of the principles of
geometry AMI triyouometry as we'll as chem
istry 1t should be observed, however,
that as the knowledge tn Is obtained. is sci
dom if ever reproduced. it is neither Sys
tematic nor clear La accordance with "a
law OF nature we never clearly understand
the facts we learn in any science until we
reproduce them. Hence we see the neces-
sity of providing means for cuItlvating the
power of expression, after leaving school.
This may he done by means Of debating
societies The facilities afforded by these
associations tor impresSng the mind, are
attended with SO trifiing expense and in
terere SO little with "ur daily vocations
aud domestic duties, that all classes may
reap the benefits derived from them; he
sides, they are the only means which most
OF our best citizens possess for qualifying
themselves to discharge properly the du
ties Of some of our public Offices to which
they may render themselves eligible Some
OF the brightest staTs in our political heav.
ems, as well rs some OF our first literary men
ascrihe their success in iie to the ira ming
received in literary societies. among whom
we may mention DIR. Franklin. who was a
member OF such body for ;bout forty
years, and who speaks of their use in the
highest terms. Want of space prohibit:
us from mentioning any more who have
been raised to the highest posts of honor
by literary societies, but We would add thai
il these societies were appreciated as they
ought to be, we would fill our Legislative
halls with honest men from the farms anG
workshops instead of gamblers and wire
pnllers The proper manner Of conducting
literary societies will be mentioned in IA fu
! ture article. S. z. S.