The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1876-03-04

in mad house for seven years. In our beast
ed age matters are no better, great men are
scarcer, and the suppression of originality OF
development is carried to fearful extent; what
children can be made by Misunderstanding,
and what they can crop in pastures with the
common herd they are welcome to, and moth
ing more. Thus there is proven the disparity
in education, and the claims Of the anti or
modified school cause for the enlightened at
tainments. Great men thus require peculiar
training in which life and habits are developed
cetemperary with their thoughts and knowl-
edge this, schools make no expectation fer
and disccuntenance when practced; as Sam
uel Smiles says, "The process of filling the
memory with facts and formulas is rapidly ex-
tending; but the process of independent think
ing in any but the beaten tracks is not only
not taught, but is often carefully prevented
But the facility with which young people are
thus made to acquire kuwledge, though 1T may
be examining, is not education. Not only great
minds, but also mediocre minds, that seek an
evenly balanced development, need recourse
in their degree to similar plans; and SO far
from thanks being extended to schools for the
attainments of such men as Abraham Lincoln
and Henry Wilson, they should revert to their
mate, self cultured powers, the results of which
were rivers of benefits compared to which their
schools were bubbles"
If the system of education is responsible for
the moral or religious condition OF affairs, it is
sadly culpable; and if to ministers, parents
and Sunday Schools they are entrusted, their
lsmentable condition evinces the prepondering
evil tendency of the secular over the religious
training. Thus, in either case, condemnation
follows, and whichever arrangement is pre-
ferred the result is the same. We prefer to
class the whole under what may be called the
existing system of secular education, as but
one day out of seven, and possible morning and
evening devotions and counsels, can have but
a small chance in regulating the most import
ant feature in humanity when the major time
and tendencies are the opposite. If. as the
clergy profess, moral or religious enlighten-
ment and elevation is superior to all other
forms, then the existing system has nothing to
show but list of guises and hypocritical SEM
blances such as would go to pray after sanding
sugar and watering whisky, and attend church
to criticize fashions and favor patronage in
business.
We have been asked il it does not look well
to find that so many of the present smart Con
gressmen have been educated in the schools
Now unless this honorable body should prove
more honorable than politicians generally, we
will have to say, as we say all the time, that
their doings betray their origin. AS much as
we would prefer to maintain the honor OF our
country, its politicians and our party prefer
ences, true philosophy must override political |
error, and we must nete as ludicrous failure
any attempt to uphold as worthy scholastic
triumph the political fathers of our country at
the present day. We not only have Winslow
excitemsnts, but what mean our Babcock trials
and the suspicions which centre too near the
Presidential chair? Do they not all proclaim
The defects of education? Are they not mere
Judas among the chosen few
No, the leaven of crime is too general to admit
Of that charity the truth is that deficient,
education has made no provision to
guard Its W0rtnleS from leHptdIion, anu, WI
,tered with expectation, they stand till advan-
,ageously situated and then at a touch they
-eII.--rh. 4-.. r..,hli~ serrant- and the
is the same, they DO eGsoear
he weeds &c tho emulatieA and Selhshness I'M
planted at scheol-the teachers prizes lured
hem then, and "the almighty dollar" now.
Lock round you on world perversely blind,
See what contempt is fallen on human kind,
See wealth abused, and dignities misplaced,
Great titles, offices, and trusts disgraced.
r -
See womanhood despised, and manhood shamed
With infamy too nauseous to be named;
7ops at all corners. ladylike in mien,
Civeted fellows, smelt ere they are seen;
Else coarse and rude in manners, and their
tongue
IN fire with curses, and with nonsense hung.
Vow fush'd with drunkenness; now with whore
dom pale,
Their breath a sample of last nights regale;
Zee volunteers in all the vilest arts,
Men we'll endow'd, of honorable parts,
Design'd by nature wise, but selfmade fools;
All these, and more like these, were bred at
schools"
Respectfully yours, F. B. L.