The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-04-02
Our Public schools.

Thine. publishes The following article
lOur German citizens held last week a
mass meeting 10 protest against the ex-
Iclusion OF the German language from
me primary schools. III theg object
had only been to ill the Cooper lnsti.
tute, ald to have eloquent speeches de-
)Ilivered on the excellence of the German
people, Of German thought, and the
Herman language, they might we'll be
satisfied. II they aimed at proving the
Justice, easonablcnsss and practical wis
dom Of their demand, their effort csn
not be said TO have produced great e.
feet. The speakers did their best. But
not one Of them said anything which
was not already known, and had not al
ready been said in behalf Of their cause.
The only thing which was made to stand
out clearer than anything else was the
difficulty so frequently experienced of
honestly meeting the point. This IL not
the educational value Of the study OF
languages in general. Nobody denies
that Nor was it the particular useful
ness of the German language TO this man
or that profession. twas rather 10 show
that the instruction in any foreign idiom
Whatever ought 10 have a place in the
regular curriculum of primary schools.
This tic eloquent gentlemen who ad-
dressed the meeting entirely failed to
demonstrate. In Europe, said oie oi
them, it was considered necessary for all
persons OF education to learn one Ian
lguage at least besides Tie moihertongue.
We should think so. We might even
go 80 far as 10 saw that thi, il also the
A I..e - l. -
Of primary schools IL turn out persons
Of political education? This oan hardly
be admitted. At any rn;a j, did not o.
cur "a tie trainers OF Lie system. They
lintenacd to
PROVIDE FOR AMERICAN cuLDREs
The best instruction needed for ordinary
purposes of home life. business, rnd
lself-culiure. Primary schools were
meant 10 be educ .ional institutions q.
the first degree only. II many OF i,r
children who attend them are cxpcc.e
10 prsh on To higher grades OF iearnih<,
there is large number who have. Al al
early agc. 10 leave the school rooIn Cor
the WORK shop, 10 abandon scholarly con-
tests for the battle of l,se: aud j, is for
these that primary education shoull be
made as avlilasie, efficient, sod compre-
lien sive ss possible. The comprehcn i've
ness of coarse of studies can not be
defined in an absolute iLnnnsr. Ii de-
pcnds upon certain conditions Of ace.
time. ana power. What ..htful'v be
longs 10 one stage OF education may not
be a, all appropriate 10 another. The
students powers are 10 be. employed
wisely and uselully. IL j. a waste to
devo;e them 10 anything stat can not bc
done with salts; .ctory ihororrhue-s
On tina, ground, Linguistic studies DO
not come within the prov ince OF primary
education, and their exclusion does no,
tend 10 lower It's standard The tree OF
knowledge Is, in some respects. not un-
like the trees which grow In our parks
and fields. 1t Is some times advisable
TO cut of one branch ia order 60 give
the oiher more room and sap. MANY
people tLink that an educations! stand
ard is raised by requiring more work
from students and extending the curri-
culum. This IL often great mistake.
True. education at present embraces
more thirgs than ever it did before.
1T MUST BE DIFrUsED AND ADVANCED.
The highest possible standard must be
set up, but this csu only be accomplished
through work done properly and thor
'oughly. lit is the quality, not the guam
ltity. by which mental requirements are
Judged. However much may lie de-
manded from children to-day, they have
not more time or more strength TO de-
vote to study than children had in for
lmcr times. There are many VINO will
never have any instruction beyond what
they get at primary schools; and the in
tcrest of these ought TO bc considered
first OF all. II certainly would I've wrong
TO require from them application TO a
study which could not. at an early pc
Iriod, be turned to good and practical ac-
count and the indifferent pursuit of
which would only be a drawback to
other studies which are more essential
and directly useful. A foreign ,anguag O
in primary course can only benefit
those who have an opportunity Of prar-
ticing il at home, or who are able after
ward to go through schools and colleges
, - \ Ia l..