The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-01-25
EDUCATIONAL.
Advertisement No. A.
How to Teach Political Economy
In the Lyceum Institute.

Political Economy is one Of the most import
ant branches of study, because it 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 thaa
concerns the mass OF men. and ought to be ths
first question with every young person. NO one
ought to consider his father rich enough to
raise him above the necessity OF APPLYING tho
first efforts of his early mannood to the purpose
Of obtaining living.
| In making this statement we have raised
question in Morals as well as in Political Econ
omy. The ethical principle alluded to is tbs
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 a branch OF knowledge having ex-
elusive reference to the system Of things as 1t
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 withok finding mystery In the
fact that some get $1UO per day for doing Moth
ing, ~ pile others get but 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 wiH
even demand to be informed by what principle
| an able bodied and able minded man rightfuily
gets SO much doing nothing except frolic HE
away in luxury, while others, who may not be
to able either in body or mind, get 80 small =
reward for nard toll all the day and incessapt
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 Produce
| tion, Distribution, Consumption and Exchange
OF wealth. Labor, Land, Capital and Skill arc
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, educationy religion, luxu-
ry, &c, compraes the Consumption OF wealth.
The Exchange of wealt ~ involves Commerce.
including barter and buying and selling by
means OF medium called money, transporta-
ton by land and sea, and raises all the ques-
tions concerning currency, values, &c'
What science, therefore, covers so many Of
tical Economy And when it is considered
that the people must be fed and clothed before
anything can be accomplished by education,
religion, art or general culture, why does noa
Political Economy very properly claim tho
first and most searching attention OF tho
schools and OF all educators in whatever capa-
city?
1t will be so considered in the Lyceunr Insti-
tute; and also in the Lyceum University,
which will be the Institute extended to unver-
sal learning and perfected in the new methods.
What will be the method Of teaching this
science in the Lyccum Institute and Uniger-
sity2 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
J man or Yankee might make an automatic pro-
ressor and an automatic class. and by winding
them up like a clock they would perform the
( whole process Of recitation according, to the
standard Of perfection erected by such text
| books.
In colleges and universities, howerer,. with
, some pretensions, the professor gives. lectures
on this science, though he follows the most ap-
1 proved textbook. The lecturer sometimes
canyasses the opinions Of the most dstng guish-
Z ed authors on each topic, but the utmost OF ha
thought is to balance authorities and give the
class the doctrine as settled by the majority or
i by the author who has obtained the most gene
:. raj 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
G together thrown. away, are not made half al
;, u productivein in learnnsas they would be under
better method ...
,t The Lyceum method can be fully understood
. by single illustration. suppose we are en-
}. tering upon the topic Of Labor as an element Of
IS production. The Professor gives lecture
NJ chiefly for the purpose OF showing the clasl
o. how to investigate it for themselves. He ther
D, assigns the leadiIe authors to the members o.
" the class; to one, Adam Smiths Wealth o.
Nations, to another, Says Work, to another, Sis
It mondi, to fourth, Senator Tracey, to q fifth
u u j. s. Mills Work, TO sixth, Thornton on La
:" Dor, to seventh, Carey, to the eighth, List, Il
4s the ninth, the Work by Horace Greeley, ans
"a SO On through the whole class. probably thre
G, days should be given to preparation fos TIL
st recitation. Each one is required to condcns
~ into as brief compass as possible the. alos
important views and facts given by his author
OF and deliver his synopsis either orally OF fron
v manuscript to the class. Three days are give
to the preparation and the recitation aecupie
T. half day; the same topic to be continued un
~ til thoroughly mastered by the Glass;. Most Q
II. all, the students arc urged to have opinions o
ot their own.
q. =, So, also, when the subject OF Money an
Il. Banking comes mp, it is investigated in tn
d. same way. The authors are distributed to III
-. class, and all views that havo been urged ar
he brought under consideration. The professO
NV introduces it with a lecture liz which he cx
.. plains the function OF money, the diiercr
ct, kinds Of money, such as metallic, mixed an
W. paper, the nature Of banking, the experienc
d. u. Of nations with tho different currencies, &c
il Ethus enabling the students to search the
ct, thors to the best advantage. After three day
preparation, with several other studies o
NJ hand, and half days recitation, the class wi
by find all the fog that hangs between tho subjet
and the vision of the people dspelled, and th
ho con,fort of n lifetime of intullirance on th