The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-05-16

of some natural science. How Il
love of flowers will often make
beautiful the humblcst home and
, employ leisure which might other
wise be injurious. Employment
for all ones time, innocent if not
instructive, is one Of the chief
requisites for human happiness.
1t should be one object of the
schools to develop in every pupil
those tastes which will afford such
employment. The learning OF an
innocent and attractive amuse
ment may save a boy from ruin.
The more harmless and agreeable
things he can do the more he is
guarded from temptation to vice.
The education needed for those
whose life work will not be phys
zeal, differs more in degree than in
kind from that required by the
first class. The higher education
should be added to the lower. 1t
should not displace il. The end
of each is to fit its recipients for
their place in life, to enable them
to do the best work possible for
| themselves and community. The
public schools should offer the best
advantages to those who seek to
fit themselves for teachers, for the
learned professions or for the pur
suit of any science. High stand
ards of excellence should be put
before them, which they should he
required to reach. There will al
ways be so much competition tn
get into what are called the high
err occupations, that competent
men can be had if they are only
required. Every profession has its
code of professional morals. This,
with it's grounds In general moral
ity, should be taught as a part Of
the necessary training for the pro
fession.
Especial care ought to be taken
in the training of those whose
wealth delivers them from the ne
cessity Of labor for support. Tn
less properly educated, they are i'll
the greatest danger of running in
to dissipation and extravaganza,
which both ruins them and affords
an injurious example to society.
The history of American society
everywhere shows fearful illustra-
tons of the curse which wealth
brings upon young men who have
never been trained to its proper
use. Tho sons of the rich should
be taught that their wealth is not
theirs to be consumed in dissipa-
ton, or even in mere self-indul
gence. 1t is high trust given
them for the general cultivation
and advancement of the whole
community. The cultivation OF
art is especially their province.
There are special moral duties
which the schools should impress
upon all who enjoy great advan-
tages of education. One of these
is the duty of taking deep interest
in the condition and progress of
the class of manual laborers. Ev
cry man who is relieved from the
necessity of physical labor should
be made To feel that this is n great
privilege, which he owes to the
fact that others are laboring in his
place. They are the substitutes
which fortune enables him to hire
to take his place in doing the
rough work of life. If their work
makes them sometimes ignorant
and rude, let him remember that il
is because they do this work that
he Is enabled to be cultivated and
learned. He who despises the la.
boring classes is himself narrow
and weak.
Again, the schools should teach
the special political duties which
are incumbent on every man who
enjoys the higher educational adj
vantages. 1t is i'll for any coun-
try, whatever be its form of gov
crnment, whose affairs are not in
general directed by its educated
classes. The great problems OF
society can only be understood by
those who have been trained to
study and thought, and have leis-
ure for both. They are the natur
al leaders of those who lack such
training and leisure. When they
do not occupy this position, when
tween the highly educated and the
iaboring classes, the greatest fault
is apt to be with the former. 1t is
their duty to reach over the gap
which divides these classes, and
bring them into sympathy with
each other again. 1t is one of the
worst signs of the times in this
oannf.s, hot az. MANY Of those who
have enjoyed superior educational
advantages are getting to esehew
politics. Doubtless there is much
excuse for this in the coarseness
and degradation toward which po-
liticai life ever seems to tend.
Doubtless it is great personal sac
rifice that q man whose tastes are
| refined, whose ambition is noble
and whose life is fully and delight
fully occupied with the pursit of
literature or science or art, turns
away from these and seeks to ex-
ert his proper influence in shaping
the affairs of government, but the
duty seems imperative. and the
danger to the country from its
neglect very great. The public
schools should seek To impress
this duty upon all who enjoy their
higher privileges.
Again, the schools should teach
that the educated men of nation
ought to compose body OF train
ed and intelligent thinkers, ready
to examine and discuss every new
proposal worthy OF consideration
| for the advancement of society.
They should constitute great au-
dience OF intelligent and indie
pendent thinkers, to whom every
man of original mind could ad-
dress himself with the hope of be-
ing appreciated. And last and
greatest, every student should be
taught that great truth of religion
and philosophy alike, that no man
can properly live unto himself
alone, but that each is part of the
great organism of society, and has
duties to all others which it is dis
graceful TO shirk, and which arc
higher according as his advantages
have been great.-Prof. c. A.
Kent, in The School"
! 4 n. I.