The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1869-10-23
Newspapers as Educators.

It would astonish some of uS to learr
how many persons in the world derive
the greater part of the practical educa
tion they possess from newspapers
The class embraces men eminent in the
walks of lite-merchants, manufactu
rers, and mechanics. OF course they
do not get all their education from this
source. for they must learn to read be,
fore they can use the newspaper; but
there are many who, after knowing
how to read, learn nearly everything
else from the public journals. They
derive from them their knowledge of
law, geography, geology, astronomy,
physics, political economy, and, more
than all, their knowledge of the affairs
ct the world. In this last important
department, the newspaper is an in
structor that has no rival And to
know accurately y what is going on in the
world is an advantage Of no mean val
ue. On pinch, it can be made to an
swer for all other knowledge. A mans
stock OF Greek, Latin, and French is
called into requisition only on rare oc-
casions; his acquaintance with the
higher sciences is not to be used and
aired every day ; but the events of the
day are themes of constant converse.
ton and discussion, and they are to be
learned from the ncwspape S. And
even if man is so ignorant Of history
and philosophy as to be unable to
discuss the myriad affairs Of the world,
he will find in his paper intelligent dis
cussions of them ready prepared, which
be has only to reproduce in conversa-
ton to give the appearance of possess
ing a fundamental know ledge of the
subjects. With very superficial stock
of school or college instruction, then,
and constant and careful reading of
the public journals, many man natu-
rally sharpwilttd wilt pass in society
as smoothly as an accomplished scholar,
and his deficiency in what is called edu-
cation never be detected.
But, while there is much valuable in
formation to be learned from newspapers,
there is also much to be learned that
not only possesses no substantial value,
but is worse than yalueless There are
those who search the journals merely
for their rancidities-reports of shock
ing murders, startling robberies, the un-
happy disclosures OF divorce suits, and
those phases of human crime and
wretchedness. They think they have
learned the news of the day when they
have read of all the tragedies in remote
States, all The detaications and embez-
elements in New York, all elopements,
afrays, accidents, and trials that took
place last week. Such subjects as
these are poor reading, and taste for
them Is a depraveu and vicious habit
whose indulgence debauches and en-
febles the mind, and iucapacitates it for
graphing with practical questions of
real interest which constantly demand
tie attention OF great and good men the
world over. Young persons, partlcu-
larly, would do well in reading news
papers to avoid these features. They
have a balttul faciua ion that ATTRACTS
the youthful mind to deprave it. Sup
ping on horrors is wretched mental
habit. There is abundant lealthful and
instructive reading in respectable jonr-
nails to occupy The mind, without resort
ing to the dismal themes that teach us
how evil is human natAre.-St. Louis
Home Journal.