Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-09-06

a higher duty will dawn on our pood -,
State. loo many are rushing into The nv o
LESSONS and hunting soft and shady nlopo .o'
who ought to be at solid work nnon as
farms and In the workshops. Our nnL ne
schools, too, must cease to cling with ;59 lIo
atrous devotion to old worn ont svsfo,n 1ooi.
instruction, and must surrender their 49,: Vi
dices against the introduction into P4tt!9-
institutions of practical as well as tbeoraIi!!r
cal instruction in agriculture, mechor;ol
engineering, &C., or they will perish for urO,
OF patronage. Necessity demands cbo or'uI
IN this respect and public opinion III
override the resistance which So w
old teld school teachers, as well as ProSa:J
sors IN our Colleges and Universit;eS 40.
making to Judlcious changes and reforr,o
IN both male and female instruction W.
need less OF the dead languages and more
VI VIC naCurai sciences, more of chemistry
less of those lighter Studies and orno,n ,,io
tai branches which have been so ,1o,1I,In,,
IN our institutions of learning. These anJ
similar studies, united with matbemotins
are more needed, and less of Latin oni
Greek, and other studies so soon forpotton
after leaving school and college. The loo,
sons OF the war, the changed condition o.
the South, demands that these old teachers
should abandon their idols and the cher.
lshed preJudlces against improvement and
change to which We have alluded. or n nov,
order of men of more judicious enternr;so
and of more liberal and comprehenc;yG
views will rise up and fill their places
Such reform in the old mode of instruction
by nomeans ignore that mental train.
ing and discipline which after all, is tbo
main object of education. To develon
strengthen, and train the mental faculties
to teach the student to reason and to think
and how to study, should be the object Of
every teacher, the purpose of all systems
and schools, while the knowledge ttainedin
the progress of the pupil is of secondary
Importance, but still it should be such as
but suits the present and prospective wants
OF the learner. L press this point of the
necessity of renovating our defective modes
OF education. Boys and girls should be
taught In school the science of agriculture
and cooking, as they are taught gram
mar and algebra. But, as is well.
known, little or no attention is paid
by our teachers to practical science. The
reason of things must be known and then
farming will be a delight instead of drudr
cry. It should be thoroughly taught and
illustrated in our public schools, and then
y
future pursuits, enters upon them not us a
task but as pleasure. Labor thus becomes
profession and not servitude Toll is
thus not merely honored and dignifed, but
it becomes luxury. The Importance of
this subject must be often urged upon pub
lie attention, and our public schools be Civ
en- to unde rstand, that unless they change
their systems and conformlto the sugges.
lions of a wiser policy and the requirements
of necessities upon US, they will be bound
to go by the board, and their teachers to
give way to others who are up with the
times.
Let the science of cooking, on which so
much of health and life depends, be taught
in our schools, as well as geometry and mu-
sic. Let the art of housekeeping, on which
SO much of comfort and prosperity is de-
pendant, be likewise taught with botany
and natural history-in- our seminaries-
Let our young men and ladies be convin-
ced that it is as respectable and delightful
as it is far more profitable and prosperous,
to till the soil and to manage the dairy,
and to furnish the wardrobe and the table,
than it is to sell merchandise or to play the
belle, and then such views of duty and
pleasure will prevail as will make all our
lives more prosperous and happy.
Yours, &C.,