Oregon Republican. [volume] (Dallas, Or.) 1870-1872, 1871-06-03
NOW AND THEN.
[From the Journal of Education.

There is great contrast between
i" Now and Then" in educational affairs.
There never was time when education
was SO universally diffused as at present
True, good authors have lived 10 nearly
all ages. We can peer back through
remote ages of antiquity, and see some
ancient authors whose works are even
now used as text books in the colleges.
There was time when the goddess of
learning began to inspire men with
desire TO extend their knowledge, and
accordingly the arts and sciences were
carried to great degree of perfection.
But true light had not yet dawned upon
the world; wars ragged; the fountains
of knowledge were sealed up in tho
great Alexandrian library, which was
at last burned, aud the investigation of
ages were cast into oblivion; the dark
ages euveloped the world ignorance
and superstition reigned supreme the
most atrocious crimes were committed
the mighty reigned and the weak per,
ished men in power gratitied their
desires and revclled in debauchery,
while their subjects were grovclling
under the CALLING yoke of bondage
prisoners of war were made slaves or
sacrificed to stocks aud stones; the law
was might over right.
Thus ages passed. There were but
few men of learning left to keep alive
the last ray of light that had once
began to food the world. But after
that great invention, printing, which
has done more to eulighten the world
than any other one of the many thou
sands, and for which the time~ ~honored
inventor was imprisoned, because it was
thought he vas 10 alliance with the evil
spirit. education was no longer confined
to the favored few; bat books and pa
pers were gradually circulated people
who were before considered inferior,
began to read for themselves aud to
become enlightened Empires crum.
bIed, tyrants fell; kings became beg,
gar-, and besgars reigned. The spirit
of liberty explained itself in the breast
of down trodden humanity; the yoke
If bondage i'm some countries became
lighter, aud in other countries it was
shaken off; and there Was in the new
world mighty nation sprIngiDg into
being, which became model for those
of the old Nations and States began
to legislate for the advancement of edu
cation, till it can now be had by all
and now, they who have good know
edgc Of the branches taught in our
common schools, not many centuries
ago would have been considered by the
multitude as educated men. AS the
Persians could boast of some authors
and few very imperfect astronomers, We
of these latter days can boast of Byron,
Prescott, McCaulay, Washington Irv-
ing, Arthur, Oliver Wendell Holmes,
and hundreds of other great authors
whose magic pens have held the world
entrauced by their mystic art; while
the il!ustrious names of yopernicus,
Galileo, Kepler, Newton, La Place,
Herschel, and a great many other astro-
nomers are placed on the records OF
undying fame, alongside of which will
be placed the no less brilliant names of
Alex Won Humbolde, Kirk wood and
lie Verrier, whose Investigations into
the secret workings of the Almighty
hand have signalized their names for
ever.
Great discoveries in Astronomy are
daily being made, and the truth of them
is believed by all. Our " Now in this
respect corresponds to our Then, .
when it was believed by all that this
world was an extended plane, and the
God of the sun rode in his chariot
across the skies from east to west in the
day, and back again at night when
none could see. But still later like
our " Then," when by the Ptolemaic
theory it was believed by all that this
earth was the grand centre of the uni
verse, and the sun, planets and stars,
performed their daily revolutions
around it. But unlike the time when
Galiieo was put into prison for assert
ing that it was this world that revolved,
and who, when released, said. II be-
lieve it, | believe it." This is a pro-
gressive age-the age of inventions, the
age of arts and sciences, the age OF
| profound knowledge.
knowledge is now sought after upon
true principles, and correct information
is obtained Education is broadcast.
Graded schools, seninaries and colleges
are, as if by enchantment, springing up
all over tho land. j
1t progress in the arts, science and
inventions advance like it has for the
last fifty years, there is no knowing
what the next half century will bring
forth.
/ There are over 1900 applications on
file for clerkship in the Treasury De.
| parThent. but not one vacancy exists.