Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-11-29
LECTURE ON EDUCATION By
CARL sCHURZ.

aua;ence whose numbers had been III.
fninished by the inclement weather, but
whose cordial attention aud iudicious
applause marked their interest in the
speaker and his subject. The .lectIJre
was under The auspices of the franklin
literary society, one of whose officers
William ii. Williams, introduced fhe
speaker in these words: al am avrsTs
that formal Introduction is unnecessee
~, In2smuch as you know very we'll
whom you have come TO hear: bnf T
may say, with truth certainly. and 7
trust without improperly, that be Is on
20 honor whom is to honor ourseI,- 4
livery thoughtful citizen must be d .es'
IN tef5 TED IN the subject matter .esepiy
lecture which has been annou' pr ot ths
we may esteem it, happy p .,- -;G1 IN. 'sila
II Is 10 De considered in or -re..sse ma .l.;
evening by one whose ,,itITo -, LIS
renee 50 Wen quail 20 bio1 e, ~ d - ~,
ieresf In Is-sfS Nnd commanding in
~ tl1e E,-e,,i-Ii Sta Z, then, Of the members
fbsir f.iio,,- Il literary society, and of
i,s,-a -. .-citizens here assem- bled, L
-, = q pleasure, sir, in welcoming
~ - dis platform"
~, .. Schurz said at the outset that his
-'alence must not expect either with.
ciszos OF high-hown speech, but seri0us
A1seourse-seriOus things in quiet Jan
guage. The lecturer then stated To at he
should take up those parts OF his subject
showing how education should be ap-
pied 10 teach, how TO learn, how to work,
hos d live, and how TO enjoy, he Then
compared the education when IVES
deemed sufficient two generations sgo
with That which scientific discoverv ami
lbe change it has produced in mefbods
qi LABOR make at present understandable
lor man who would achie-ee a resneet-
ATE position IN life. The |h,llsrv of think
ing that the main part ~ education Is 10
lli par as many specl' dc items OF knowl-
e1ge as possible was pointed ont, and il
Wa SHOWN tnat pupils should be so
tsuslt mat they should 20 on learning
..i'eL 1Dey nave LEFT their teachers, that
a. ltsA shau. be excited q desire for
Le..liiillgi Sh'1 shall be formed a habit OF
Illuu elao ing them to acquire to the
nSse ~ an age. This Mr.. SchurZ
AZ sl1'-tel z ON his own experience, and
uecisieu II at the training and discipline
el me ID md ought TO be the first point
~ elenls ntsTy education. He considered
tiis tsef hing that ought to be given long
DrigIe -heschOOl teacher begins the work,
ana aimed that by natural methods of
lnsI uctiOD, and by the avoidance of
lo' ing Of the brain, much more knowl-
60 &c can be impaired at a very early age
without injury 10 the child than is gem
orally deemed possible. Referring to the
case Of John Stuart Mill, who was
taught Greek at the age Of three wears
by his father, he claimed that this i'm
pled no extraordinary strain on the in
FAINT mind, and gave instances ofthe ease
Wlth which very young children acquire
different languages. What parents
ought to consider most of all in INSTRUCT
ing young children is to teach them how
10 see correctly, to hear correctly, to
understand correctly, and how to repre-
duce correctly in thought and language
what has been impaired to them. 1t Is
not the fault Of the ewes, but
OF the perceptive faculties back of
the eyes that so many do
moi see correctly. Varied illustrations
OF the prevalence Of incorrect seeing.
hearing, and reproduction in Thought
and language were given. and il was
sald that there g M more. prOlific source
Of errors, foliies and hall unconscious
immortality than the habit of imperfect
perception cRasing a sort of untruthfuI-
ness aud rental dishonesty. 1t is the
duCy az parents, Of elder brothers and
EllteIs to cultivate IN children, from
tleIr earliest youth, the habit of correct 4
perception and reproduction Of what has
heeu said to them. This can be done
concerning the simplest objects and lie /
the simplest way. Following this first 4
ceur5e Of education comes the work Of |
Ae school teacher. Methods OF instruc-
ton ln schools were then taken up, and |
tie system Of literal adherence to text
book and OF the announcement of |
DcmOllzing in place Of t1uel learning.
was strongly CONDEMNED as not only |
vicious out calculated directly 20 en- !
courage stupidity. To exercise the mem.
CRY IS goods but 70 rely On that entirely /
lIskea tie yefiest Ounce. Little can be /
Taught IN school. II is well not TO at /
tempt too much; but it is of |
tie utmost Importance that the
child he taught in q right way, and |
that thorough understanding and clear /
in original language Of the |
subjects taught be required Of the pupils, |
ana that rigid adherence 10 set forms of /
answers be e0ndemnsd. The object Of /
early Intellectual education is to make |
.he mind active, observing, and recep- /
i've, 70 nj men and women for the sub |
sequent self-eduCstiOB, which is the most /
important OF the duties OF life. The lee |
JUreT Then tOdched upon the training Of /
teachers, ard the evil Of having instrue- |
tons WHO only regard their profession as |
q makes aft. But TO such teachers, said |
MI sc nUTz, there is the excuse that Of /
All mad lsb0Ts teaching is the most poor |
~ ,ISid in proportion 20 its value. This |
IL true in all countries, but the fact is /
more damaging in this, because here in
telligelt persons can so readily make
more money in other callings than /
teaching. Tesching ought to be anoble
profession, ife's work, and it should
be compensated IN proportion to its
worth. Great Improvement has been 1
made in la-ge cities and towns in this
respect, 5ut there IS no danger that too
much 'Fill bedOhe. The methods which |
should be used in the education Of girls
wee then discussed. On the one hand
geOple say that girls should be so taught /
That they will have a desire and ambi-
tioD 70 make their way through life inde
pendeutly, and become successful Law
yers, doctors, bankers, railway directors,
politicians, etc. On the other hand,
many say that a woman to be a good
and true woman must not know too |
much. While opposing the latter view
and claiming that all the occupations
FOR which women's characters, tastes,
and preparation fit them should be |
opened 20 them, the lecturer did not be
I-ve iU a system OF education or a social
order which should stimulate an ambi-
ton IN women TO go through life alone.
il If not well for women to be alone, and
their education should be directed TO /
make them good wives and mothers.
The true field Of woman is the family /
circle. But women are not TO be educa-
ted only for the household. The wife /
and mother is the soul Of the family /
home, which is the first nursery OF So
Ciely sind the stare, and the wife and |
mother holds the leading strings Of So /
e.al order i'm her hands. She has the 1
highest duties, the most exalted mis- /
sion. and for these not only her moral /
nature but her mind and nature, must |
bl prepared f1F the best methods. Girls 1
should learn first how TO establish, or /
T8uize and manage a home, and before |
al they should have q desire for home. |
The bad effects upon families Of life in |
b0ariiI g-hOuses and hotels were set |
forth il strong terms, and il was de- |
ciared that in these places there can be |
80 true home, no desirable privacy, no |
proper family cohesion, no fit feeling OF |
mutual dependence and responsibility,
hilNiA ihtlhH ~ tANe iaA4lls lNtAt4DAAns n /
great part Of the family and social trOu- |
hies found in the country are produced |
by the lisintegrating influence Of board |
ing-h0tse and hotel life, and such life is
generally resorted 10 because young wO-
men have not learned how TO manage 8 |
house well, and hence they have no
taste for Il. After some remarks upon
the ability and training required in the
female head Of a household, the lecturer
spoke 10 the mistake made by Young
women who maze great display Of
H. .l.l rnIu Llr.uLl aa-fnrinr aftra nIinna