The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-01-23
EDUCATION AL.
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How to Teach Political Economy
In the Lyceum Institute.

ant branches of study, because Ii covers the
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 thas
concerns the mass Of men. and ought to be the
first question with every young person. No ono
ought to consider his father rich enough to
raise him above the necessity Of applying tho
first efforts of his carly manhood to the purpose
Of obtaining living
In making this statement we have raiseda
question in Morals as well as in Political Econ
omy. The ethical principle alluded to is the
obligation OF every one to obtain the means
OF support by his own efforts. II 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 IL
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 moth
| ing, while others get but dollar, two dollars,
or three dollars per day by hard work; and
| luey Will lHcNitdDLy uclHtuu lnc hoW anu eho
wherefore of this great difference They will
even demand to be informed by what principle
an able bodied and able minded man riglitfully
gets so much doing nothing except irolic life
away in luxury, while Others who may not ba
| to able either in body or mind, get so small
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-
| ton, 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 pco-
pie, the government, education religion, luXu-
w. &C.. omprises the Consumption of wealth.
The Exchange Of wealthy involves Commerce,
including barter and buying and selling by
means OF u medium called money, transporta-
ton by land and sea- and raises all the ques-
tions concerning currency, values, NC.
What science, therefore, covers so many OF
the fundamental interests OF mankind as Poli-
tical Economy And when it is considered
, that the people must be fed and clothed before
nything Gun be accomplished by education,
religion, art or general culture, why does not
Political Economy very properly claim The
J first and most searching attention OF the
schools and oil all educators in whatever capa-
, city?
1t will be so considered in the Lyceum Insti-
tutc; and also in the Lyceum University,
which will be the Institute extended to uniyer-
sal learning and perfected in the new methods.
| What will be the Method Of teaching this
= = | science in the Lyceum Institute and Uniger-
sity? 1t will be quite different from that
, usually pursued. We find certain text-b book
with questions at the foot of each page or in an
t appendix, the answers to Which are often me-
2 chanically learned, and mechanically used by
lazy or ignorant professors in conducting an
: automatic recitation. An ingenious French
n. man OF Yankee might make az automatic pro-
fessor and an automatic class, and by winding
: them up like clock they would perform the
n whole process of recitation according to the
\ stapdard Of perfection erected by such text
u books.
j, In colleges and universities, however, with
' ' some pretensions, the professor gives lectures
{, on this science, though he follows the most ap-
n proved textbook. The lecturer sometimes
G canvasses the opinions Of the most distinguish
e cd authors OF each topic, but the utmost Of his
l. thought is to ba ance authorities and give the
IL class the doctrine settled by the majority or
- by the author who has obtained the most gene
a raj approval and applause
h | AS usually taught, this science often amounts
T. to nothing of any value to the student, whiic
|. III some cases time and money, though not al
: together thrown away, are not made half as
l.. productive in learning Us they would be under
!, better method.
" The Lyceum method can be fully understood
l. by single illustration. Suppose we arc en-
e tering upon the topic of Labor as an element Of
d production. The Professor gives u lecture
IT chiefly for the purpose OF showing the class
E. how to investigate it for themselves. He then
assigns the leading authors to the members Of
=" the class; to one, Adam Smiths Wealth OF
Nations, to another, Says Work, to another, Sis
u mondi, to fourth, Senator Tracey, TO fifth,
n j. S. Mills Work, to a SIXTH Thornton on La
Dor, to seventh, Carey, to the eighth, List, to
e. the ninth, the Work by Horace Greeley, and
!; so on through the whole class. Probably three
~ days should be given to preparation for the
n recitation. Each one is required TO condense
le into rs brief a compass as possible the most
of important views and facts given by his author,
10 and deliver his synopsis either orally or from
manuscript to the class Three days arc given
to the preparation, and the recitation occupies
half day; the same topic to he continued un-
IL, Il, ill thoroughly mastered by the class. Most OF
all, the students are urged to have opinions OF
25 their own.
1d so, also, when the subject Of Money and
n Banking comes UP, it is investigated in the
Of same way. The authors are distributed to the
u, class, and all views that have been urged ara
o. brought under consideration. The professor
~ introduces it with y lecture In which he ex-
-lplains the function OF money, the different
All kinds Of money, such as metallic mixed and
~ paper, the nature Of banking, the experiences
of nations with the different currcncies, &C..
dc thus enabling the students to search the au
or thors 10 the best advantage. After three days
y preparation, with several other studies on
rs hand, and half days recitation, the class will
he find all the fog that hangs between the subject
ne and the vision of the people d!spelled, and thu
r. comfort of a lifetime Of intelligence on this