The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1872-02-15
For the COURIER
FORCING AN EDUCATION.
AN ESSAY BY J. s. PAINTER,

FORCING AN EDUCATION.
AN ESSAY BY ]. s. PAINTER,
The type of popular education
which appears to secure general "a
vor in this progressive age, is cer-
tainly open to some criticism. To
say the least, it is excessive and
exacting. The youth ofour country
are burdened beyond reason by the
number and variety Of their studies.
Our American spirit which is epitom-
lied and summed, up in one word
"fast," seems to have gained posses
sion of our schools, both public and
private; and the great ambition of
parent and teacher is to drive the
juvenile mind along prescribed iron
track Of education at the utmost pos.
sible speed. Physical health and
development, and the light hearted
ness of youth, must be sacrificed to
the Moloch of education.
Children are early impressed with
the idea that the ultimdthule of human
ambition, should be to graduate and
receive diploma, and the sooner
this desirable piece OF paper can be
obtained the better. This end once
attained, the achievement Of success,
in whatever occupation they may
choose, will be comparatively easy.
Acting on this principle, our colleges
annually turn out scores Of scientific
| or classical mushrooms, who are as
unable to successfully cope With life's
difficulties as human efforts would be
to stay the incoming tide Of the sea.
The result of this railroad speed Of
| our schools in doing their work, is
that they really defeat their own
ends. For with all our munifcent
endowments, with our excellent text
books, our teachers SO amply quail.
fed, and all our admirable machinery
of education, it is yet true that we
fail to a deplorable degree Of reach
ing the goal of all our endeavors.
We gain too often an overcrowd.
ed instruction, while we fail of a
healthful education. 1t il like going
to the orchard in spring-time, and
tying fruit with cords upon the
trees, which should be left to bud
blossom and bear fruit in their season
Tho process of growth is too slow,
and so we would force it by artificial
means. It is certainly beautiful
sight to see the orchard in spring
time bending beneath the weight o.
golden fruit, even when that frui,
hangs only by strings upon the
boughs. But this will all decay and
fall off before autumn. So our sys
TENS of education seem to aim toe
much at hanging knowledge ON the
mind, which can only obtain an ade
qnate strength by gradual develop
ment. They effect tinssrnetion rath
er than education between which
1.-TWO words there is q very suggestiv,
distinction TO be- made. We instruc
when We furnish the mind will
knowledge. We educate, wheI
knowledge is SO communicated as tt
lead out and develop the mind itse!t
arousing its own powers of thought
This last is, OF course, the true de
sign OF all instruction Rrt--thi
education tor immediate effect; thi
forcing the mind in its youth, thi
, development Of educated learnin.
in the young, is precisely like tyinl
fruit when it should be left to grow
more slowly indeed, but to highe
purpose.
II Modern science has revealed man,
, acceleratlng processes; but it has no
yet condensed the growth of a gian
oak to the space Of single year, no
given US an educated mind by an,
: other course than gradual, patien
: and healthful development.
Food and exercise are equally a
J essential to the growth and expau
sion of the mind as the body; blu
q superbundance of either, serve
only to thwart the purpose for whicI
they were designed.