New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-14

ROSFNKRANZS SCIENCE or EDUCATION.
PEDAGOGtCs AS A SYSTEM. TRANSLATED IRON rHE
GERMAN or KARL RosENKRANZ ~ anna {. BLACh-
EFT. $40. PIP l48 81. Louis
The science of teaching which i set forth In tins
volume is founded upon the principles Of The lege-
liam philosophy, of winch the author IS one ol the
most eminent living eXpOsitors. On account OF It's
formality of method and abstract tone OF discussion
which are characteristic of that school, II Is less
adapted for popular effect than for the instruction
of intelligent and thoughtful readers. The wisdom
of its suggestions and the really practical tendency
of its principles viii, however, command ;he atten-
ton of those who look beyond the form 10 tie sub
stance and who welcome a profound 'dea III
spite of the rigidity Of the costume IL may be n
hard nut 20 crack but the sweetness Of the kernel
will make mp for the bitterness of the musk.
Professor Rosenkranz commences his work with
what may be deemed somewhat mVididds refer
ence to previous labOrers III the same field The
| treatiscs written upon pedagoglcs, he atirms,
eynce greater shallowness than any other literature
1t presents q congenal atmosphere Tor shoItsght-
| ednes and arrogance. However true this may be
and it certainly does not apply TO most educational
works in this country, al expression OF con-
tempt forms an ungaceful opening ara might
| better have been omitted.
In his own treatment Of the subject. the author
considers pcdagOgics as belonging TO the philosophy
| of Spirit the problem of which is the necessity Of
| the comprehension of freedom. Education, as he
defines il, is the conscious working of one Will on
another so as to produce itself in 1t according to
deterninate aim. The point at which education
becomes organic pre-supposes the idea of the family
All other spheres of education, in order to succeed
must pre- suppose q true family life. They may ex-
tend and complement the business of teaching, but
cannot be its original foundation. The science OF
| . oral If oil
ton illustrate It's particular phases and describe
the speca point on which the general idea is
embodied in reality
According to Professor Rosenkranz, the problem Of
education is the development of the theoretical and
practical reason in the individual. We cannot limit
education 10 the sphere of morality This would be
| eonfounding it with ethics. A man is not merely
| a human being but as endowed with reason, lac is a
peculiar individual and different from all others OF
| his race Hence education does not create; ii can
ONLY aid in the development of the pretSisting pos
sibility; and help TO bring forth 10 light the hidden
| life
In discussing the form Of education, the author
| presents many IDEAS which are of unquesuonable
| Importance, wholly sound and, to a great degree,
original. The general fern of education is deter
| mined by the mind The mind is made the special
object of attention. by a certain voluntary estrange-
! ment from itself Alter temporary continuance
! of this process, the mind RECEIVERS It's immediate
self-cOnsciousness, and finds itself at home in the
| object of contemplation. That which first appeared
10 be another than itself is seen TO be indeed it.
self All culture must pass between these two stages
| of arrangement, and it's removal Culture must
retain the distinction between the subject and the
object considered Immediately, though it has again
TO absorb this distinction INTO Itself in order that the
| unon of the two may be more complete. The feel
| ing with which knowledge must begin has been
called wonder. But this only serve as begin
! ming The emotion of wonder merely expresses the
tension between the subject aud the object at their
first encounter. But this tension would be impos-
sible if they were not identical in themselves Chill
dren have longing for the wonderful, as if they
hoped TO find in it an explanation Of themselves.
They want the object TO be genuine object and one
which takes the mind out of itself
The activity of the mind in allowing itself 10 he
absorbed in object for the purpose of making II
its own is Work. But when the mind gives itself
I'D TO an object. chance may present with no view
TO any result, such activity is Play. Work is laid
out for the pupil by the authority OF the teacher
but ia his play he is left to himself This distinction
is one Of great importance. IL work il not
respected as a substantial activity, the charm Of
play is destroyed for the pupil, bN the want
OF antithess in earnest task and he loset his Ie
spect for real existence. On the other hand If the
pupil is not allowed ample opportunity for play he
is prevented from freely developing his nee
through the exercise OF his creative ingenuity Play
sends the pupil bacb refreshed 20 his worh fnce 10