The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-08-13
GOntationaI.
"EDUCA TIC, N"
BY HERBERTAs SPENCER.

Is q work without which no teachers or
parents library can be complete and no
book in the library Of either teacher or par
ent should be perused oftener, or studied
more, than this. We quote an extract from
itas aspecimen Of its matter and style
"Along with rote.teaching. is declining
also, the nearly allied teaching by rules.
The particulars first, and then the generali-
cation, is the new methods method. as
the Battersea School Reports remark, which,
though the reverse OF the method usually
followed, which consists In giving the pupil
the rule first is yet proved by experience
to be the right one. Rule-teaching is now
condemned as impartng merely empirical
knowledge-as producing on appearance
of understanding, without the reality: to
give the net product Of inquiry, without the
inquiry that leads to 1t, is found to be both
enervating and inefficient. General truths.
to be of due and permanent use, must be
earned. Easy come, easy co. is q saying
as applicable TO knowledge AS well as
wealth While rules. lying Isolated in the
mind--not joined to its other contents as
| outgrowths from them-.are continually
| forgotten, the principles which those rules
express peacemeal become, when once
reached by the understanding, enduring
possessions. While the ruie-tAught youthI
| Is at sea when beyond his rules, tue youth
instructed in principles solves a new case az
readily as an old one. Between mind Of
rules and mind Of principles, there exists
Q difference such as that between a confused
heap of materials, and the same heap Of
materials organized into complete whole.
with all It's parts bound together, of which
types the last has not only the advantage
that it's constituent parts are better retained.
but the much created advantage that 1t forms
an efficient agent for inquiry, for Independent
thought, for discovery-ends for which the
first is useless. Nor let 1t be supposed that
this is smile only it is the literal truth.
The union of facts into generalization is the
organization of knowledge, whether consid..
cred as an objective phenomenon, or a SUBJ
jectiVe one and the mental grasp NAV be
measured by the extent to which this organ
lzation is carried. Isl -.lyfb-.J.# .,..
From the substitution Of principles for
ruies, and the necessarily coordinate practice
OF leaving distractions untaught until the
MIND has been familiarized with the facts
fom which they are abstracted, has resulted
the postponement of some once early studied
to late period. This is exemplifed in the
abandonment of that Intensely. custom
OF teaching grammar to childrea. AS M.
Marcel says, 1T may without hesitation be
afnrmed that grammar is not the stepping
stone, but the finishing Instrument As
Mr. Wyse argues, Grammar and syntaxare
collection of laws and rules rules are gath,
cred from practice-they are the results
OF induction to which we come by long obser-
walton and comparison OF facts. tits, In fine.
the science, the philosophy of language.
III following the process OF Nature, neither
individuals nor nations ever arrive at the
science first. A language is spoken, and
poetry written, many years before either q
grammar or prosody Is even thought of.
Men did not wait till Aristotle had con-
structed his logic, to reason. In short, gram
mar was made after language, so ought II TO
De taught alter language--an inference which
all, who recognize the relationship between
The evolution OF the race and of the indiyid
uai, will see 10 be unavoidable -" ,t
WILMoT Is to have new three thousand
dollar school house. We are gl&d to find the
people of Wilmot thus interested in the edu-
cation of their children. There are certain
number OF men IN Wilmot who pay their
school tax willingly believing that the
oest legacy from parent to child is good
eduration. We hope these men may live to
enjoy the fruits of their labors by seeing
around them community of happy iutellis
gent young men and women.
THE INsTITUTE.-We will drop you a line
about the fall institute as soon as arrange
ments have been definitely made.
NOTICE. Will the secretaries of the C D.
and w. d. respectively, please be prepared
to report at the meeting of the Co. Assocja
tion, which will take place during the insti.
tute, as to the number of meetings held. and
the work done. j. P. BRIeGs, Pres.
---e-~-s----
| A remarkable parallelism has been shown
to exist between Melbourne, Australia, aud
San Francisco, Cal. They are nearly In
corresponding latitudes. San Francisco being
in 81 degrees, 4S minutes north, while Mel
bourne Is in 81 degrees, AZ minutes south.