Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-01-04

NOV nave the advantage OF systematic or col !
cgiate education in order 10 the Development
Of great powers: and we have heard the phrase
IN question applied to the President Of the
nited States especially, by those who al first
lght expected to find him q rude specimen of
main strength and awkwardnc~s," a stold
dogmatist in the assertion OF his opinions, and
u clown in manners. And We have heard sur
prize expressed by those who have had occa-
sion to meet him-that he should have proved
even TO their preiudiccd discernment, self,
poised, polished gentleman: mild pleasant,
and acute il the discussion OF opinions and
anything else than overbearing or dictatorial
in the presentation Of his own views. But
the mistake appears obvious. as we shall pro
coed to show
In the first place, those who most commonly
make II are those who have had systematic
education themselves in classical schools AMI
colleges, in the first instances: or those, who
not having had these advantages. vastly reyer-
ence those who have. And whilst we w0ud
not underrate in the mnutest particuIar the
advantages in question, we must not overlook
the fact that vast number of those who are
thus educated. oslcnSjbly, have had what they
have mastered in bcIie-leftge knowledge. or
the elements of science, forced upon them:
courses Of studies dropped gladly so soon as
they found themselves released from parental
authority and the routine Of college life. Of
course, then, with these studies not cherished.
not greatly valued, such students soon oct
rusty; gradually forgetting nearly ali that was
''cranmcd' into them at the cost of 80 mucb
labor by college tutors: so that few wears
hnds them OF little account as scholars and
careless ot making their mark on their age
and generation in any capacity Remember
ing that nearly all that any college can do for
a man starting ont in life is to provide him
with the tools be Is expected to work with.
what wonder is it that he at once d.on, into
lndocncp and obscurity eight times in ten. and
drifting INTO some merely money maxine occr-
PATTON, Is, as man OF mind, Of education,
never heard Of more. And veto rpcur-
thus Is the person that So often patron;zipaIv,
or IN tone almost OF comnsseration and
surprise. tells his companions in substance
when speaking Of some one who j. ,,.l;n,,
the world ring with his intellectual exploits
Fit is perfectly astonishing that self made
man can accomplish 50 much
Now let US see what constitutes the educa-
ton of a self made man Of the Andrew John
son cast! \ Young man in destitute circun-
stances, but with the glorious consciousness
that be possesse, plenty Of brains and energy,
finds himself suddenly arrived at manhood.
and standing in the presence OF some popular
orator. Fired by hi, eloquent sentences.
readily apprchcndiug the drift Of his argu.
ments. ia it ANYTHING unnatural for him to be
gin 10 enquire Of himself the secret Of the
speaker power? He secs him open books.
congressional documents perhaps. and quote
from thcm. making the thoughts Of other men
the weapons with which 10 beat down all oppo.
sitlon and elevate himself? Pondering il, he
concludes that poSsibIv-nay, probaBIv.-be
might DO So too; and aware as he must he
that the alphabet is the beginning corner Of
the structure he proposes to raise. what more
natural than That he should speedily master II?
We follow in his progress, the course taken By
an earnest man; one newly awakened to the
whispers Of honorable an,birion and va . 80,
that ere long il has become tho dor,i,o ,o.,;o,,
OF his existence. He crowd. others from the
track. and finds his nav f.. . ,,o,. :, I.,I,
islature: and thenceforward his ednceIia,,
progresses at racc.horse speed The hes,
minds III III" State are there coneraga,od. and
every man that rises to make motion o..
elaborate am areumcn, is the new comer's
teacher; nay, the whole deliberatiye body are
such, a. mach so e. If his iasbcr had hired G,,.
him three or four score of private tutors lie
himself debates with them, in lodging house.
'ommi'tee-f"om and hall: all the Gme-in
college phrase being - crammed, polished,
shaped Eager almost 10 Gerceness, he i in
TINS convoHatlon year after year until com
pleteIy one Of them in calibre aud influence.
he seeks wider and highc = sphere. and
reaches the House Of Representatives, and
afterwards the Senate of the United States.
For years all about him are once more
his teachers an advance, intellectually.
upon his old instructors, perhaps as much
so as the great university exceeds the pre-
paratory classic academy, And this thing
goes on. He attends diplomatic dinners;
he trequentS the Congressional library: he
drops IN to listen to the arguments and
decisions OF the Supreme Court. He alb
serbs knowledge, so to speak. at every pore.
Eye and ear are educated ceasees5v thus for
twenty-five or thnty years and what could tbc
result be-but with good substratum Of brains
to build upon--for no human teachino CON
create brans-what, but n first rate jnfaHect,,c1
man?
And where has his pa,ronjzing critic tho
college bred gentleman been All tb;s ,;,,o.
lie who. half pleased. half sneerinqJv ,nar,.aIa
hat '.selfmade man" could acbiovo s,ob
Whv. discardino his hooks reos
lrably. and all pursuits which couId co,n,,o1
he use of them, he has been occunied with
rade, with money Getting, in the thousand uso.
ul but not overmuch improving occurat;o,y
IF existence, until his intellect has been either
1t a stand still so far as books and learning
ire in the case, or absolutely dwarfed in lis
very conception. And now let us hear from
me on this subject of Popular Education. who.
himself one of the first scholars Of the age, can
hardly be gainsayed in what he advances-we |
mean the late lamented Edward Everett. wo
uote: