The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-03-27
Education.

PRoFEssoRs MINOR AND DABNEY.
General Lee and Professors Dabney and
Minor have published an address upon
the subject Of education, which is SO ju-
dicous, prartical and sensible in it's views,
that we transfer it to our coiumns. 1t
will well repay an attentive perusal by
every person who is interested in the ed
ucational training Of children.
The address is as follows:
The undersigned have been appointed,
by the aEducational Association of Vir-
ginia," committee to address you on
their behalf, "urging you to more hear
ty cooperation with teachers, in matters
of instruction, discipline" &c.
The benefits which would be secured TO
education, and the aid which would be
afforded teachers by such cooperation,
would be very great; as all who have
any experience on the subject must be
aware Of the obstacles at the very thres-
hold of education, arising from the want
of proper family management. If, there.
fore, they can be removed, much good
will be attained. Since the teacher is
properly to be regarded as the parents
agent, to assist in the training of his chill
dren, it appears obvious, that parents
may be best induced to this important
concurrence, by pointing them to the fun
damental principles TO be observed in the
education of youth.
In it's broad, comprehensive sense, edu-
cation embraces the physical, moral and
intellectual instruction of q child, from
infancy to manhood. Any system is i'm
perfect, which does not combine them ALL
and that is best, which, while it thor
oughly develops them, aliases the coarse,
animal affections of human nature, and
-exalts the higher faculties and feelings.
A child has everything to learn, and lis
more readily taught by having before it
good examples to initiate, than by simple
precepts. He should, therefore, as far as
circumstances will permit, be encouraged
to associate with his parents, for his heart
must be affected, his feelings moved, as
well as his mind expanded. He may be
taught that it is criminal to steal, and
sinful to lie, ard yet be unable to apply
this knowledge to the government of him
self; and it will, therefore, be of no value
to him, unless the principle is confirmed
into q habit.
Obedience is the first requisite in family
training. 1t should be made sincere and
perfect, and to proceed as much from af-
fection as conviction of its necessity.
TO accomplish this, great prudence, and
the exercise Of much patience, arc ncces-
sary. By firmness, mixed with kindness,
the child will learn, by repeated expert
ence, that he is not to follow his first i'm
pulses, and that scfcontrol, which even
an infart can understand, is necessary to
his comfort Neither violence nor harsh
ness should ever be used; and the parent
must bear constantly in mind, that to
govern his child, he must show him that
he can control himself One Of the most
common errors in the management of
children is irrcgularity Of behavior to-
wards them. They are rs skillful. as
pertinacioas in their attempts to crafty
their self-will at one time trying to evadc
authority, at another to oppose it, IT
they once succeed, they are encouraged
to persevere, and it is necessary for the
parent to meet the first attempt with
firmncss, and not permit himself to be
bafied either by evasion or resistance.
Although Child may not yield to threats,
and may defy punishment, he cannot re-
sist patient kindness and gentle admoni-
tion.
Tire love of truth is equal in impor-
tance to habitual obedience. Every en-
couragemcnt, even to the pardoning of
offenses, should be given to its cultiva-
ton. The first impulse of the mind in
children is always to speak the truth
rather than falsehood, unless some evil
motive arise to sway them to untruth.
They should be accustomed to hear the
truth always spoken. Confession of er-
ror, with detestation of falsehood, dis
honesty and equivocation, should be sed-
ulously inculcated. A strict adherence
to promises made to them is of the ut
most Importance, as we'll as the removal
of all temptation to misconduct.
The influences of christianity form the
essential element of moral character; as
it's principles are the only sufficient basis
of virtue or happiness. Hence, the pa
rents most sacred duty to his child is to
impress the sentiments of our holy rcli-
gion- early upon his mind, by personal cx-
planation and systematic instruction. As
the intellect expands, its sacred truths
will be comprehe,.ded and felt, and its
motives and principles be strengthened
and confirmed by practice and habit.
An essential part of the education of
youth is to teach them to serve them
selves, and to impress upon them the fact
that nothing can be acquired in this world
without labor and that the very necessa-
ries and comforts of life must be procu-
red by earnest and regular exertion
They should also be taught to know that
after having been reared and educated by
their parents, they should not expect them
to provide further for them, and that their
future subsistence and advancement must