Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-08-10

bss fallen. Quite Il number OF alumni
arc now in town. This days exercises
opened with meeting of the "Phi Beta
Kappa Society"
Az half.past ten o'clock Prof. Seeley Of
Amherst, addressed this Society. Prof.
Webber presided. Prayer was offered by
Rev. r. s. Cushman of Manchester. The
subject chosen for the occasion was "The
true ground work Of education"
PROF.. sEELEY's ADDRESS.
He remarked when Alexander the
Great was born Phillip, his father, wrote
h. Ari.totle these words, "Be it known
unto YOU that / have q son and that L am
thankful TO the Gods, not 30 much for his
birth as that he was born in the same age
with Won for if you will undertake the
charge of his education, assure myself
that no will become worthy of his father
and OF the kingdom he will inherit"
Aristotle did take charge of him and the
Young prince was not unmindfui of his
teachings. what Aristotle taught could
not have been useful il we judge from
his maxim--to be always seeking what is
useful is unworthy of liberal, and in
consistent with an elevated character
We know philosophy was then studied,
that attention was paid to natural science,
and that the nature Of government, the
duties of a ruler, the whole science of
politics and Of history held prominent
position among the studies pursued But
il il fact worthy of note, that Aristotle
made the cultivation of taste for litera-
ture the most prominent aim of his in
structions. He prepared new edition of
tho Iliad for his pupil, and 20 i'm
bued the princes mind with the
Homrric spirit, that the Iliad was con-
stantly by his side. Alexander wss a
practical man enough, in fact did ever
any man perform so much in so short
time and Aristotle was far from being
spinner OF empty distractions, for was
there ever more solid worker in the
hard facts of nature and of man? But
the teacher was great enough to see, and
the pupil great enough to feel that ac-
tions without ideas are powerless, that
natural facts or historic events separated
from spiritual principles are of little ac-
count, and thus that AN education, even
if it simply seeks to give a man skill in
study or power in action will only be
successful, as it furnishes hl n with an
ideal aim and an ideal inspiration.
Let US examine the views of these
ancient men and see If they will help us
in our modern theories.
First-The theory that an education
in order to be valuable must be useful.
There are very many persons who can
not conceive that anything is good unless
it is good for something. If, in the worlds
great market, it cannot be exchanged,
what is it good for? Thus an education
il of no account except it ia serviceable.
1t is TO be priced exactly in proportion
to its utility and practical claims Any
thing which we cannot barter for money,
pleasure or fame is ideal, and he who
seeks it dreamer. Weshape according
ly our whole system of instruction. We
strip it bare of fruitless blossoms, and
pluck off every leaf whose use we cannot
see. We teach our boys that they may
make money and get Gan Office, and our
girls that they may dress well and get n
husband. What is. the result !? Food |
bounteous and fit raiment, fair houses and
all such. We reap what we SOW, and is |
the harvest valuless? No. We make
the challenge fearlessly. But ia this not
all. We have fed the body sumptuously, |
clothed it splendidly, and housed it mag
nificently, but we have starved the soul.
and woven shroud for it, aud dug it's
sepulchre-apd what is the profit of all
tbs2 So much have we infused into our
children that what they learn must be
useful and practical, that they have grown
to maturity knowing no other horizon
than their senses bounded, and labored
and died with no other aim than that
which their bodily wants determined.
"Put money in thy purse" says Iago, and
our schools have echoed and enforced the
maxim until wealth has been fancied the
only veal, and an education has been
valued Just in proportion as it furnished
means to acquire it. Young men chose
their profession solely from the promise
OF riches.
Public men advocate their own cause
without any thought of its unmanliness.
Nay, this has entered college walls,
and we hear lawyers and ministers
pleading for some college honors. If we
have no education to give but that which
can be turned to account in the practical |
business of life, if we discard every branch
of study which we cannot make nse of
for the increase of our pleasure, money.
or fame, then pleasure, money, or fame will
be our vital pursuit, and we can no more
rise to any higher attainment, than can
the thorn by its own life become the big
tree. We attach an unseemly Importance
to these material elements of our civili-
zation. Bands of steel are as fragile az
threads of gossamer in the presence of
ideas and under the power of spiritual
principles. Civilization does not grow
out of any such stalk, and withers and
dies when thoroughly grated to it.
We pride ourselves upon our industry
and our inventions, but if we clearly note
the fact, we find that back of these and
above them there is a spiritual source
from which they come, and l know not
why, ii this source were wanting, these
might not disappear and perish like those
of Babylon aud Minevab, unless the lamp
of our civilization can be fed with per.
petuai oil it goes out in darkness, and
unless our education in the useful and the
practical be vitalized by something better
than these and above them, it is destitute
OF life and sooner or later will be con.
signed to its peace among the dead.
Seoond-Shall we introduce then this
higher element in our education ? The
speaker then ably msintaioed that this
should be done touching plsasingly upon
the Darwinian theory 10 passing, and bas-
ing MS reasons Tor the introduction upou ,
the effect, that classical studies have npon
the mind.
The speaker made some references TO
ancient writers and closed by rensrkipa:
"Csn anything be of graver importance {
to our theories of education than truth l.
thus illustrated We have our vast edu-
cational machinery with sll its schools
and colleges, and its untold expenditure
of time. talent, toll and money to ensure {
the intelligence of the people. OF course
this is well. But no amount of intelli-
gence ever saved any people. All our in
telligence will not save us. The hope of ,
the nation is not in the Intelligence, but :
in the virtue and piety of the people. 1t
Is not the college and the school, but the |
church which is our safe reliance. The 9
church has always been the so-worker of
learning. All our colleges and schools l
N RI hpr l.e |