Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-03-03


BEGAN to improve, SO did the means OF acqulr-
ing knowledge improve. Universltles ana
colleges were established, many OF whlch are
still in existence. Still later, othersi on va
rious plans, were founded, and at the pressn'
day, institutions of learning may De Iouna ~
every city and Villages. but the puo,io
schools are what occupies, orshouta occupy 'n'
attention of all friends OF genera euucas'on.
Although essentially different, they are 10
America, what the schoo, of philosophy
was to the Greeks, and the chief aim OF. edu-
Gators should be to adopt the best anu fnos'
effeotual methods of study. The eld ine.noo0
hitherto pursued in our paolle senooiS % -a--
ing short of bring ging about the desired Gnu
To commit lessons to memory ana recite theni'
day after day, from one end or the Ierm 10
the other, is not what is required OF pupils
Time is lost thereby, and in his progressive
age there is no time TO spare. Nothlng Is ao-
complished by the teacher who marks OUT
certsin- lesson in each branch and bids the
pupils carry home their books and pore over
those tasks, SO that they will not make q ms
take Of a single word, and perhaps threa1ens
punishment IN case mistake should occur
A great many of us has had experience from
this manner of teaching, ana some OF the
fondest memories of our school-boy DAYS are
of recitin o those well conned lessons, Win
our toes to the mark, and the rcd OF the mas
ter displayed in very threatening manner
during the recitation. But those days cannot
continue longer. Necessity demandsa onange
What has been observed relating to the al
vantages possessed by the ancient mode OF
drilling the mind was designed to intimate
that oral instruction should be adopted as the
chief means of imparting q knowledge OF the
natural sciences. It may be used with good
effect insteaching any of the branches OIL ed
ucation It is the natural mode OF reoelVing
instruction, chile studying by rote may pc
said TO be artificial. The one exercises the
common sense and improves the faculties for
observation, The other but improves tne
memory, adding little to the fund or KnoWl-
edge In the selection, the present age oe
mands that which viii produce the best anu
most satisfactory results. The time TO DC
devoted to the requirement of knowledge Is
necessarily short and in combination with d
passable knowledge of the common Dranches,
it should be the aim of the teacher OF the
public school to instill into the minds or the
pupils a desire for further information. Ii
this can be accomplished if the impression
can be made that the school is bat prepars-
ton for the great university OF tule--thaC
study must be perpetual, then the laOors OF
the instructor will not be in vain A grad
uate from a college is far from Delng an eau
Gated man He is only in a fair way OF soon
becoming one if he but pursue the advan-
, tages he has obtained. If he dtscontInues
his observations, under the impression that
he already knows as much as IS necessary,
he viii soon fall far behind those who pos
sessed but very few early advantages, but
who still retained the desire for further i'm
proVement. EE
If this be not true then what has become
of the thousands of students that have been
Turned forth from our numerous colleges and
No = fhau M he
of honor and trust in the communities IN
which they are members In but minority
Of cases, sell made men are found IN their
stead; men, who may bcSe been educated IN
colleges, but who understood that mechau-
ical acquaintance with knowledge was not all
that was required of them; men who entered
life with the determination to profit by every
circumstance, and by observation to continue
to add to their store of knowledge. 1t ls true
the limits of human lore are very narrow
and, although becoming wider aud wider, as
time passes, when we look over the broad and
untraveled sea before us we have TO complain
with the sage of the imperfect knowledge
possessed by man. There are many incen-
tives to lead US on even as far as the limits
will allow. There is pleasure derived from
study which renders the student unconscious
of the difficulties to be surmounted. That
they can be surmounted is fact ever pre-
sented to his mind. He sees the object Of
his pursuit far in the distance. Whatever it
may be, whether it be desire for fame as a
/ warrior, g statesman or a moralist, he is ever
arrested on his way thither by the beauties
presented to his view, in the different depart
ments of science and literature, through
which he has occasion to pass. The late Hon.
Horace Mann, one of the most eminent of
American Educators, has beautifully observed
That the creation is museum, all full and
crowded with wonders and beauties and glo
ries One door, and only one is open by
which you can enter this magnificent temple: !:
it is the Goor of knowledge. The learned Ia
borer, the learned peasant or slave is ever
made welcome at this door, while the igno-
ant, though kings, are shut out.
/ Nr1u SrnRY RnIIT- (1REFIFY