New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-31

Tree SCnOOl III caCu pdTiSn, ~ "N"''"'
in every chartered town. with competent
teachers of English, science, the classics, mer-
camille branches, French, German, and draw
ing. England and Ireland are behind every
other enlightened country in educational PRIV
ileges for the mass Of the population, the
Endowed Schools feeders to the great univer-
sites, being filed with the sons OF the nobil-
ity or the Weather under classes.
DR.. McCosh considers the great want OF this
country 60 DO high schools; their place being
ll-snpplicd, in his judgment, by the private
academies or boarding schools, the latter OF
which require an outlay of from 500 to 5000
per annum. He urges wealthy benefactors who
propose to cndow a college now, or at their
DEATH to found instead High Schools, where
the training can be similar to that OF Prussia;
schools to be accessible to the whole popula-
ton, where young men ana women under
eighteen can receive instruction il every USE
FIJI branch He also proposes that the large
grant OF land yet remaining in the gilt of the
Government b. appropriated in this way rather
than to Agricultural Schools. Thus far Dr..
McC0sh.
Now, while a bal school that is free IL GER
lainly preferable to a good paying school to
the boy entirely without money, 1t Is not to
be chosen by the large class of parents OF
moderate means, who feel that IN education
is all that they can hope to give their sons,
and therefore choose il to be the bess attain
able. The question remains, whether the
High Schools which we already have, ana
those which DR.. McCosh proposes, serve the
purpose of this class better than the private
academies. The defect in every 5ystcm oil
graduated schools il that they must partake
more or less of the nature OF Il mill, through
which the scholars are ground, without any more
regard to their individual character or capacity
than il they were so many grains OF wheat
In the private academies there ia at least a
chance OF consulting the boys bent or talent
Unfortunately the teachers of this generation
stand at the crossing of two ways, and, not
beng able 10 make up their minds To take
their charges along either, try to drag them
in both Their own youth having been gwen
TO the class sizes, and science having Decn the
study of mlturer years, 1T seems easy 10 them
to master both hence the poor little wretchcS
who are brought to them with empty Drains
are urged (even by wise a man as DE-
McC0Sh) to ill them with botn tie Old ana
new training combined. We offer no opinion
in the dispute between the Classics ana MOd-
crn Science; we only suggest that for the
average scholar there must either be q choice
between them, or a compromise by wretched
smattcriDg OF both.
In no place is this defect in the popular
theory of training so apparent AZ in our higher
Public Schools. Instead of making the aim OF
education the strengthening and sharpening OF
the intellect for future use, the sole effort Is
70 cram into the feverish, undeyelOped brain
a mass of uncomprehendcd facts. In the Pub
Inc and High Schools of Philadelphia, which
Mr.. Mundella, NJ p, pronounced perfect In
system, the children are given from
ten to thirteen different textbooks.
An ambitious girl, it but of average
thickness in mcmorizing (he only faculty
developcd), is obliged to study until late IN
the night to prepare an ordinary days lessons
This, it is alleged, is but an easy task for the
best scholars. but it IL hardly fair to make an
exceptional case the gauge for the school.
The condition of our own routine Is no better.
The teachers have time for no more than the
hearing of Rotations all explanations and
help must come from the parents. We
are strongly tempted to differ with Dr..
McCosh, aud to hope that. as long as the
system of examining and rote teaching Is
sustained in our High Schools, no effort by
the Government or individuals will enable
them to supersede private schools where
more rational theories have a chance of trial.