Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-10-22
Educational.

of which Is the DELAWARE TRIBUNE for the publca-
ton of regular series of articles on the subject OF
Education. The following is the first ofa serics Of
such articles furnished by and under the direction of
a Committee appointed by the society.-Eps.l
Educational Papers--N0. 1.
We propose in the present paper, to show
that education ought to proceed in harmony
with nature-tllat it must not pursue an ar
bitrary course of its own making-that it
must not set up an artificial mediator be-
tween the child and nature, and thus act in
contrayention to the laws laid down for the
government of the human intellect that it
should watch the course of natural develop
ment, assist its progress, and follow rather
than attempt to go in advance.
II is saying that is both tritc and truth
ful, that education implies, not so much the
importing of knowledge, as the establish
ment Of tho principles and the regulation of
the heart If this be true an individual is
then thoroughly educated when complete
and harmonious development Of his natural
powers has been effected. Or as Webster
has said, when he is able upon every cmer-
gency to call forth all the powers of his mind,
both natural and acquired. Accepting these
definitions us correct-and they certainly
are-we may find many persons who have
great fund of knowledge, and yet are not
educated. There is vast difference between
power and skill. We may have great power
in n organ, per SC, and yet not be able to use
it. 1t will thus benefit us nothing. II is
education that imparts skill and enables us to
make use Of nil the power that we have re-
ceived from nature. The educator must
always bear in mind that he cannot create
ability. AS Pestalozzi says: at is not the
educator that implants any faculty in man !;
it is not the educator that gives breath and
life to any faculty; he only takes care that
no external influence shall fcitcr and disturb
the natural course of the development of
mans individual faculties. The moral, the
spiritual, and the artistic capabilities of our
nat lie must grow out of themselves and by
no means out of the results produced by art,
which has been mixed up with their educa
tion." One department of the intellect may
be stimulated to an undue degree, and others
almost entirely neglected. A man who is
loaded with other mems thoughts, without
being able 10 form an intelligent opinion of
his own, is sure to occupy position in So
ciety that will be Of little use to any one.
We are NJ. always able to form right 0pin-
ions on many Of the subjects that come be-
fore us; but if ne are capable of taking into
consideration all the points bearing upon it
that are of weight and Of giving to each its
relative Importance, we eau seldom be in
fluenced to u course of conduct that will ip
principle be injurious to society. No one
can tell what is absolutely right in human
affairs, except so far as is specified by Reve-
lation, but we can,as fast as we are able, work
for the greatest good to the greatest numbers.
In human point of view it seems always
better TO be wrong with Plato than right
with Epicurus, better to strive for that
which ennobles, or seems to do so, than to
yield to that which dchascs from the very
outset. God has created the human intel
lcct-has endowed every individual with q
certain amount of natural power, that is tc
serve him through life, but He has left some
thing for the individual himself, and some
thing for his teachers to do, until fully start
ed on the journey of life The tiny flower
bud contains that which, aflcrward expand
ing, may become the most beautiful flower
but if an accident happen the bud, th
q
| So with the intellect Of the child. 1t con
tains in embryo all that it is ever capable o
becoming in the future, but misfortune, @
whatever kind it may be, will also dwarf
for all time to como. The object of rigli
education is to prevent such unhappy con
sequences.
1t is to be regretted that in education, nc
more attention is paid to the right metho
to be pursued II Il man wishes to cult
vate his farm or his garden, he will be yer
careful not to injurc his plants, by any III
natural cultivation; and yet how few al
thus careful with the intellect Of their chi
dren. Instead of making 1t one of the fir
considerations, it is generally mate the las
1t is an emphatic truth that no greater il
jury can be Inflicted upon n child than b
placing him in the hands of incompelel
instructors. The injury those done ca
never be cremedied 1t is like giving maj
who is setting out upon journey, fro
which he will never return, guide that wi
/ put him on wrong road. Reparation mt
indeed, afterward be made, but only to
limited extent A mans education, of wha
/ ever kind il may be. is his guide throu.
4 life, and when bud will always be leadiI
i him astray.
t Again, il system of education be pursu
!. that is but partly right, a great amount
. . the teachers work is lost. Half right is b
a synonym for wholly wrong, any cour
4 that tends in any way to occasion missps
8 time is wrong to this extent il no furh,
i, But such course will do more, for il ten
d to produce one-sided development. 1t
'f sometimes brought upas an argument agail
u systematic education, that ii requires coul
II II to be pursued with the child TO which ii
IS averse, and that children are often fond
is some studies and detest others. This c
= not be taken in any sense as argument, sir
ssr our whole life is a process of training,
which we are more or less averse. We
ID continually called upon TO do things that
= in themselves unpleasant, from an impu
ii of higher nature. To illustrate further
o. child may attempt to practice deception,
Ge parent will hesitate TO correct him
~ ~ this, if once convinced of the true asp
i, OF the crime, because such course of cond
es if persisted in, will destroy his position
~ society when the child becomes man.
performance of duty is often painfully
pleasant, but by practice we may learr
RS relish it. So with child. Educatio
training may for years he unpleasant, yet
may ultimately follow the pursuit of kno
nd nd edge with alacrity and delight, and auth
Of ty ceases to be necessary. We have s
an children who for years had to be driver
ry school. become the closest students.
In. may thus see that the system of educatio
nat not necessarily the right one, that is n