The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-01-02
EDUCATIONAL.
Advertisement No. 4
How to Teach Political Economy


In the Lyceum Institute.
q
Political ECONOMY is one OF the most import.
ant branches Of study, because it covers tho
most practical relations Of life. How to obtain
subsistence for the body and the means OF COM
fort for the household is the first question that
concerns the mass OF men. and ought to be tho
first question with every young person. No one
ought to consider his father rich enough to
raise him above the necessity of applying the
first efforts Of his early manhood to the purpose
Of obtaining living. y
In making this statement we have raised a
question in Morals as well as in Political Econ
omy. The ethical principle alluded to is tho
obligation Of every one to obtain the means
OF support by his own efforts. 1t shows that
Political Economy can not be divorced from
Moral Science, though authors have generally
treated it as branch of knowledge having ex-,
elusive reference to the system Of things as IT
is, and not as it should be-. 1t may be very
comfortable for those who get their support
and heap up fortunes out Of others to have
Economy divorced from Ethics; but the mass
Of mankind. being compelled to labor in the
production Of wealth, can not long study Politi-
cal Economy without finding mystery in tho
fact that some get 500 per day for doing noth-
ing, while others get but a dollar, two dollars, !
or three dollars per day by hard work; and
they will inevitably demand the how and the
wherefore Of this great difference. They will
even demand to be informed by what principle
an able bodied and able minded man rightfully,
gets so much doing nothing except frolio life
away in luxury, while Others who may not be
to able either in body or mind, get so small Q
reward for hard toll all the day and incessant
rest for weary muscles and aching bones dur
ing the whole night, leaving no time or means
for recreation and enjoyment.
Ethical questions, however, would be raise
incidentally in teaching Political Economy.
Primarily, this science treats of the Produc-
tion, Distribution, Consumption and Exchange
Of wealth. Labor, Land, Capital and Skill are
chiefly concerned in the production of wealth.
The Distribution of wealth is into Wages.
Rents and Profits, while the support Of the peo-
pie, the government, education, religion, luxu-
ry, &C., comprises the Consumption Of wealth.
The Exchange of wealthy involves Commerce.
including barter and buying and selling by
means OF a medium called money, Transports
tion by land and sea, and raises all the ques-
tions concerning currency, values, &C. y
What science, therefore, covers so many Of
the fundamental interests of mankind as Poll :
tical Economy And when it is considered
A. I,a @ol olo
anything can be accomplished by education,
religion, art or general culture, why does net
Political Economy very properly claim the
first and most searching attention Of the
schools and OF all educators in whatever capa
citya
1t will be SO considered in the Lyceum instr
tute; and also in the Lyceum University,
which will be the Institute extended to univer-
sal learning and perfected in the new methods.
What will be the method of teaching this
science in the Lyceum Institute ana Univer-
sityp 1t will be quite different from that
usually pursued. We find certain text book
with questions at the foot Of each page or in an,
appendix, the answers to which are often me-
chanically learned, and mechanically used by
lazy or ignorant professors in conducting an
automatic recitation. An ingenious French
man or Yankee might make an automatic pro-
fessor and an automatic class, and by winding
them up like clock they would perform the
whole process Of recitation according to the
standard Of perfection erected by such text
books.
In colleges and universities, he wever, with
some pretensions, the professor gives lectures
on this science, though he follows the most ap-,
proved textbook. The lecturer sometimes
canvasses the opinions Of tine most distinguish
ed authors on each topic, but the utmost Of his
thought is to balance authorities and give tho
class the doctrine as settled by the majority or
by the author who has obtained the most gene-
ral approval and applause.
AS usually taught, this science often amounts
to nothing Of any value to the student, while
In some cases time and money, though not al-
together thrown away, are not made half as
productive in learning as they would be under
a better method.
The Lyceum method can be fully understood
by single illustration. Suppose we are en-
tering upon the topic Of Labor as an elementOfi
production. The Professor gives lecture
chiefly for the purpose of showing the class
assigns the leading authors to the members OF
the class; to one, Adam Smiths Wealth OF
Nations, to another, Says W ork, to another Sis
mondi, to fourth, Senator Tracey, to fifth,
]. s. Mills Work, to sixth, Thornton on La
bor, to a seventh, Carey, to the eighth, List, to
the ninth, the Work by Horace Greeley, and
so on through the whole class. Probably three
days should be given to preparation for the,
recitation. Each one is required to condensa'
into as brief compass as possible the most
important views and facts given by his author,
and deliver his synopsis either orally or from
manuscript to the class. Three days are given,
to the preparation, and the recitation occupies
half q day; the same topic to be continued un-'
til thoroughly mastered by the class. Most of;
all, the students are urged to have opinions Of
their own.
So, also, when the subject Of Money and,
Banking comes up, it is investigated in the
same way. The authors are distributed to tho
class, and all views that have been urged ara
uytx.