Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1871-01-19
THOUGHTS ON EDUCATIONAL
SUBJECTS.

Every one born into this world OF
ours, starts forward in infancy, and
travels one of-two r Dads. If he
has kind. Christian parents, and
blessed with wholesome instruction
from teachers, he will, in nine cases
out OF ten. eschew evil ard follow
the path OF virtue. Train up a
child in the path he should go, and
when he % old he will not depart
from it, is u truth, though uttered
many years ago. Gull of memory to
rs Of the present age
It is q trut h which should come
home to th heart and conscience
Ct every man and woman TO whom
Gcd has intrusted tue develop
ment Of the immortal mind. The
sib.ect OF educ ioi, then. be-
comes one Of infinite importance.
and demands our most serious
thoughts
And now. permit me. in the fur
Their consideration o. this subject,
to invite your attention to the fol.
lowing particulars:
What is education? Education"
says Webster, "comprehends all
that series of instruction and disci-
pine which is intended to enlighten
the understau ding, correct the .em
per, and form the manners and hab-
its OF youth. and fit them for use.
fulness in their future stations"
In this def milton there are two
prominent particulars, which merit
consideration, and a series of in
struction.
By the term Of instruction" is
meant information or knowledge.
And now, we are to inquire as to
what kind of instruction, or knowl-
edge, is best adapted to the present
and future wants of the immortal
nature Of mankind. All knowledge
is not good. 1t is the bad insiruc-
ton which ruins the youth Of our
country, and our object should be,
moulding the future character of the
rising generation, to select that
which is purely good and morally
nutritious.
Physiology teaches US that the
food which we eat, when properly
prepared, is carried to every part of
the human system and. as conse-
quence, the general tone of the sys
tenn will be in proportion to the
quality or the food eaten. The
same fact will manifest itself in the
education Of the mind. The mind
will be elevated or degraded in pro-
portion to tie quality of the infor-
nation it receives.
II is one of the saddest sights af>
forded in this world to look into
any human countenance and there
see vice and crime sinking the death
less spirit into eternal blight and
ruin, To arrest the progress of
vice and crime, to build an adaman-
tine barrier against the incursions
Of sensuality, malice, profanity, in
temperance and murder, is the bust
ness Of the educators Of our land.
And this can be accomplished
by their united efforts, through the
medium of heightened morality
and judicious system Of instruction.
If, then, we would stop the growth
OF crime. and start man on jour
hey of responsibility and usefulness
through life, we must take him in
his infancy, while yet a cherub nest
Ting en- his mothers lap. and while
yet the smile of innocence is on his
lips.
The first series Of instruction,
then are those which the mother
alone can impart. This, then
brings me to notice the benefits oil
parental instruction.
To parents God has committed
solemn charge. To them is intrust.
ed one of the most sacred and re-
sponsible tasks under the heavens
viz: that Of first impressing the
Immortal mind with good or bad
sentiments, with truth or error, with
generous feelings or vicious habits
And, here must be permitted to
remark that, in my opinion, nine
tenths Of the criminals OF our land
received their first lessons in crime
in infancy-shall l say from the
teachings, and actions, and habits
of Their parents2 In saying SO.
verify believe / would risk nothing
Oh! it is o fearful, melancholy
thought, that there are now, at this
moment, hundreds and thousands Of
immortal minds taking their FIRST
lessons in crime from those whose
highest ambition and pride should
be to bring them up in the nurture
OF truth and morality. And it il
still more fearful and heastrendine
to reflect upon their future life. and
final destination.