New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-10-19

y
Oring to commit TO memory the cOntradic-
lions and absurdities Of English grammar,
| losing thus the very valuable mental train
| ing which grammar, properly taught,
brings with it. And when their geography
! is simply list Of names and disconnected
facts, what wonder that they are glad to
escape from it
The study of language affords the best
mental training, and also that which, in its
simplest forms, the child can most readily
grasp. 1t should, therefore, be begun very
early, and most certainly with the Latin
Not considering the value OF Latin as a
| mental discipline-for in a large school one
can almost invariably distinguish in any
class by their great power those who have
studied 1atin-it is impossible to appre-
ciate our own language without it. For the
language of common conversation, perhaps,
we could dispense with a knowledge of it.
but the moment we rise to the level of
science, all the terms which express gen.
eral ideas are inevitably Latin in origin,
And that mind must be compar ative,y
narrowed which does not comprehend
them. i is a matter for rejoicing
that the German language is demand.
ing more and n ore of the time which
was formerly mOnOpolized by Freuch-a
language which, for purposes of mental dis
cipline. bears about the same relation to
Germany that botany does to history.
French we must learn, bnt. after we have
learned it, of what use is it as key to I'M
lock any valuable literature while with
German at command. whole treasure
houses Of science and Of art. o; learning
and of beauty. fly open at our bidding
After some acquaintance has been gained
of these Languages it is time enough. no
matter how late it be. to attemp. any
logical study OF the English language,
which has been so hospitable to them all.
And when. after such preparation. the
English begins to unfold It's yiches OF
strength and beauty TO the consciousness,
no mind can fail to recognize that it pos
boundess field of enjoyment for all the
future. and perpetual city Of refuge from
the petty cares Of daily life.
The question may be very earnestly
asked, il the hours spent by those girls who
have no special talent for music il prac-
ticing upon the piano had been given to the
study OF English literature. whether the
general level OF our women would not have
been appreciabIy raised. We DO not under
value music, but III view of the general re-
suits attained after years Of practice, and |
the expenditure involved, 10 the prof. at
all Commensurate TO the 0utiays Would |
not the same amount Of time and patience,
if turned into other channels, produce more
valuable SesultA on the majority Of our |
girls.
The one-sided training of mathematic. we |
must also have, and the dislike so often ex- |
pressed for it by girls does not arise 80 |
much from any inherent want of capacity |
as from want of thOroughness in the first
teaching, and the reckless way in which |
they are driven through arithmetic into al
zebra and geometry, until at last the ac-
OF confusion becomes too great |
for the forcing power OF the teacher, and
the books are closed forever. There is
nothing more sad than unused possibilities:
and to hear, as we so often do, the dislike
of all mathematics forcibiy expressed BY
proper traipin. to enjoy them is indeed
pitiable.
The drift Of modern thought is in The di.
rectiOn Of physical science, and while we
plead for thorough study of language, we
do not omit to ask that our girls NAV also
be led into the wonders which science is
daily revealing. An insight into the grea,
unalterabie laws OF nature, which, like the
car of Juggernaut, crush down merciless!y
him who opposed his individual will to
their resistless force, will be a valuable
lesson to the arbitrarIness with which
Won "a - often justly charged. and Lessons
may be deduced which will be valuable in
other spheres when our girls realize that
nan can utilize even tbs destructive forces |
'f nature bT ranging himself on their side. !
md thus appropriating their powers to |
llmsef. 3ne fecreatlOns of botany and
Zoology will lead their thoughts beautifully
md pleasantly up into the mysteries OF
'reatlve life, where women, more than all,
hou' d walk always with reverea: tread.
But. meanwhile. the time i. not al. an ! {
by direct school work. and read. -,
ng az well az study must be directed: fox
hildTeH are no: able to choose ;or them I
sII,aI y
lore than neutral!ze1 by the ipdscriininate I
eading allowed at home. Surely there are !
Ooks enough OF all kinds which are good. t
Che girl IL Living through the imaginative !
tage when she Graves fairy stories. she I
hould have them as her natural food, but a
ways only ,he true fairy stories. not the e
lserab!e limitations, without beginning or I
nd, ana with 40 possible meaning, which b
God cbildrens libraries There are no a
eople who have made a study of t
hildren. as such. so thoroughly a. v
he Germans, and they will bring US
ut OF their riches al we can demand. g
ct she fairy stories De what we may call Ii
le worlds nursery songs, those never dy- b
g myths which, clothed in different poetic fl
rms. reannear in all ages and all coun- II
les, because they bear in their bosom the | Il
ern! OF er-llving truth. Children should
lad the literature of the worlds children d
'e nations OF the East. This is pure and 81
Net, simple and not involved. The yery fl
0rst reading for a child is that literature So
hlch treats OF the complications of our fc
odern life. 1t is in vain for the best h
achers to try to make true women QUE of h
rls unless their efforts are aided by care al
| home supervision OYER their Reading. 81
ID nothing is more surprising than the in. d.
terence with which parents allow their Z
lldren. whom they guard carefully from h'
en- zoo strong draugnt OF air. to read TO
hatevef may come to hand. The kind Of hi
aiding they need will differ with their age; ! tn
d all kinds they should have, bus !: b,
sUIIS a!Tava be the best of the kind. W