Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1869-02-10

NsVsts "h'sH We tiaAt ~ ESA AUS IASL
We shall hear from the talented gentleman.
THE TEACHER AND IRE SCHOLAR.
Nh. CHAIRMAN, LADIES AND GESTLrxES ::
call . complete and generous education,
that which Its man TO perform Justly,
skilfully and magnanimously all the Offices.
both private and public, Of peace and war"
So said John Milton in his 7ractdte IN
Education, and no better motto for a lee
ture on our present subject could be found.
To form the mind for thinking and &C :
ing correctly. ~ we'll - for giving the body
that muscular energy and activity 80 ne
csssary for the perfect Development Of the
powers Of the mind, should be tho end and
aim Of public instruction.
The Gsrosns give The right name to thsir
Scholastic institutions: 0ymndsid. For ~
the gymnasium for physical culture teaches
many things for the sake Of exercise, SO the
school should require many things to be
studied, not SO much for their practical
application in after life, as for the mental
discipline they afford.
II is not so much to teach eraetly what
will b required ~ TO train the mind into
such habits a. will make it easy 10 master
any particular branch Of knowledge which
may be necessary for the chosen pursuit IN
manhood.
The positive lessons Of tho recitation
class or black board may not enter into the
speech Of tho Statesman, the brief Of tho
lawyer, the diagnosis Of the ply stefan. tho
balance sheet Of the merchant, or the
sermon OF the divine, yet the years Of
youthful tell have net been lost, for tho
mind has been well titled, and is in condi~
ton to mature crop OF any seed, which il
receives easily, terminates rapidly and
grows luxuriantly.
DR., johnson once said, "let me make the
ballads Of . people and care not who
makes their law" =; and Il would 30 easy
| to parody il thus: Let me have the sduca.
ton Of the yosth and care net what
influence you bring to bear upsn the adult.
1t is in the time Of youth. the day . when
tho mental faculties are plant and easily
moulded into shape that habits are formed,
that the foundation 10 laid for evil or for
good. "Ths child 10 father OF the man " !;
AS the twig 10 bent, the trees inclined :"
and numerous other "wise saws aud mod.
srn instances might BE- adducsd 10 support
Of this position. This being the case, il 10
highly necessary that proper influence
should be brought 70 bear upon childhood |:
that the sehoslroom should b. the sacred
place In which nothing but what is true,
but whae 10 lovsly, but What 10 pure, but
What is Of good rsputc should be inculca.
ted. II morality anj virtue. in addition 10
the hum mites, % the usual branches Of .
liberal education are termed in Scotland, be
not taught, the opposite will spring up, for
the mind Of . child is too rich to lie fallew,
M has - L. -. ~
grow.
that he thought it very unfair to influence .
child's mind by intoxicating any opinions
before it should have come TO years oi
discte elton, and be able to choose for itself
Colclidge showed him his garden and called
it his botanical garden. How SO 2" said
he, "it is covered with weeds" "Oh,"
he replied, THAT is becaus. it has not
| come 10 years Of discretion. The weeds
have taken the liberty TO grow, and it
would be unfair 10 prejudice the soil to-
wsIds roses and straw berries.
Gut while advocating The incubation 0l
correct principles we must remember that
our common schools arc founded for the
country and for the people not FOR PARTY
nor for a class not for political ascendency
nor theological hair sllittings, but that in
the pure and ennobling paths Of intellectual
glory, nil parties and all sects may meet on
mutual ground. and nni,e fer the cor mo
| advantage Of all To this great purpose
| every provision should be subord nate.
Attempt to wrest this institution from all
| tho people and throw it into the haads o!
any exclusive section aud you seal its doom.
Let our schools he IN the fullest sense oi
the word common" not as denoting infs-
riority, but rather as . juvenile comm on.
wealth whore all may learn what is univors.
ally useful, without, at the same time
acquiring what may to some DO, or seem to
DO, In opposition to their phase Of thought
Although Mrs. Shsndy esteemed it a
matter Of perfect Indifference whether the
world turned round or stood still, and the
charity-boy in Dickens, after mastering his
alphabet Was uncertain whether it was
worth while going through so much to
learn 80 little, ! suppose no difference oil
| opinion will exis, here ~ TO the benefits oil
a good education.
Education gives resources which endure
as long as life cnaures, habits that time
will lmeloEa;e. net destroy, occupatio..
that viii render sickness tolcrable. solitude
pleasant. age venerable, life more dignilied
an! useful, and therefore death less tefIib.e
Sydney Smith very wisely remarks, tina,
II is OF great importance to a country that
| there Should be rs many understandings ls
possible actively employed within II.
Mankind are much happier for the discovs ry
| IL bzrometers, thermometers, steam engines
and all tho iunumerabe inventions in the
arts and sciences. Weate every day and
every hour resping the benefit Of such
talent and such ingenuity. The same
observation is true Of such works - these
Of Dryden, Pope, Milton and Shakespeare
Mankind are much happier that such
individuals have lived and written they
add every day 10 the stock Of public
enjoyment" Education has produced these
/ results, they are the ripe fruit from the
grain Of mustard seed planted, perhaps BY
the diligent hand Of the underpaid but
assidious teacher, within the humble walls
| Of . country roadside school house.
Again, one Of the greatest pleasures Of
lite is conv.rsation. and this pleasure is
| enhanced BY every increase Of knowledge :;
| not that. in actual life. We meet tagsther to
talk acids and alkaliss angles and attitudes.
or show our skill in solving
biquadratics. Or finding the terms
Of On in6sits series, but let the sub
ject b what it may, there is always .
prsdigious difference between the convsrs -
ton q those Who have been well educated
| and those whs have not enjoyed this
advantage. Educstien gives fccundity 81
thought, cspiousness Of Illustration, quick.
| ness, vigor, fancy, words, images AID az.
amplss 1t decoratss every common thing,
and gives . power, evca Of triiling, without
being tedious or absurd. The TACT is also
indisputabls that the greatest Of human
enjoy msnts arises from tho cultivation Of
our capacities and the attainment OF
knowledge, and ~ = man from the very
constitution Of bis nature 10 exposed 70 ths
necessity Of making provisions for The EN-.
ploymsnt Of his thinking as well a. Of hi.
bodily powers, whatever tends TO increase
his knowledge must have direct tcndenc,
to increase his usefulness to Others, and
consequently his own happiness.
| amweil aware that 1t may appear pre-
sumplious in me to talk to you on subjcc
which il is bu. fair to suppose you nav,
made Jour study aud your pleasure as vel
ar your duty. But rs boulder stones ara
but the rounded forms from shapelc,s
masses Of primary rock worn into symmstiy
BY a,tri,ion in water, so il is that bv attri
ton Of studtous minds, valuable iheorie.
are formed and the better reasons evolved
It's in this spirit that v ish my remark,
I "a A~s ~lx>