The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-01-27

A Plea for Scientific CultuHe.sIts
Value as a Means of EducatIon.s
Progress of Nations Dependent
Upon Il.
Editors Of the Intelligencer.
Ihave observed with great pleasure and
interest, notices In the INTRLLIaENCRR
and other city papers, Of the attempt to
introduce in our midst an organization
looking TO the encouragement and pro.
motion oil scientific culture among our
citizens. The object, believe, Is one
whose Importance Is not properly appre.
ciatea. In the days when mankind were
just emerging from the night of ages,
when feudal despotism had not yet
yielded its sway to equal civil rights
for all men, when the pen had not yet
proved itself 10 be mightier than the
sword. and the most imperfect acquaint.
ance with nature and the crudest con-
ceptions Of cause and effect universally
prevailed, all who essayed the penetra-
ton Of natures arcana, or attempted the
amelioration oi humanity's condition by
the diffusion Of knowledge Of those
principles by which alone It can be
achieved, we're either exposed TO relent-
less persecution, by State and Church, or
were subjected to q perpetual ostracism
as magicians and sorcerers. The very
principles upon which our present civil.
zstion 10 founded were deemed base and
mechanical, aud any familiarity with
them the province oil only alchemistS and
artisans. Even at the present day the
study Of the physical sciences Is esteemed
in many Of our institutions Of learn
ing a matter OF but secondary i'm.
portance, and occupies as means oi
mental discipline only subordinate posi-.
ton. Yet Its true value as tending 10 the
development Of the rational faculties
through the cultivation Of habits Of
close observation and accurste percep-
tion, and the subsequent deduction from
those OF correct conclusions, can, I think,
be readily shown. Those who advocate
the classical system Of education maintain
that although the study Of the dead Ian.
guages affords but little information In
Itself, Its chiet value consists In the severe
discipline to which It subjects the mem.
ory, and the habit Of sustained attention
which 1t imposes on the mind. But the
question now arises how does It discipline
the memory? The mere acquisition Of
words, Of course, exercises the power oil
mental retention, but in determining the
merit oil this exercise regard must be had
70 the permanence ol.the impressions pro.
duced. Memory Is the ability to repro
ouce at will certain State9 Of conscious
ness which correspond with certain pre-.
existent states OF consciousness, ideas or
sensations, and the capacity TO do this ia
largely dependent upon the relations sub.
sisting between these impressions in the
mind. Tho learning Of the classics, how.
ever, requires . special act Of memory in
dependent Of all associations, ior each
particular word, so that the maximum oI
effort Is necessary TO produce the mini.
mum Of result. But experience has taught
that the power oil recalling past mental
impressions Is greatly heightened by their
Systematic association In the mind; sug'
gestion bearing upon q given subject
awakening in such cases train Of recol-
lections that embraces most Of the infor.
nation ever acquired concerning 1t, and
rendering It readily available. II the dis
cipllne thought best Is q steady continued
drag upon the memory, that result Il
equally well accomplished by the study
OF the innumerable isolated tacts Of science
without any regard to their order or clas
siflcation, while the intrinsic value Of the
information thus conveyed would be
much greater.
The accuracy Of the scientific method
however, Is entirely due to Ito mode q
procedure. Facts are collected, grouped
and classified, and being arranged in thu
mfnd with reference 10 their Connection
and casual relations, this principle be-