Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-10-11
EDUCATION.

In its widest significance comprises
three departments-the moral, the in
tillectual and the physical. The neg
lect of either is serious defect in any
system of training and judicious COM
mingling of the three, is the nearest
approximation TO a perfect system.
Observation has, long since, establish
ed the fact, that, without the physical
development which constitutes health,
the moral and mental faculties are
slowly and imperfectly enlarged and
never, without health, attain the lin
its Of their natural capacity. But if
this system of education is too COM
prehensive for our schools, as now mod
eled, let them be remodeled so as to
adapt them to the requirements of the
system. If, however, either of the
three branches of scholastic train
ing is to be neglected, let it not
be the moral, which ranks highest in
Importance and without which the
other two may be of doubtful value
Perfect physical development without
morality, produces the bully and des-
perado-combine health with high in
tellectual endowments, uneonroled by
morality, and the development is a
character dangerous to good govern
ment and the well being of the com
munity in which he lives. Com
the development Of vigorous health,
with sound morality and we have
without the aid of intellectual
culture, an honest and useful man,
with whom labor is duty and to be
useful, pleasure.
In support of the prominence we
give to neral training, in every system
of education, we quote from work
before us, the reply Sir Walter Scott,
10 one who claimed that literary tai
ents and accomplishments were to be
esteemed and honored above all things. y
To this Sir Walter replied God help
us What poor world this would be
if that were the true doctrinel / have
read books enough, observed and con-
versed with enough of eminent and
splendidly cultivated minds too, in my
time, but assure you | have heard
higher sentiments from the lips Of
poor, uneducated men and women
when exercising the spirit of severe
yet gentle heroism under difficulties
and affection, or speaking their simple
thoughts as TO circumstances in the lot
offriends than ever yet met with, out
side ofthe Bible. We shall never learI
to feel and respect our real calling anC
destiny, unless we have taught our.
selves TO consider everything as moon
shine compared with the education o.
the heart
But whilst we thus endeavor t.
strengthen our views of the pre-emi
nent importance of moral culture, it i,
not our intention to be understood a,
recommending purely moral depart
meut in our common schools, or sug
costing any means by which parents
and guardians may, even nominally, b.
relieved of the sacred duty imposed b.
nature and natures God" to i'm
plant in the hearts of their children
love of virtue strong enough to shiel,
them, through life, from the Temptations
to idleness and vice. Still this respon
sibility is, to a certain extent, divided
between teacher and parent, and the,
should so far cooperate that the teach
ings of the tire-side may not be lost il
the schOOl-roOm, and Uice rersG. Their,
are daily incidents in school, which
afford the teacher ample opportunitie,
for impressing moral Lessons upon tn,
minds of the pupils-their recitations
their sports in the open air, their de
meanOr in the schOol-room, all afforC
opportunities for the practical applica
ton of sound moral axioms. Premi
ums awarded, not for mere proficiency
in scholastic exercises, but for truthful
ness, punctuality, diligence and gener
al moral department will, if distribut
ed with scrupulous justice and impair
TALLY, do much to fix good habits anC
cultivate love of morality for its owl
sake. These suggestions are not inap
plicable to the home circle to which
we must look for the early lesson
which are to fashion the character anC
fix the destiny-fOr good or evil-o
the rising generation. When passing
along the streets by day, or night, W,
see children actively gathering tn,
fruits of misguided indulgence anC
evil associations, our mental inquiry i
do their parents know they arr
out?" or simply Indifferent to the futur,
oftheir children? There is no valiC
reasons why home should not be
more pleasant place than the street
and parents more agreeable associate
than the vulgar and rude frequenter
of the highways, where obscene lang
uage, coarse manners and vicious prac
tees blunt the finer sensibilities O
the young heart and fit it for an afte
life of habitual vice, though it ma,
stop short of higher crimes. To max,
home happy-the ark of safety fo
children, from the food of vice anC
crime which covers the land, let pa
rents cultivate uniform cheerfulness
exercise authority with justice and af
lection and blend instruction Will
pleasure. The same time and care devO
ted to this end, that is wasted upon fash
iouand the frivolities that follow in it,
train, would, in time, diffuSe the sun
shine of happy prosperity over the
face of society, empty our prisons
make wise government necessary eff
feet of that cause, and well regulated
liberty blessing indeed. The home-cir
Gle is emphatically the school in which
the youthful mind should be taught I,
appreciate the virtues which adorn anC
,,,,Ilo bu,,o, cboraotar aud Al.