The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-10-01

VntiOn. lno neClOpOnb kAllIiotiahl VI
Hebe Is in wonderfully perfect condi-
ton. Its construction deviates entirely
from Egyptian models, and follows the
Roman rather than the Greek style.
Embalming was certainly practised here
by Christians of the frst five centuries
The various inscriptions on rocks, dating |
through a series Of epochs, afford
strange picture Of the slowness with
which time effects transformation Of sur
face. Seventy-hYe springs, all Of the earli-
est antiquity. are in use, and no new
ones are ever opened. They are period
ically cleaned by divers, at the risk OF
their lives, fora few copper piastres. An
Egyptian engineer has, however, found
water at 90 10 100 metres in Dakhal Oasis,
aud there is no doubt that the district
could be restored by Artesian wells to
its former prosperity. The author thinks
il less improbable that the water has its
source in the Nubian Nile, probably
above the cataracts of Wasey Talfa; but
he seems to doubt the explanations at
tempted for its origin by stating that all
these springs are thermal, far exceeding
the average temperature of the year. and,
consequently, Of the upper strata OF the
Sahara. There are no traces OF the bed
of a former current from the Egyptian
Nile Valley westward through which the
Nile might have flowed. although an inn
aginary series of oases valleys figure in
| all maps. II is strange, nevertheless
that "Bader Bella mu," Ii. g., river with
out water) is a frequent local name for
valleys. The soil of the oasis chain be-
trays no traces of the alluyial land OF
the Nile; there are no fish in any OF the
waters, and the botanic and geographi-
cal facts recapitulated by the author also
negative the idea off the Nile ever having
flowed there, After entering upon the
various geological features Of the district
at some length, he thinks it safe TO as
sumo that the Mediterranean water OF
the oases equal to that of a trst-class
river.
The Section on Economic Science and
Statistics, on Monday last, had valuable
paper read by Mrs. Grey on the Science
of Education" all the more remarkable
and noteworty as coming from woman.
The following abstract give the charac-
ter of the paper
The first question to be met is that
which will be raised by the title OF this
paper-''Is there or can there bea science
of education" If the general, or even
the educational public we're polled upon
il the answer would almost certainly be
in the negative. The College of Profes-
sors alone among our scholastic corpora
tions has acknowledged the fact by APP
pointing Professor Of the Science and
Art of Education-Mr. Joseph Payne,
than whom no one was better qualified
for the post; yet the appointment excl
ted some derision among even Jealous
advocates of national education. IL is,
however, beginning to be admitted In
theory that there is an art of education,
and that teachers ought to be taught to
teach, although it is not recognized in
practice beyond the sphere of elemental
nv school teachers. In every German
and Swiss university there is a professor
of pedagogy, or the art and method OF
teaching; but here all the secondary ed
ucation Of both sexes is in the hands OF
those who have never been taught that
there is such an art. Whence the dis
belief and distrust in scientific prlncl-
pies and methods in education, while
their superiority is admitted by every
educated person in all other departments
of human activity The answer proba-
bly lies in this, that there is no adequate
or general conception of what education
is. and therefore of the magnitude and
complexity of the facts on which q
science of education, which can never be
an exact, but only mixed and applied
science must be based. If we had such
a conception, giving US a standard by
which to measure success or failure We
should at once feel the necessity OF SCI
entific methods to realize 1t. Instead o.
it we start with confusion OF terms
using education as synonymous with IN
struction, and the confusion of thought
} indicated by this misnOmer runs through
: our whole treatment of the subject, theO
=. retical and practical, and is shown II
I every Parliamentary debate and in every
discussion Of the subject, public or pri
Z, vate, especially where the education o
p the working classes and of women is con
ceaned. Let us glance at the condition.
j lI IIlt W. AAtifN w HS@a1ANN
7 the three-fOld nature of the human be
ing to be dealt with, physical, intellectual
and moral, together with his power Q
: volition, which makes him a responsible
agent, and to distinguish what element
. of his constitution are common 10 MN
/ and his species, race, or family, and thos
peculiar TO himself which constitute hi
individuality Next come the externa
conditions under which he lived. phys
E cal. mental, and social, which also ma
. be classed as those common to all huma
!, beings-those common to all OF ms TINT
: country, and social position-and thos
peculiar to himself and forming his md
}, vidual lot. Throwing out that which
purely individual, and does not, there
| fore, admit of generalization, thoug
forming a most important branch
: study for the practical educator, ther
3 remains the wide field of general taci
= and forces and the study of the comb
o nation of these forces, and their result
e ant influence on the formation OF cha
acter, is the study of education as
n science. 1t is at once apparent how va
q field of knowledge is thus coyere'
: We must learn from physiology how
,s train the body not only to health an
. strength, but to grace and beauty; fro
4 physiology how 10 train the intellect an
!. moral nature, how to form habits, whiC
d is the master power of education; fro
a observations Of human life in the wor
q. around us, and from the records OF u
% history of human societies, Of religio
"a art, literature, and science, how to reat
/ the springs of human action, and espet
" ally the fdealistic or spiritual elemer
4 which is the most powerful Of all, al
" from these deduce the right order Of e
4 ucation, the right methods of teachin
(. and the right subjects to be taught, rel
h lively to the age and mental develo
Is menf of the pupil. The study Of educ
of ton as a science includes the educati'
IN of nations as well as individuals. Natio
Is have characters as well as individua