The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1872-04-13
g,tt#'oa 'frss grantr.
ottawa, ILL.,. SATURDAY.. April Is. 1879
Board of Education-New Schemes.


pu5l'cgg and Woaleablatt, but not in the FREE
TRADER Whatever animadversions upon the
actions of the late Board may have appeared
in this Journal, they were ably seconded by
both our city contemporaries. In this matter
perfect unanlmity of sentiment marked the
three papers ; they were all in the same boat.
The nross partiality of the Board, as above
eyinced, can have no foundation other than
the petty personalities which certain school
directors entertain towards the senior editor of
the FREE TRADER, and we only now allude to
it as showing through what miserable straits
some men will crawl in order to indulge their
petty slites. Further than this we have no
thing to say. 1t is always thankless and
more than useless task to crush gnats. q
At the same meeting the President of the
Board presented course of study to be pur-
sued in the public SCHOOLS, concerning which
we have a few remarks to offer.
Dr. Paurs proposition IS doubtless in some
respects step in the right direction. A too
great want of system has heretofore character
lied the currlcolum of our schools. The course
followed in the initatory departments has had
little, if any, direct reference to the studies
with which pupil closes his scholastic career.
The dividing lines separating the departments
have, SO FAR, been defined with scarcely suf.
fcient accuracy. Any scheme, therefore, which
will reduce this comparative chaos to harmony
is commerdable and, as tending in this direc-
ton as we'll as ii being thoroughly practicable
in its application, we hail the scheme sub
united with pleasure.
The course which DIR. Paul proposes clearly
states what shall be the subjects taught in
each department, and to what extent each
branch shall be impaired, even particularlzlng
the page of the text books to which the
scholar shall he advanced. This may appear
arbitrary, but all systems are arbitrary,
and without some degree of absolutism
order cannot reign In education, % in
every other systemzed business, boundaries
must be erected beyond which we may not
trespass, and the more nearly practice con-
forms with established rules the more assured
are the hopes of success. always supposiag, of
course, that those rules are sautary.
The subjects of study laid down by Dr.. Paul
cover an extensive area, embracing a wide
range Of scientific acq uirement IN fact, the
marked feature of the course is It's scientific
bias. It entirely ignores the languages, living
or dead. This constitutes its peculiar feature,
and is the regard in which it is most open to
criticism. In these days of rapid and cheap
INSTRUMENTATION na'ionaitics are neces-
sarily brought into frequent and close contact.
Our country Is flooded with immigrants speak
ing other languages than our own Hence
the ability to use with tluency one or more
OF the languages of continental Europe is not
only valuable acquisition, but an almost ab-
solutc necessity. 1t is we'll known fact that,
for instance, German, speaking clerks find
reader and more lucrative employment in
some branches of trade than those unable to
do so, 1t would therefore seem that DR.. Paul,
IN dogmatically excluding the study of Ian.
guages from his course, particularly German
has committed grave error, and that he is
giving tone to his curriculum not in unison
with the progressive spirit and imperative re.
quiremcnts of a liberal, sound education.
These propositions may be readily enough
admitted respecting modern languages, but
will not, we are aware, be so readily allowed
with reference to Latin and Greek. 1t cannot
be denied that the tendency has been to de-
vote too much valuable time and ,ttapt,ov IN
the requirement OF the classics We do not
specially refer To Ottawa schools, but to insti-
buttons generally which profess to impart
thorough educatlon. But this utltarlsn age,
on the other hand, is t.o apt to view the study
OF the dead languages as the curl in pigs
tail, more ornamental than useful, and OF this
class the President Of our Board of Education
lsplainly Il member. While willingly granting
that mathematics, physiology. geology, botany
and other applied sciences are decidedly e.
senthi to sound education, we are very fur
from admitting that they should lac taught, VI.
Ut. RAUL proposes. to- the absolute exclusion
OF linguistic sludi,>. The Batter are lust A.
essential, equally as importing, snd of ~ ,hu,.
ouGhly practical SERVICE - the former and
this Is true OF the dead nn,,.,.,r. y. we'll ,s :,
lhe modern. The Eo@l.,u ,iugunssc is. mo,r
tilHH any "lhcr now spoken. u composite Ian.
SU'ge' tue pr"p"rtou 81 unrc. primitive
words ia II being yr,y Sruull. Oar vocabulary
40 utmost orrHatlv', ard our Grammatical
s'iu''"'' Is founded upon the model OF the