Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-08-22
- PLR.s ron THOROUGH EDU-
CATION.

1t is complaint, The volume Of which
rises louder each year, and that each year
is echoed from new and wider sources, that
the education of our schools and colleges Is
not making thoroughly trained men and
women. The cry, originating with parents
forced TO a recognition of the real wants
and lacks of their children, has been taken
up by the managers in every department
of life, and comes ringing back from every
avenue of trade, manufacture, professional
life and scientific research, and the demand
is for men aud women with sound bases of
knowledge thoroughly laid, and with a
superstructurc of special knowledge that
mectt the actual huugerings of every field
for workers able to go forward therein.
Price has, a hundred lines, ceased TO he
consideration the man who knows and
can do because he knows, Is eagerly seized
upon at his own figures. Engineering in
all its branches, chemistry in its every APP
pication, special science of every name
and nature, all alike clamor for minds
therein that from thorough knowledge are
capable OF working out their problems and
unlocking the treasures Of knowledge aud
profit that lie therein.
The tendency, so increasingly bewailed,
! of our schools and academies of learning
| is, tocoverin short space of time, and there
fore necessarily imperfectly, the greatest
| possible ground and range of study. Half
educated boys and girls, half engineers
and scientific men, illustrative too often
that little knowledge is dangerous
| 4. a.. = l.,
| stitutions.
Our plea is fer thoroughness The old
motto of Goethe, 'One thing rightly known
and understood gives greater culture than
mediocrity in hundred things is vital
one. We cannot afford 10 shamble over
the basis of knowledge of life, TO crowd
| one thing with another, and the sooner we
give up expecting to be able TO know all
| the better for us.
| We have said we are not ready To admit
that in this nation there is a better system
than that of this section. No, but the
schools OF Germany are drawing from us
in unco united gold and troops of American
youths yearly our recognition that we SCI
in them something better-what is ii w,
believe that it is nothing more than il
possible to us, viz: The slow, patient
thorough investigation of the German
mind, that delights in going down to tn,
bed rock : in their recognition of the fac
that one mind cannot compass all things
and so their preparation of schools in which
the special work 10 which the intent of Thu
individual is directed is most erhduStiuel
taught. We plead for more time for on
boys and girls to lay their foundation
knowledge in ; we plead for a narrowe
range Of effort for young and forming
minds; we earnestly plead for course @
instruction for our girls and young ladie
that shall substitute for the branches tina
now rack their brains, to be totally forgot
ten in three years for want of use, instruc
ton that shall render their lives and home
happy, excellent and useful we plead 70
special study, and above all for thorough
ness. Let the motto of Goethe be inscribe
on every school wall in the land Wake
fcld (lfdSS.) Citizen.