The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1866-07-21

fteii II sa4u tSdCtls " ~ sSAil ecu g.--ear
After all that maybe said Hpon, rlhi:
question, we must come, back. upon th
broad ground of absolute, utility, LIE
as study the needs Of humanity, aud tleI
c6nclude that whatever tends to- max,
men happier, purer and greater. is th
thing to learn, and. 10 teach. Aud here le
me- premise that | propose. 10 make NJ
raid against schools, of philologicall anC
metaphysical study, While society. re
mains IN It's present condition we shal
always need among us a class of meI
whose lives shall be spent in gathering anc
tTanspittipg to, US the choicest wisdom 0
itbe anqientsy The CLASSIC eruditiou
and scholarly refinement of sucL men as
FELTON, and .Maeauley are gifts to human
ity forfwhieh we should deyouay thank
God. But these requirements are not
for the masses, Almost 1an. of US mus
follow come, industrial calling. 10 Iife;l we
should follow it in such way as to ben.
EFT ourselves and bless those around US.
Bat 1ittle Latin IS ngerous 81 :.
Al over our country are thicgIy Scatter.
ed schools, .Tsriously designated as Acad
emies, SeminariesF and Colleges, with an
occasional University, feebly supported,
dowerless, dependent wholly upon .tuition
fees for their continued existence, anil
almost driven BY necessity to sacrifice
thoroughness, the proper arrangement
and sequence, of studies, anything and
everything, to the mere necessity Of pat
ronage and popularity. They ofsn exert
a most vicious Influence overtime public
mind. Their pupils are the sons and
daughters of the working classes, who.
after the usual interrupted. spasmodic,
chaotic course Of our district schools. 60
to the Seminary to receive the final polish
ing. The time spent there Is limited, rarely
exceeding single year; oAen limited to one
winter session Though innocent of any
correct idea in regard to the most elenen-
tarysof English studies, our young learn
er at once pIunges into the metaphysics
and classics, in which he. is abetted by
the weakness and vanity of, his teacher.
A somewhat extended experience in the
inspection of candidates for the teacher's
chair, reveals facts as. painful as they are
amusing. A year and a half ago, I held
a public examina ton at a chartered COZ
lege east of the Mississippi,, where tie
~'ional system above described was
GFi,cina'3 =, Draetioed. A uniform, ex-
tremeIy simp ge:-iias Of questions was
presented to the candidates.; sad q csrtl3 n.
cate of the first grade was imPI!tl'oeutsalyy
demanded by persons whose kqoWledgT
Of spelling, English grammar, and &c
ogtaphy, wouldGnot be cyeditabls ain a
school Of oOntrabands; demanded on the
ground of extended acquirementsin class
ical and. nnetaph ysical knowledge !! Those
young ladies we re soon to take positions
as the heads of households; the young
men will engage in trade or agriculture;
and for these OF any oother emf Payments,
such course of. study; is worse than a
failure. They have learned afmOstanoth-
ing of practical values and THEFT heads
are filled with psdantry andiconceit. Even
in schools which have a fixed course OIL
study, the same shallowDess, pompOsily
and want of thoroughness often prevails
l do not need to enlarge upon this topic;
1t wilEcome hometo the. CONSCIOUSNESS. o.
every thoughtful and intelligent hearer,
More and moTeeaFnesuy he will a sk,him
.setfthe question, What shall be The
course of study fore the great mass o
our people, those not expecting TO engagt
in literary'or professional.pursWts % n.
The practical mind of our nation ha.
already begun to ansWerlit. 1t has beer
seen that the mere sstudy Off Greek roots
is not the best way to qualify man TO
mercantile business; and the astonishing
success of our commeroialooo colleges, anf
the good results they have already aehiey
ed in some measure show Whither tn
tide is tending.y The rapid mul;iplica
ton OF Agricultural, Normal, Poly tech
mic and Scientific schools, .reiterates tn
same fact. uls ;ig&H 5lP ,igaW 5G5 T.
Il is sad spectacle which meets th
eye of the observer, as 9hes1ooks. Tount
upon the world to day. Everywhere W
! behold the eRidences of a divine law vic
lated ignorau tly The people perish 70
lack of knowledge. There isnno heall
in u.s. Where do we find any. trace iof. th
magnificent ply steal manhood Of whic
we sometimesIdTsamD and which exist
only in some past or future Utopia ? w
are ldwarfed, deformed, crooked, disease
cins every member; fit food for cholera an
plague T6haisins and exeesses ola thous
and generations press down upon US, an
weigh. Us, To- the earth, We carry in on
veins the leprosies and plaques of Ihe al
tediluvians, Our fathers ate sour grape
and our teeth ares on edge, .ssa ,7
+ Born Withosnch an inheri ted ours e, "
Espeedily iHYest.it on compound interes
In our uuEentilated chambers, We 5breaI
/ earbonic acid and aqephilis;o out of OF
nnrk barrels we taRe solidlumps of sero
ufa; tape.worn. and tfiehin@, to be- e
E6anised into onr oMn lbodiss:z we qua
i ophthalh1ia, consumption. gout, insani
1 from the aduIterRted cofeeaoup s1d VIII
dlboale We feed our infants with opia
!. poisuus, labeled cordials and s9oth1r
4 syrups. No5wondeF that the little CHI
tb dEen's tom s are thick in every gray
4 ward; that zpestilence stalks our. stree
with the Blasting tread foftb Pasehai a
II gel; 4hatceEery man aud every woman
tcrippIed and lormented.l & AhdW su
e burden the work. staggeEs onward, ne
! er adreaming of. the glorious birthrlght
:. physi man hood and womanhoed, Il
y, might be ours :6TS. go. 70 ,lisa
: Society is yet in its infancy. A y
}, proportion of our race are sillHhe siaT
/, | sc .-o(,ra - With liant franeE Gallo