Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-01-23
TEACHERS INSTITUTE AT QUAS.
QUETON.
Lecture by Prof. Rowe.

AcCtuEo W KXOIs 1SOWo'
AN Institute was held at Quasqueton,
January 9th and 10th. The Institute
was opened by Supt. Rowe delivering a
lecture to large and attentive audience.
After few introductory remarks the
speaker said
This system of education costs vast
sum of money. Is it necessary that we
supports system of public instruction
Man loves to acquire, possess and retain
property. His love of acquiring leads
him to Cypress and dispossess others; his
love Of retaining leads him to repel the
attacks Of others. In this originates gov
ernment-in the passions of human ma
ture. On this narrow foundation society
is formed, governments exist. But the
very bed -stone IN the structure is mans
love Of acquisition. His logic is numbers.
Society and government once formed the
Individual energies must be concentrated,
take place. And to concentrate the indi
vidual energies, what, at first, was more
natural than to appeal to mans love OF
acquisition and to furnish opportuni
ties for its exercise. Hence the reason
that history is 80 burdcned with the de-
tails of war, cruelty, fire and Sword.
What is hero worship but the language
of this cardinal prin ciple? Whit VIC
love to be or love to possess, yet, per
force Of circumstances, canuot, We wor-
ship. Obeying the behests Of this prin-
os,>lo hs11nn fhOv,r1, II hn a IN ranI,r
and anxious to place him who has just
returned from the fresh and bloody field
in the front ranks of society, and raise
him to the highest position within our
gift, never stopping to inquire whether
he have any. other qualification. The
natural working of this principle has
placed the humpn race under heavy tri
butte. Who can estimate the costs, suf-
fering and misery caused by war? This
principle is ever the same, though its OBJ
jective points may vary much. In the
garb of religion it has wrought incurable
mischief Merely to instance this, read
the history of the Crusades. The work
ing of any predominant principle of the
mind tinges the whole character, intelec
tual and moral, and begets habits Of
thought and trains of ideas peculiar to
itself AS history records, "Feudalism
was the necessary outgrowth Of the i'm
perfect organization of the militant tribes
that overran the Roman empire. War
was its only business and glory; literature
it's mock, might its right. In feudalism
originated many false ideas of honor,
which still prevail; contempt for any Ia
Dor but that Of human butchery; hercdi-
tary aristocracy, and thousand unjust
privileges and distinctions which have
long cursed, and are still cursing, even
the most highly civilized portions of the
EARTH" 1t would be interesting to trace
the course of civilization, and assign the
causes, but time will not permit. 1t will
be found that civilization advanced just
as the higher faculties of the mind gained
the assembly over the lower. Then, if
for nothing more, we must support a
system Of public instruction, that indi-
vidual energies may be concentrated, and
concentrated around an object which
will offer no inducements for the play Of
that lower selfish principle that wonld
lead us to advance self, at the expense
and destruction of others. This is q neg.
alive use of the system, and worth all the
money 1t costs. In a republic it is pre-
cminently necessary that we support q
system Of public instruction, This form
Of government has nothing to which it
can appeal for support, except the intel
ligcnce and virtue Of the governed. A
republic can exist no longer than the in
telligence and virtue Of the subjects will
bind them together. In our government
each individual is al active member. II
is necessary that each individual be in.
Observation-Disclosures be be not sway
ed by passion and led captive by evil and
designing men. Education gives not
only intellik ence but power also. Then
we may say our government has the Gle
ment Of stability and power, just as each
individual is educated.
Thus much for the necessity of sys.
TEN Of public instruction. We have a
system. How can we reap the greatest
benefits from it? In carrying out the
system there are many appliances; dcfec-
tive in any of these, the beneficial results
are lcssenod.
Let US notice q few topics. The child's
education begins before the school age,
and his career through our common
schools will be very like to his training
and Impressions before school age Let
us, parents, see to it, that our children
so into the hands of the teacher docile
and tcachable Says one ITO secure
the pcrpctuation Of our republican form
to future generations, let divipcs and
philosophers, and statesmen, and patriots
unite their endeavors to rcnovate the
age, by impressing the minds of the peo
pie with the importance Of educating
their little boys and girls" sIn infancy
the mind may be compared to q sheet Of
blank paper; On this you may write what
ever you WILL The infant has no knowl
edge, but 1t is constantly receiving i'm
presslons through the senses. AS it ad
yances in years these impressions are
deepcned and multiplied. The child's
knowledge is sensuous; the mental state
produced by objects without, through the
sense Of touch, of taste Of smell through
the eye and ear, and general impressions
by intercourse with others, are all. This
Is the foundation Of all knowledge; and
as this foundation has been laid, whether
judiciously OR injudiciously, the modes
and habits Of thought and course OF con
duct will be, especially through youth
and early manhood. If this early period
of life is neglected. no subsequent effort
of the most judicious teacher can avail
much, as compared with what might be
accomplished had the early discipline
been what it should have been. We hear
of teachers being turned out by pupils,
schools disorganized, &c. What means
this, but criminal neglect of domestic cd
ucation? Wherever these things take
place, there is something radically wrong
in that community fla stranger wishes
to visit all the families Of any given
ncighborhood at one time, let him visit
the school, The conduct of the young,
generally, is a-truc positive exponent OF
family education and government or
neglect. Surprising the teacher what he OF
she should be, Ne should feel that school
in disgrace is direct thrust at family GOV
eminent. Each person should take a
personal interest in the government Of
the school; for each person, directly OF
indirectly, must bear personal rcspon
sibility, and if he be not devoid of sensi
bility, he will have cause for shame and
reproach, or cause for great rejoicing
Is it not cause for great rejoicing to sec
the young by strength Of moral and in
tellectual powers conquer self 7? Is i
| MT cause for sorrow and regret to SEE