The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-01-04
Educational Reforms !

i HE LYCEUM INSTITUTE will renders
more facile ana entirely practicable certain
reforms which are desirable in the methods OF
common school instruction. twill either par-t
TALLY or wholly dispense with certain branches
that now consume half the time Of pupils be-I
tween the ages Of eight and fifteen years.
For example, consider Geography and Eng
lish Grammar. "WhatW exclaim the whole
world, care not Geography and Grammar tol
be taught in the Lyceum Instituted" Yea,
verify land with ten-fold more thoroughness
and in one-tenth part the time. 1t will show
that nearly all the time now spent in Geogra<
ply is wasted. How many commence this
study at eight years Of age, and at from twelve
to sixteen years of age exit from the schools
carrying away with them their geographical
textbooks!
How will it be In the Lyceum Institutep Lis
ten: History will hold SO important place mi
its course Of study that there will be no neces-
sity for Geography as speciality, because it is
a necessary part Of History; and the atlas win
not be much more in requisltion by those who
never studied Geography than by those who
have wasted several years of Valuable time
upon it. Learned in connection with History,
Geography is interesting, because the pupils
ooo hx,, n
renders 1T convenient to furnish every text
book of History with suitable maps-as, in
deed, should be the case with all historical
works.
We claimed some credit for originality in
this until recently in looking over the English
"Monthly Review or Literary Journal'' for the
year 1890 we found review of Lectures on
Education, read to Society for promoting rea-
sonable and humane Improvements in the
Discipline and Instruction of youth, by the
Rev. David Williams, in three volumes, svo..
PIP. $40, 17s9" Mr.. Williams was an exper-
fenced and an original instructor Of youth.
Among the new methods In both instruction.
and discipline he introduced, was one for teach
ing Geography. He found. however, that In
his method it was ''dificult to avoid the ele-
ments Of history" He was, however, led into
the observation by an incident, which he re-
lates, and which the review says contains ''pe-
culiar hints toward a new plan" Mr.. williams
saysi
"a gentleman who had gone through a
course Of polite education in England, and had
been many years secretary to an embassy, ap-,
Iii ID int "a
par views, in which geographical knowl-
edge was necessary. Though he had traversed
o great part oi Europe, and was an excellent
llnguist, he was unac, ,uain ted with the use of
the globes. When prepared for considering
the divisions OF the earth as the habitations Of
men, having relations to each other, he sug-
tlon with general history; which should COM
menee with the fabulous origin or settlement
o. men. and trace them on its surface, in their
emigrations, policies anu contentious. l knew
no such history; he, therefore, obliged me to
invent substitute; and we traced traditions
or histories, accordng to my information, from
the banks Of the Ganges and Euphrates, in
every direction over the globe. / have sug-
gested the method to parents and teachers in
Geography. and they have furnished them
selves with hints in writing. which have. rem
deied their conversation with pupils the best
Introduction " universal history"
AS a discipline Of the memory English
Grammar can be proftably dispensed with, be-
cause the grammar OF any other language COM
prehends knglish Grammar, and lair knowl-
edge Of La,in and GreeK can be obtained In
the time now wasted on English Grammar.
The differences in the grammars Of languages
are chiefly In the infections; and the differ
ences between the Latin and the English
should be matter Of incidental attention by
the teacher. This would make the pupils
much better English grammarians than they
ever become under the old method, and without
having spent any time upo9 the study of Eng
lish Grammar, and with having. acquired one
or two other languages. Pupils should CON-
nence the study Of Latin and Greek at seven
or eight years Of age.
How foolish is the widespread hostility
to the study Of the ''dead languages"
They are the foundation of our vernaevlar
speech. and are solmixed up with literature,
philosophy, history, and all the sciences that
no one should he satisfied without some knowi-
edge OF them. The method OF the Lyceum IN
stitute shows how this knowledge can be OBJ
tanned without loss Of either time or money!,
and at the same time secure o far more thOr-
ough knowledge Of one's own tongue.
Older pupIls who have not fully studiedI
English G amman will study Latin and Greek
or French and German, as they may choose, or
all together, in order to learn English; and tho
Lyoeum Exercises will hasten their progress
in English by bringing the principles Of Gram-I
mar as well as Of Rhetoric and Logic into pTasA
tiaal use. Address -
l.. A. HI i n H.