Smyrna times., 1875-09-08
For the Smyrna Times,
The Witness.

testify concerning our public school sys-
tom YOU would confer favor upon your
numerous readers, among whom is classed
Yours very truly, PHILO SOPHOs."
Twas thankful for the reception of the
above note, for it came when | was search
ING for subject for this paper. My cores
nondent will pardon me if, to the better
fulflment of his wish, speak of the educa-
tion of children i'll this paper and gratify
his particular desire in my next. Much
has been written on this subject and it has
been treated wisely and well. But think
if we give it local application, or bring |
the matter home to our very doors, we will
receive greater benefit than if we consider |
if in its general and universal application.
There is 10 reason that should offer such |
acknowledged arguments as that the edu-
cation of children is for the good of society |
at large while their ignorance is the cause |
of the majority of the evils that curse us. |
No one questions the fact if we are to have |
wise men and women-they who are to |
preserve the community, they who are to
be the powers for gOOd-we must educate |
the children. | suppose that all my read
crs know that the term education slgnlheS |
10 Icad or bri,,q ouf. although many of our !
professed educators seem to regard it as
meaning To cram or nil ~. The Creator has
endowed every child with certain powers |
of mind and heart, and soul, and the really
conscientious and sensible educator will
seek to strengthen and bring into action
these forces He will not bestow all his
labor upon the mind as if it were of all
Importance, but the atiectionate nature will
be cared for, the tendrils of the heart will be
touched with the magic wand of Kindness
and gentlcneSs, and responding to this touch
they will entwine themselves around objects
10 he loved: and the soul, with far greater
capacities. will he guided upward into that
eternal world OF spirit, that it may COM
mune with beings congenial, and receive
blessings that matcrialities cannot bestow.
/, it indeed folly to talk of the affectionate
nature of children? That little one on
your knee, who reaches up for the lOnged-for
kiss, and encircles your neck with his arms
would YOU suppress those motions of atfec
ton? would you say that the little one
cannot love? But how many teachers Of
the children, by unkiHdly treatment, wrath
tul looks, and hard blows. drive back those
tender feelings just coming forth, and i'll
their place call out those deUaSing and
degrading doubt not but that many a
ni1n might have been saved from a Ielon's
eel! or Il murderer'S >eaii0id if, when little
boy. breath of love had swept across his
hearts strings. There are many children
who crow up ciIcr>hin% feelings of hatred
anl rrvon"" against t.Io-r who pretended
t. he their instructors. Or. j. any child
that can b., taught ANYTHING too Young to
br capable of rec"ivin" influences affecting
hi< immortal nature? All! You mistake;
it ! but the old Jewish thought. that
would have haniShed the little ones from
the Stv;or'- presence, coming down through
the centuries and bearing fruit in American
soil | know | am taking /" position on
this question which. to many, viii seem
unattlinablr, foolish or unnecessary. but to
all such will say, pity them that they
have not reached the same height. Some
will say that our school teachers have moth
ing to do either with a child's heart or his
soul that the parents are to take care of
the first, the Sunday school teachers and
preachers of the latter. But do we re-
member that there are many children who
rejoice in being able to attend school that
they may escape, for the time, from the
prosecutions of home. Certainly their
parents will not quicken into action their
ahectionate natures, and possibly these
were never inside of Il Sunday-school and
never had any incentive for. good
held out to them; never any whisper
ings of the spirit to call forth voices
from within | do not advocate the
turning of our day schools into places
of peculiar religious training, but do urge
upon the consideration of every parent
whether they think an unGodly, brutal man
or woman fit instructor for their children
and | ask the teachers, who are many
hours of every day associated with the
children. whether they have not great
opportunities to not only cultivate the
mind but also bring into play and exercise
the better and nobler faculties of heart anC
soul. To come down to simple facts, thu
education of children is not confined to tn
school room, nor clrcumscrlbed by the lev
studies they pursue. As soon as the bud o
intelligence begins to expand the chile
begins to be educated, and the education
may be detrimental. There may be object
presented toward which its bascr natur
advances, and in which, i'll exercising,
becomes thereby the more strong. Al
knowIed G is not contained in bOOks-the
are but the expressions Of thoughts culle
from nature; they are IN epitome of God
laws written upon the world OF matter
Better that a child should be taught to b
noble and virtuOus than to he instructed j
all sciences, in all arts. Better have
community of illitcratc go0d men an
women than a community OF learne
thieves, liars, mischief-makers and drunl
ards There are many parents who CIV
dt1e school teacher the entire t'iucdtHpH
their children. They think that their chi
.lrcn have minds but are not so certai
about lheir hearts and souls. They desil
that their sons and daughters shall
received into good society and take a
elevated position in society, and they sen
them TO school merely for this purpose,
give to the child certain accomplishment
that which gives polish. This IS entire
proper The mind is TO be cultivate
Refinement is something all should obtal
and gentlemanly and lady-llke deportme
should be learned by all But every ed
Gator fails in his duty if he Deglects til
part of the children Of greater wort
Next week I shall specially write Of o
public schools.
A Training School for Nurses has be