Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1867-12-27
Common School Education.

NN1 nun cClSol E4HCAIlOu-
We print below sketch Of the address
delivered recently a. the EdseationaI Con.
Neniion Al Lewiston. by Mr. c. y. S,etson
Some u Mr. S,etson's opinions are sovcI.
bat he claims for then that they are based
upon flndAmsntAl principles Of intellectual
development and mast sooner o. later be
recognized n oar system of edacation.
The Convention listened 20 the address
18th grea, interest. and q; the conclusion.
added % the customary vote Of thanks a
recommendation that Il b. rvp.ated before
other audiences and pabiisbed for general
circulation
The education Of the :rdividaal should
conform 20 the education OF thc race-to the
general course Of nan = irtefiectual develop
ment- That development indicates that fhe
inaginaiioa should Dc largely cultivated IN
childhood and youih.-yet for the special
culture q the Imagination in the common
schools no provision whatever Is nov made
AZ that vital point Cur system Of common
schools - fundamentally vicioas. In the
next place the aoquisilion Of facts should
prccede the excrcise Of reason. Hence.
during the earlier years the memory shbuld
receive special culture along With tLe i'm
asination. While special culture of the rea.
son. of Discriminating judgment. shoold
come a. a latter day. The course Of study
should be arranged an4 the instruction CIV.
eu nth constant reference % this fanda-
mental las Of intellectual development
Special culture % the Imagination should
proceed from the broad and rrotesgse 10
the delicate and subtle. from The Objective
70 the subjective. Preference should be
gwen 10 those books watch have stood The
crucial test of time. In the primary school
the teacher should read and re-read the "A.
nous. quaint ola fairy stories. Then
shoaid come the rich mythology q the
Greeks. With that % the Hindoos. Seandi-
navians and American Iaiians. 70 be read
by tbe scholars alternately With lie teacher
-Buidneh's Age Of Fable. Kalcrala ana
iIiaWatha Will be found good textbook.
Taen vii properly follow the legends oithe
Middie'Ascs as set forth ia living Allambra.
Buifnch's Ag Of Chivairy and the Ike.
Next. the great epic poets. IIomer VirrI.
Dante and Tasso good prose translafions).
wita Spencer and Miltcn The dramafic
poets. with Shakespeare attLeir head, should
fnd place in the High school
Nine scholars out of ten would be charm.
Cd. beyond measure. With this course Of
reading which should include but fe~ books
repeatedly read. Nor can any boy or girl
60 over this course. between the aces offour
ard fitcsn or eighteen. sitlout wonIersgl
expansion % Vocabulary. vithoat wonder.
ialy qlickeuing AZ thsencrgies of,be soul.
snhoui wonderful acquisition o. treasure.
which win be- foudiy cherished o. long A.
Hfe shall last.
Mueh 81 this-cven az ofit-may De false
aud absurd. u you please Bot tLe main
Point -. that it vii surely deIigL, thc child
ish and youthful imagination. Esen the
most groiesque ard absarI giant or fairy
story. however, has its good point, Of IN.
ssruciion. easily comprrhenied by the
yolns. because of tie broad coiors in Which
ii Is presentei. A. ior hct-whv there &.
very httie ia a. history teyounl di-pste
The myihologies. or religions Of the word.
though false. deserve af;caison 90 less thaa
military or political events. Cerfainiy. 70
IS quite a. nociial 10 know What vas the
religion Of tho Greeks. vbas was the religion
Of tle liinloos. a. 90 know whose banner
nou vase- over Delhi. o. $40 won the ts,-
t.es Of Marathon. Sa'amis and Plaira.
tsoagh upon iloir fortune hung ibc fortune
of ibe World
Again, a. acquisition cf facts should pre-
ce..e exercise Of resson. tiosc si8dics Which
DEAL largely Nth facts shoad come frst -
ii-r.c botany AMI mineraiory shoaid End
a place in thc primary schools. % less than
geography. Indeed tbe principal facts Of
every science should be acqaircs before
t.e reaso-.rg vhleh shoss sby fbe hrfs
arc facts. a. ibs way th- chlI by mere
repetition. sioad frt learn OBJ apply Gle
rules of ar.thmet.c before troubling himself
aholt the Underlying logic TIE iaueruiI
coae vifhogt siiirn.iy iu lfs proper season.
uhen the rraiou asserfs iis prerorafivo
!, cannot sell be acquired before. 80 the
iacis Of gcometry-- mechanics in eene-ni
--sload be learned. in connection vnb
iriv.n-. before ary thoughi BE- given to ibe
l.n.nsfrafious. President lliI. olIlarrarl
ln'rersliy. nightly proceeds urou tbs pria-
cr'e i1 h.s teVt-boos ior raetrv. With
e. rr'or tnosiedge Of the fets the deuoa-
srtton becomes doubiy delghraL Beenuse
the soIlisitioa of fats sbouid r-cosde the
cxerc.se of reason. iu IT, order of nstare.