Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1875-12-09
EDUCATION.
For the Gallipolis Journal.
ADDRESS

DPIIyERFD ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF
THE READING CLUE, AT Miss Gil
MANS SEMINARY, Nov. 23D, 1873,
BY Rev. DR.. $. E. LANE.
In casting about in my mind for
few thoughts which may be of inter
est upon this occasion, / confess that
| find myself about to venture upon
the first theme that presented itseli,
the Importance of which however
can but impress itself at time like
this upon every mind. Educdfton'
education, in its broadest sense-as
involving the idea of Instruction. or
the furnishing of the mind with
necessary knowledge, and the p'f'ng
up, or setting in order of the same,
or that of q simple drdacfng .forth OF
the whole child or man, whether from
danger or darkness, by the. appiica-
ton of certain moral forces and the
highest species of discipline, is GER
tainlv one of the grandest themes
to which our attention can be turn
ed. We are reminded of the fact
that man is ushered, and that for a
purpose, into being and into society
at the same moment.
No matter how obscure an indl-
yidual may be-no matter now
wealthy or honored-the moment he
is ushered into being, that moment
his interests become mine and yours;
and my interest and yours are his.
We become mutually dependant as
members of the same body-and
hence 1t is that we may look upon
this as the great platform which the
Home, the School, and the Church,
and may include the Press and the
Library are placed, as so many arms
of the lever by which we may raise,
not only individual communities, but
the world itself, into position more
desirable. We can do more than
Archimedes would have done, who
had not this great platform upon
which to place the machinery OF
which he so fondly dreamed.
What is necessary to a complete
education? is, of course, question
to which a different answer would be
returned in different lands and ages
of the world. Paradise is not on
earth; and we fear that the late
dreams of Victor Hugo will never be
realizod this side of Heaven. But
s"rhough our feet are on the green
sward,
I,i1ht from Heaven around us shines"
In a country like ours-with a
government controlled by the people
we have every motive and every
encouragement to place the standard
of our public institutions of whatever
character. higher than in any other
land upon the globe. This is not
arrogance. In the ancient Republic
of Greece. this same sentiment, as 1t
respected every citizen, prevailed,
and we are always astonished at the
nerfection of their educational sys-
tenn. True, it was an adapted sys-
TEN. No one, unless slave, could
be injured by education--in other
words. q citizen of Greece who neg
lectcd to improve his opportunities at
once sunk into the condition OF a
slave. The Importance of education,
such as it was, to every citizen, none
held in higher estimation than the
ancient Greek. His four national
games he looked upon as necessary
part of the educational system OF an
tiouity, which had in view mental
and moral as well as physical accom-
plishments.
The names of the two principal
officers of these games may serve tt
show their character. The first was
the Kosmetes, whose name comes
from a word signifying order ant
beauty, and whose office consisted il
the special superintendent of every
thing fitted to further these qualities
The other officer was termed SO
Dhronistes, whose business was TO IN
form the mind, and give shape ant
impulse to the life, by imparting t.
his pupils, as his name denotes
sound-m The province 9
this officer extended beyond the ex
ercise grounds. Even the play hour
of his pupils were subject to his con
troll. Hence, when they finally ap
peared as candidates for admission t
the Isthmean games or contests, the
!. were compelled to submit to the sc
yerest tests of character. Beside be
ing questioned as to their conditio
were they freemen or slaves? an
, as to their blood-were they reall
Greeks? they had also to satisf
their Judges that their character
b were free from all moral stain. l
! the public race-course, or stadium
the herald, laying his hand on tn
head of the candidate, enquired wit
a loud voice: ''Can any one accus
this man of any crime? Is he ro'
ber? or a slave? or wicked, or d
praved in his life? If he success
fully passed this ordeal, the cand
date was then conducted to the alt
of Jupiter, the punisher of the pc
]. iured, where with solemn rites he wi
required to swear, if he could vii
truth and safety, that he had goI
through the required preparatol
course of discipline, and would a
&c stain from every breach of the la'
y in the contest before him.
- Such were some of the requlr
ar ments made by Greece of every mi
worthy to be treated as citizen; al
so long as she was inspired by G.
= memories of her heroes-so long
r.. the thought of Thermopyle cont
ued to stimulate her ambition Al
| pride, so long Greece never low
~ ed those standards--her courts we
- iust-her statesmen pure, and
G stern, heroic species of integrl
shone as the brightest jewel in
crown which every citizen wore.