Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-10-28


Hon. Charles Wm. Eliot was inaugu-
rated President of Harvard College on
the lYth. From his inaugural address
We quote as follows:
THE PRoBLr N OF EDUCATION.
The best result OF the discussion which
has ragged so long about the relative
value OF the main branches OF learn
ing is the conviction that there is room
lor tneln ali IN Il sound scheme, provided
that right methous OF teaching be em-
ployeu. / l Is not because OF the limita-
IIon OF their facuitIss that boys OF
eighteen come TO college, having mas
tered tut lew score pages OF LaJIn and
Greek, and tnG bare clements Oi mathe-
uAtIcs. MOI nature, but an uuln:elli-
gent system of instruction from the
primary school through the college, is
Responsible for the fact that many col
lege graduates nave so Inadequate a con-
ception Oh what Is meant by scientific
observation, reasoning, and proof. 1t is
possible Tor the young TO get actual eX-
perIence OF al the principle methods OF
thought. There Is Il method OF thought
III language, and method i'll mathe-
maticS, and another OF natural and phys
zeal science, and another of faith. With
wise direction, even Il child could drink
at all these springs. The actual problem
20 Ue solved Is not what to teach, but
how 10 teach. The revolutions accom-
plished in other fields of labor have a
.esson FOR teachers. New England could
not cut her hay with scythes, nor the
West her wheat with sickles. When
millions are to be fed where formerly
there were but scores, the single fish
line must be replaced by seines and
travis, the human shoulders by steam
elevators, and the wooden-aXled OK
cart Oh a corduroy road by the smooth
running freight train. In education
there is great hungry multitude to be
fed. The great well at Orvieto, up whose
spiral path files of donkeys painfully
brought the sweet water in kegs, was an
admirable construction in its day; but
now we tap Fresh Pond in our chambers
The Oriveto well might remind some
persons of educational methods not yet
extinct. With good methods, we may
confidently hope to give young men of
Cwenty or twenty-five an accurate gen.
eral knowledge of all the main subjects
of human interest, besides minute and
thorough knowledge of the one subject
which each may select as his principal
occupation i'll life. TO think this impos-
sible is To despair of mankind; for unless
4 general acquaintance with many
branches of knowledge, good as far as it
goes, be attainable by great numbers of
+4a.4Ea7-th+re- -t:sla- -he-uo- such -Ihln&-aS an
intStiigent opinion; and IN the modern
world The intelligence of public opinion
is the one condition Of social progress.
WHERE REPATRIATION SHOULD BEGIN.
What Ias,b said OF needed refor-
sadtion Iii inrthUI, OF tssicning the sub
jects which h:ee aiieaiy been nominaliy
.titnIJJcI 10 the American curriculum
app.Ies not only to The university, but
- Uae preparatory schools of every
grade down to the primary. The Amer
eau college Is Obliged 10 supplement the
\ u.lIcdn school. Whatever elementary
Instruction The schools fail 10 give, the
college aust supply. The Improvement
Df the schools has OF late years permitted
.ne college 10 advance the grade Uf its
elCn. ng, and adapt the method of its
later years 20 men instead OF boys! This
IMPROVEMENT of 5he college reacts upon
yhe schools 10 their advantage; and this
action and reaction VIII be continuous
y university is uo5 built i'll the air, but
IN social and literary foundations which
preceding generations have bequeathed.
Ii the whole structure needs rebuilding,
it must be built from the foundation.
Hence, sudden reconstruction is impos-
siOie III uuc high places OF education.
such Inducements a5 the college can
offer for enriching and enlarging the
course of study pursued in preparatory
schools, the faculty has recently decided
to give. The requirements in Latin and
Greek grammar are to be set at a thor
ough knowledge of forms and general
principles; the lists of classical authors
accepted as equivalents for the regular
standards are to be enlarged; an ac-
quaintance with physical geography is
% be required; the study of elementary
mechanics is to be recommended. and
prizes are to be offered for reading aloud,
and tor the critical analysis of passages
from English authors.