Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-03-03
ORAL EDUCATION.
BY ". Il. SLOAN OF WA. EHyoWE.


Education is the result of study-the nat
ural consequence arising from an application
of the mind to obtain information in the diff
ferent departments of science, art and litera-
ture. All science may be termed systematic
learning. History is made up of facts. A
knowledge of both is what constitutes an ed
.ucation. To obtain this knowledge there is
but one infallible Yay-observation, re
search, study. There is no royal road TO
learning The same path must be travelled
by kings and beggars alike-the long and
tedious path of studiousness
Admitting this to bo true how necessary
it is for us, then, to examine into the subject
of study, it's uses, its results. Methods of
study is a subject upon which much hasbeen
written in history. 1t has been the theme of
educators, lecturers, and essayists for years
aaS With. good resaltss-In the earliest his
tory of Greece, we read OF their methods of
obtaining knowledge, and of imparting il to
others, and they deserve the highest com
mendation. The arts and sciences were i'm
perfectly understood and many entirely an
known. knowledge was almost wholly OBJ
tanned through oral instruction, and so eff
fectual was this method in its general results,
that nearly the entire populace had a good
knowledge of philosophy as far as it then
extended. Pupils were admitted at a very
early age to all branches of philosophical
learning. Their early days were spent in the
study OF the laws of nature; and it has been
very justly observed by historians, that the
acces. 10 mathematical and philosophical
learning was much more easy to the ancients
than it is, or ever can be with u.s. And for
this reason: The greater portion of our early
days is spent in obtaining a knowledge OF
words. We find it necessary before aequir-
so1er nff md oft
pupils have obtained good understanding
of words they often find it less difficult to
understand the principles of science, thar to
comprehend the language In which they are
sometimes explained. Another great adv an
tage possessed by the ancient mode of study
was the improvement of the memory by
means of continual exercise. The writings
of the best poets, the precepts of the phil
osophers, their mathematical problems were
committed to memory, and gave power to
the mind which has rarely been equaled in
modern days r-s.F. -,
Their almost mechanical power of retention
car never be approached in the present age;
nor is it desirable that it should, unless &C
quired in very different manner. It was
necessary that they should thus train their
memory. 1t was their only library. At the
present day it would be very absurd under
taking for a man to attempt to educate him
self in this manner. To learn by rote all that
could be selected from science and literature
would take more than lifetime, and no hu
man mind could possibly possess strength
enough to retain it, It is in this pointthat
modern education must differ from the an
cient. A general knowledge of the arts and
sciences, together with a thorough knowledge
of books, is the farthest point a student can
expect to reach. With this knowledge, aided
by well selected library, he may Justly de-
serve the title of an educated man
But in endeavoring to reach this point,
may we not be profted by knowledge of the
ancient mode of study? Can their methods
of training the mind be made profitable at the
present day This subject has received con-
siderable attention of late and it has indeed,
been made profitable.
AS science progressed among the ancients,
there became greater diversity IN thelr
scho OILS. 4 number of new sects arose, each
barring O. name representing q partic liar
branch of philosophy. taken as their gaide
The old schools of philosophers, which, at
different times, contained ten, fifteen or
twenty thousand students, were soon divided
among those sects. The course Of study
continued the same. Oral instruction given
| in the form of lectures, and the method OF
| conyersing freely with the pupils, being the
| C1Ie1 means uSeu 10 1mpdIb
| With this increase of the means of acquiring
know ledge, a greater length of time must
| necessarily be devoted to study, and to be-
| come q scholar it was requisite TO study IN
| each of these schools, This form of study
extended into the Roman Empire, and was
universally adopted by all the institutions o1
lesrnIng established here.
| In these schools were educated men whose
! names brighten the pages OF Greclan and
Roman history, both as philosophers and
statesmen, and whose examples of patriotism
and virtue will continue to be objects OF emu
! lation for ages to come.
After the decline of the Roman Empire
| when war became the, only object OF atten
ton with the Sovereigns of Europe, advance
ment in science receiving no encouragement
was checked. Schools for the populace ha(
long disappeared knowledge was confined
to the few The historical and philosophical
writings of the ancients were in great par
| DESTROYED by turmoils brought on through th
| turbulent and unsettled state of the people.
During the intervals OF peace, repeated et
forts had been made to revive popular educa
| ton ALI attempts however were inefectua
until the beginning of the fourteenth cen
tury. Civilization had received an impetu
long before, dating from the reign of Char
lemagne, the influence of which was still fel
throughout Europe; but not until the befor
mentioned period, when the Justlnlan Cod
attracted the attention Of the European Ma
tions and received the admiration OF all me-
of letters, did learning receive any encour
agement The age had as yet too little tast
for the study of the Roman classics but tn
wisdom of the ancIepts was universally &C
rnired Hitherto, the only honorable profe
| | sion had been that of arms. Now new prt
} fessions arose. Civil law was taught IN dl
, | farent countries by professors appointed K
that purpose; and Europe soon became g.
customed to see men rise to civil as well {
military eminence. The study of the Roma
? law naturally led to the study Of ever
+ branch of literature, which was soon as e.
, gerly pursued as law had formerly bee
Colleges and universities were founded
Researches were made to collect all the worl
of the ancients, and universal educatloE W
S ouce more established. Its progress va
f however, much slower than expectation W GU
D warrant, and for the next two centuries b
>. little improvement had been made upon WI
had been already understood by the anoIe
philosophers. The invention of printing abo
: this time may be taken as the period from Whi
t rapid advancement IN knowledge is dated.
:. A momentum was given to the progress
= the sciences that but increases as time rol
y on. Problem after problem of the great my
y teries of nature have been solved. Iheo
:, after theory have given place to the ests
d I Ished laws Invention after invention ha
aided in the further improvement Of the ar
and the present age has been placed CEN
10 ries in advance of where il would have bee
o were it not for this all Important addition
art. The lessons to be derived from th'
facts is obvious. The strength of natl
lies in the intelligence of the people u
p fine knowledge to the few, end the few a