The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-30


can iife Whether this is to be regretted, is not
the question. We are concerned with the un-
9onoe6 i9et we ,nd poPose II %s 40 are 20 Bring it
under the power OF a liberal culture at all, we
must employ for that purpose different form
generations have been trained.
Now the Trustees of this University, recog-
which IL would be hopeless, even If It were wise
TO contend, have recently endeavored 10 meet
the unmistakable demand by modifying, after
the example of other colleges, the course OF
study pursued In their own colleg ate depart
ment. This they have done not with the view
of lowering the standard of a liberal education
but rather OF giving IL wider, deeper, and more
ating it more Intimately with the practical arts
of life, In order more fully to understand what
aaP9ed PSSysnsees consist il will be necessary
TO glance at some of the forms OF education
which are presented to the choice OF American
youth. Perhaps in such an examination he
may be able TO find an answer to the question
we hear so often asked around us-"W hat, after
ALL is the use OF a college educatlonT
Every American child, as IS well known, is
now provided with q certain kind of education
at the public expense This education, as Is also
well known, is wholly elementary in Its char
scter, embracing none OF those higher branches
of knowledge essential to the training OF
scholars in the highest sense, for which the
most enlightenf governments of Europe have
long since made abundant provision. Still,
elementary as IL is, proficiency in IL has now
become essential as foundation for success In
all the pursuits of life except the very lowest:
TO maintain such n system vast sums are raised
by taxation, and for no object is taxation borne
so cheerfully. For such purposes the city OF
Philadelphia pays more than u million of dol.
lars ANNUALLY, out of which thirty We thousand
dollars or the interest of nearly six hundred thou
sand dollars, are expended every year ior Ine @
support of single High School. But valuable
as this system Is, and vast as are the funds
raised for its support. 1t covers but very small
portion of the field of education In any true or
broad sense. It's object and its only object Is TO
provide for the mass es that whieh in the condl-
them as the food which nourishes their bodies.
II leaves to other agencies the provision for
supplied in some way, or the body polite
starves. In any given country, the number OF
or the opportunity to train their minds by
liberal culture bears, of course, but small
proportion to those who have been instructed
which preserves the mass from decay. Unless,
therefore, the higher schools are maintained
with the same vlgor and esrnestness which
now characterize the support of the Public
School system, the result will be a uwarfed,
one.sded, and wholly superficial training
which may render community very keen at
money making, but will leave 1t totally desti-
tute Of all that tends to dignity, adorn, or ele-
vate human life. A wide spread but most mis-.
taken impression seems to prevail especially
luxury for the few. but that it is useless, and
even pernicious, to the future career OF the
many. 1t is lsmentabe fact that there are
fewer OF our Philadelphia young men receiving
liberal education in the various colleges of the
country than those ofany other city which ap.
proaches 1t in wealth and population. Icannot
enter now into a discussion of all the causes
which have produced state of things certainly
one or two of them, especially to the overesti.
mate which Is placed upon the value of ordl.
anxiety manifested by parents to place their
children under spec cial Instruction without ade-
quate preparation for that career In which they
are to earn their future livelihood. No schools
have been more largely attended of late than
those which promise to turn young man, at
the shortest possible notice, and with the least
exertion on his part. into a money-makipg ma
chine. The rage is now for special. technical
instruction, not merely in the ordinary trades
occupations business. those
higher branches OF experimental science
as and Sers raans %
way OF preparation as is needed In any
bn Of professional ss life Out Of
and exclusive devotion to mere money getting
has grown an exaggerated estimate OF the
there are who are forced by their necessities to
torego the advantages of higher education
many who, from we'll meant but msdirected
zeal to give their children what is called "a
those immortal powers which may be destined.
If properly trained, to elevate, Instruct, and
happen to a boy thus suddenly and early taken
from his books is, that he may become mere
specialist in his particular vocation. Happy is
Intellectual pursuits, he does not soon lose all
taste for cultivating his mind. and become as
great subjects of life as the limits of the parti
cular traue or occupation in which he may en-.
gage. The excuse for thus dwarfing and
crampipg by deliberate choice t7e faculties of
the young is that such is the only sure road to
wealth, and that wealth, at least in this coun-
try, is the great end and object of life. 1t is
not true that an educated man, one gifted with
the highest form of culture, must necessarily
fail in gaining the best prizes of life. To believe
1t would be TO distrust the providence of God,
and all experience proves that it Is false doc
trine In cannot be, after all, worth while to
stunt boys mind in order that he may cer-
tainly grow rich. An American child should
be trained above and beyond everything else
as an American citizen. What would become
Of the country II all our young men were
trained as mere specialists; II those who take
part in our public affairs were mere lawyers
or mere doctors, or mere merchants, or mere
mechanics7 Where, may 1 ask. would the
American nation be to-day If the College and
the Church had not taught Its citizens their
duty? No, no! we cannot move ste Q in this
world without encountering problems which
require for their solution minds educated in
Necessity %sy 0 always Sk exists for for mee Of
general ideas; tor those who have acquired
knowledge of first principles, who are able to
take comprehensive Views of the great ques-
tions of truth. interest, and duty with which
our life is filed men in whom that master
quality of the mind, the Judgment is sure and
well balanced; men who act wisely, or who
teach others to act wisely because they think
accurately. Toe history of civilization Is the
history of the operations of minds like these.
The world must have a certain corps deLte who
do the brain work OF their generation, and such
can never be produced in a condition of society
In which an exaggerated value is placed on the
pursuit OF mere material Interests. l beg you
will observe that in advocating the highest, the
most generous, the widest culture as the best for
young men, have confined myself entirely to
the practical aspect of the subj ect IL relates
10 this country and TO the present generation.
believe that such system is eminenty prRc-
tical system If the attainment OF the highest end
by the best means be the true test of what const-
tutes the practical value OF any system of edu-
cation. Perhaps may be permitted to refer to
another test of its practical value, equally
trustworthy-that OF the experience of those
who have been trained under q different sys
tenn. While many misdirected parents blindy
seek TO provide for the welfare OF their children