Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1871-07-22
WHAT ,. xpscATrsx.

II is very comprehensive term,
and may be said to embrace every
impression made upon the mind,
from the earliest dawn Of intellectu-
al perceptions to the last moment Of
intelligent consciousness Of passing
events The common acceptation re-
stricts It's meaning to study of the
branches Of knowledge asmlly taught
In the schools-thus confound,ng the
result OF lifelong observation and
reflection with the scholastic prep
aration OF the mind for the reader
comprehension Of, and deeper research
into, the laws OF nature, and the SCI
ences eliminated therefrom. If edu-
cotton means simply, the acquisition
Of knowledge, 1t must neccs arily
begin with the earliest intellectual
developm ent, and end only with life,
IL this definition of the term be the
true one, II follows that the best sys-
tenn Of scholastic training Is, not
merely that which imparts the great
est amount Of specific knowledge du-
ring the period Of tuition, but which
best prepares the mind Of the pupil
for the independent acquisition Of
knowledge after his scholastic career
has been terminated.
This vitw Of the subject points
clearly, to the great Importance Of
thoroughncss In everything taught,
IN contradistinotion to the hot-bed,
or examining process, which sacri-
fees the interest Of the pupil to the
pecuniary success Of the school. As
IN Indispensable auxiliary to the at
taimment of thoroughness In the va
rious branches Of study, 1t Is to be
regretted that reading, spelling and
definitions, are so grossly neglected.
1t Is no rare thing to see males and
females fresh from college-rerhaps
with diplomas In their trunks, I'M
able to read aloud without embar-
rassment, and hardly intelligibly, so
defective has been their instruction
in the first principles Of elocution
and grammatical construction; and the
defects in their reading are doubtless,
conspicuous In their writing.
AS an accomplishment, merely,
reading and spelling well, should be
made an indispensable acquisition in
every system of teaching and in every
school, high or low. The neglect OF
these, becomes very grave error,
when 1t Is remembered that our lang.
uage Ia the medium through which
we receive and impart knowledge
and unless, partially at least, ac'
quainted with the structure and
meaning Of the language we speak
and write, the knowledge attempted
to be conveyed thereby, Is lost IN con-
sequence Of the imperfect understand
ing Of the medium Of transmission
Geography, for instance, cannOt bt
learned, with accuracy and facility,
by the neglected child, to whom it Ii
apainful labor to spell the words and
hard names essential to proper un'
derstanding of the subject. What il
true Of geography, Is true of every
other branch of learning, and 1t Ii
folly to expect child to learn readily
until he, or she can read fluently ant
intelligently. Light does not reach
the eye through cataract, and ideas
can not reach the brain through al
unknown medium. With compe
tent knowledge of the English Ian
guage, we have u key to the acquisi
ton of knowledge limited only by
our application and natural capacity;
without tour progress Is, necessarily
slow, uncertain and laborious, because
we are forced to learn, rs we proceed
not only the theories and principles
we are striving to master, but the
meaning of the terms employed fol
their calculation.
But, though an earnest advocate 70
n more thorough instruction in GU
lang IN o as an indispen sable prolim
mary to an easy acquisition of
knowledge of the arts and sciences
we are not, as has been charged, OPP
posed to the study Of the dead Ian
guages; on the ground that 1t Is tim'
thrown away. On the contrary, W,
believe that knowledge Of the Greel
aud Latin languages enables us NOR
thoroughly to master our own w
have said, however, and repeat II
that IL time aud means, for classi
cal education, I've so limited as to sto
it short of a thorough course, we be
lieve such limited means can be NOR
profitably applied to the acquisition
Of, what IN commonly called, u goo
English education--an indefinite tern
which may embrace every art an
science, and exclude nothing excep
foreign and dead languages--but OH
meaning is, that parents who hav
not sufficient means to pay for tn
acquisition of a thorough knowledg
OF the dead languages, had better Civ
their money, and their children
time TO the study Of such branche
as can lie applied to the practical con
n r..