Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-12-19

,rhonph required by the laws Of the State, this
Il now very generally neglected. a place
however should be found on every programme
for this instruction, which should De gwen
somewhat by precept, but manly oy example
.ense can no more be left to chance than the
training of the mathematical sense. There is
: demand for men and women who dare not
lilo. dare not steal, dare not cheat, dare not
be towards.
This is the course of common school study
;mperatively demanded by the times. Not an
item should be subtracted, but additions MADE
rather. Upon this let the high school oniio'
with the two faces it ought to have, one tarh-
ed towards the great body of the people and
their common educational wants, the other
turned towards the college and the special
wants of those seeking higher education
whether literary or technical. With this uni
versal education at the bottom, an education
not of the Dryasdust school, but full OF life
and stimulus, the higher education Will &c
higher and spread wider. The love of knowl-
edge strengthens with its acquisition. Cur
Colleges have not enough students devoted 10
letters, while Orono boasts of less than Sfty
students when she ought to have 1000 for
Maine TO compare favorably, in industrial
education. with some other portions OF the
world. Start this industrial education in the
common school and the industrial schools OF
Orono and Bowdoin will soon be flooded with
agricultural and technical students. Various
affections will be raised against this course OF
study for the common school.
/. There are those who will say it is the
main business of the common school to form,
not to inform, to make men, not men of busi-
ness. What is practical, therefore, is not to
be specially considered. Answer: 1t IS the
business of the common school, both to form
and to inform, to make both men and men OF
business. just as good discipline can be got
from the study Of what is useful, as from the
study Of what is useless. To declare other
wise is to libel the Creator. Therefore what
is practical is to be first considered.
2. There are those who will say that the
great majority of men and women are to be
"hewers of wood and drawers of water" and
therefore need no education as outlined. An
swer: Not one boy or girl in fifty attending
the public schools will lead life whose labors
may not be greatly lightened and made much
more profitable by such an education. Skill
and good returns make all the difference be-
tween drudgery and work. 1t is the former
that men hate, not the latter.
8. There are those who will say that time can
not be had for instruction in all the things
which have been enumerated. Answer
Much time can be saved by cutting the pres
ent studies down to proper standard. Then
much more can be taught to children under
twelve years of age than is now generally
supposed. At least three quarters OF their
time is now wasted for the lack of sufficient
variety in their studies, and for the lack OF
things adapted to their intellectual require
ments, drawing and natural science will rem
Jor, tip,o alan 10
saved by better methods of teaching and study.
Finally, if time enough cannot be thus Sc
cured, the school term must be heightened,
while the boys and girls must not be permit
ted to leave achool at so early an age as now.
L. There are those who will say that, OF
the sciences which bear on the leading pur-
suits of the State, not enough can be taught
to do any goud. If true, this is a fatal obJec-
ton Answer: Each lesson will impart SINE
thing that, considered by itself alone, will
be oS direct, practical service. This elemen-
tsry knowledge of natural science, says that
most thorough scholar, John Stuart Mill, is
of exceeding worth to all men; and he furth-
er declares, with Archbishop Whateley, that
it is not to be denounced as superficial knowl-
edge, for it is accurate, and thorough, SO Tar
as it goes. Again, it is always the first steps
in any study which are the most difficult. Nc
one would think of trusting all men tt
learn to read without instruction, nor Il
learn the Multiplication table, no rot even t
learn to write their own names. Nor shoult
the learning of aught else of value be thu
left to chance. Most men, the common schoo
once having started them in drawing and nat
ural science, will 60 on by themselves,
their business require that they should. II
however, the school has not thus grounded
them in the first principles and simple appli
cations, not one in twenty will ever make
beginning for himself. Hence it becomes 0
vital Importance that the common schOo
should teach the elements Of all knowledge
required by the people as body.
5. There are those who will say that thu
number of recitations, in schools having blu
one teacher, will be altogether unmanageable
Answer: Studies are to be finished sometime
All the studies need not be attended to eacl
term nor even each day. And teachers ant
s. s. Committees must learn how to CLASSIFY
ungraded schools properly. With all the en-
umerated studies there need not be above two
thirds of the present daily Rotations.
6. There are those who will say that suita.
BILE teachers cannot be had. Answer: Make
the demand and see The schools will moi
be so hard to teach as now. Because of the
pleasant and profitable studies the average
attendance of pupils will increase twenty five
per cent.
7. There are those who will say that the
State cannot afford to pay what it will cost to
give such common school education. An.
swer: The State cannot afford not to do it.
Not to do it will be a grave political blunder
and robbery Of the children, who have ar
inherent right to the best education their pa
rents and the State can give. Educate OIL
perish, said Lyman Beecher.