Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-10-20
EDUCATION OF RICH MEMS SONS.

EDUCATION OF RICH MEMS SONS.
In all parts Of the Union in which the
States make liberal provision for the edu-
cation Of the people at large-the children
Of both rich and poor-it may be asked
why should a special interest be exhibited
for the education Of rich mems sons, as ii
they were to form q class apart from the
rest of the community A little reflection
on the subject will soon convince us Of the
necessity of some special means being en-
listed for the relief OF the sons Of rich men,
by protecting them from idleness and its
frequent consequences Of dissipation and
ir%temperance. The question is one Of
benevolence, and not of favoritism. Its
successful solution, so far from placing the
rich and poor in contrast and opposition
to each other. will rather tend to place all
irrespective Of wealth and station-on a
common platform Of intelligence and
knowledge. in which the only recognized
superiority will be Of literary and scisn-
tifc attainments. Our attention has been
directed to the subject BY a recent article
in the Massachusetts, Teacher. The writer
quotes the saying that rich mems sons
rarely "come to anything" The large
majority Of successful merchants and pro-
fe,sional men in our cities were poor boys,
who, after receiving a limited education
in a public school, became the architects
Of their own wealth aud fame. Take"
on the other hand, "a hundred Of the
fast young men about town - the wild
frequenters Of clubs, billiard tables,
loungers about the fashionable bar
rooms, and you will probably find that
seventy-6ve per cent. Of them had the
misfortune to inherit money, without hsv-
ing been educated in q manner that taught
them the right use OF It." Where is the
remedy for them, where, at the same
time. protection for society against an in
creasing class Of idlers, who. instead Of
performing the part Of good citizens, af-
feet, as the result Of their travels abroad,
to despise the institutions under which
they live, and hold up for our example q
corrupt European civilization The edi-
tor Of the Massachusetts, Teacher recon-
mends, instead Of a petty college, with its
narrow old world curriculum of studies, a
University, in which the freest o%pportuni-
~ should be afforded for the development
Of the individual talents Of every pupil,
and in which. from the beginning, q free
choice Of studies shall DO given. Free
scope should be allowed for the develop
ment Of all tastes and all talents. The
suggestion here offered is q good one, but
it does not, as We think, fully meet the
case.
The remedy must be applied at an earlier
day. 1t ought to be preventive as we'll a,
curative, and be made efectual not only
for the rich mans son, who may become
poor, but also Of the poor mans son, who
may become rich. Let the intellectual
tendencies aud apti,udes Of the scholar
for particular studies be respected and en-
couraged in the early stages of education.
Punish not a boy for spelling his copy
book with drawings, however crude, Of
faces Of men and animals, ever though one
Of them should be a car,csture Of his
teacher. Spoil not q good artist in'your
attempts to make him q tolerable ~linguist.
Early and judicious encouragement Of his
boyish sketches might have led the Count
d'Orsay into . course Of study which
would have ended in bis becoming q
sculptor Of renown, in place Of idllng
away his life in the frivolties Of fashion.
In advanced age his talent cropped out
under the stimulus Of necessity, but it was
too late, except to amuse and excite the
wonder of his friends. We have known
a similar case nearer home, and the list
might be extended. Something may be
done by exciting the emulation of young
men of wealth. and teaching them the du-
ties which they owe to themselves and to
the community in turning to good account
their extended means for the advancement
Of science and letters and the promotion Of
every good work. Cayendish, one Of the
great reformers Of modern chemistry, and
eminent for his experiments in natural
philosophy, was a man Of noble birth and
vast wealth. He left at his death six mil
lions of dollars to his family, and, still
more, he left behind him a legacy for the
world in the reputation Of being the
wealshiess among the learned and the most
learned among the wealthy.