The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1867-02-21
Education Without Means.

a young man, of Croton, Iowa, writes
that he has $500, that he wants to take
a college course and yet save his capital.
lie asks advice. There are many who
would like an answer to this question:
Thousands Of young men have no money
at all
/ 10 get classical education with the
use OF 5000, requires more skill than any
young man is likely to possess, unless he
earned the money. IF he is a mechanic.
he may buy house and lot near a col
-lege and work during spare hours. Or
with a few acres, he can raise small fruits
and vegetables, If he knows how if he
does not, he will be likely to fail. $500
Is very small sum for man who does
not know how to work to one who does, it
is large one.
What shall our young man with his
handsome wife do? Let him get small
farm-ten, twenty or forty acres-near
libraries and good society. Or, with a
choice selection of books, he may live re-
mote. Three things he should do at
once study mathematics. learn to write
a good hand, and plant an orchard If
he must spend some of his hours at bill
iards and in saloons, he had better take
a rope about eight feet long and 90 out to
the barn
One aim should be to make his home
elegant and comfortable. Let him not
fear this will distract his attention. If
there was ever time when an education
which was of use could be united with
poverty, it has passed forever. Days
spent IN struggling for bread are lost if
not, the bitterness they bring is equal to
their loss. Nor need there be fear that
sad experience will not come when for
tune smiles.
Education is limited if it do not include
a knowledge of the immeusity and the
untold riches of the affections. If a man
cannot fud happiness with his wife and
children and in home of his own, in
vain will he seek it over the face of the
whole earth. ThaSe cannot be much love
Of home where home is unlovely-where
proverty, dirt and inconvenience are in
every room. Young men are apt to fear
they will not live long, and are in haste.
In no situation is the foundation of long
life so securely established as on farm
/ This course will take time He should
understand that the education of this age
demands time. So broad is the field of
knowledge, so sharp is competition, that
to succeed, many years are required
We do not propose failure. 1t is mod
! ern discovery, and well settled, that from
three to four hours study Of books every
day are more profitable to the majority of
men than any longer periods. Every one
cultivating land can have this time 4
line which does net establish habit Of
meditation will be fruitless We have
known lawyers take this course and be-
come judges in high courts, doctors so
skillful as to give little medicine; and
preachers so learned as to convince both
the understanding and the heart.
In literature, we confess, the examples
are few. But, long ago, there was young
poet who set his heart on having farm,
and what most is known of him, is the
trouble he had in getting it. With little
knowledge of foreign languages, and none
of dead language, lie diligently studied
his own. He became familiar with pre-
vious knowledge, and he noted everything
relating to rural sights and sounds. He
was in no haste to be eminent He was
only eager to excel. He wrote and re-
wrote; he reviewed, he medtated and
fingered and he acquired the rare art of
being able to wait. The result is work
on the life of farmers, and on arms and
heroes, which will last till the end of
Tribune.