Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-08-16

ties" II study can be found that will
perform the double Office Of education
and slower, that will build the cells and
ill them with something useful at the
same time, IL will be to our schools what
those flowers which furnish both wax
and honey arc To the bees. IL Is n very
important point to determine which
studies are best calculated To do this
work. The multiplication table, hlstor-
ical dates, and spelling, having to do
almost entirely with the faculty OF the
memory, will hardly do il. Nor will al
zebra, which is 10 the intellectual Glcul-
ties very much what double convex
lens Is 10 light or heat convcrging them
90 single point, thereby dcycloping the
attention, answer the entire purpOse.
Those studies which tend TO cultivate
To high degree the greatest number of
The nobler intellectual faculties, not
only perception, attention, aud memory,
but also the will, the Judgement, the UNI
derstandlng, and the various faculties of
the reason, must always hold front
rank. III all our studies in the schools
were To be Judged by the touch stone OF
utility--utility, mean as tool, not as
q faculty--how few of those which de-
velop true nobility and manhood would
be LETT. How soon all labor action, con.
vcrsation, and thought, would sink down
to one level plane from which the wears
would be ever subtracting. The growth
/ Of modern industry renders necessary "A
reconsideration Of the adaptability of
the old school system in order 10 meet
all the wants OF the society that is now
being formed. Our pupils will not be
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science and organization produce. II
they should desire TO be. They will find
that skilled labor is n powerful lever.
but IT. must be that skill which has not
only natural abilityand manual dextcrity.
but there must be acqaircd and appropri-
ate knowledge, i'm order To sustain itself.
They will find chat though skilled mus
Giles are excellent, Il trained brain is ne.
ceSsary to give force and direction to
their power. They will find that edu-
Gated skill Is the best of constables, that
the school house is far better than the
Jail, that more than tivc-siXths of the
inmates of our prisons are from the
great mass Of unskillcd, illitcratc, labor
ers. They will find that those who have
not needed the lessons taught by these
facts, will he tagging sadly behind, both
materially and morally, that they will
be lager recruits for the sad army of the
dangerous Glasses"
II we consult reason, eXpeience, and
the common testimony OF ancient and
modern times, we shall soon conclude
that he who wishes TO go higher than
the plane over which past generations
have gone; he who wishes to make
himself worthy OF tile times in which he
lives he who wishes to be more than a
mere cog or wheel in the great maChin-
cry of organized industry, must soar
above the three RS. No man is well
fitted to be leader who can count the
studies he has pursued, on the fingers
of one hand. There is certainly no
danger of learning too much. The man
who Is most useful in community, who
Is safest and happiest, is he who carries
Il reserve of capital in his brain.
wonld most respectfully urge, there
fore, MS have done every year for the
last five years, thaC something be done
ny this Board for the encouragement. at
least, Of these so called higher branches.
Those studies which arc embraced i'm
our school course, have been treated
with respect in the schools throughout
the state, aud humbly trdst that they
may at least receive cOuntcnance here
Gour resolution passed last winter, for
! bidding their study, and also the con-
current resolution forbidding my hearing
more than four recitatlons a day, to-
gether with the spirit that seemed to lie
behind these, can be regarded, believe,
| in 10 other light than actually closing
our schools to every fairly diligent pu-
pill who has passed the are of fourteen
| would not turn pupil out of school
simply because he is diligent, or even
ambitious. If there should be sui
flcicnt number to form a class in the
studies above the grammar school, |
would by all means let thcm proceed To
the extent of our school course, if they
so desired. 1t would be great benefit
TO the lower graGcs. The influence oil
higher education in schools extends |
downward and acts rs u powerful mag
net, increasing enthusiasm in anticipa- |
ton Of passing to something higher
1t benefits all the lower schools by feed |
ing the ambition of all those who are |
possessed of that precious element of
character. Where there is no higher
school, the grammar school, of course,
taken as the limit of school work, and
this being their aim, they will as the
custom is, fall short O. their mark
while, If the mark were higher, they
might still fall short, but they would re-
ceive much greater benefit from the
grammar schools.
1t appears 10 me that the business of |
the true educator is ever TO lead on, to
point out to the great, eager army OF
youth, those nobler, higher paths that
lead forth into the limitlcss field OF.
science and Industry. Their desire for
learning should not be repressed, nor
their opportunities curtailed to the lin
its of those of twenty-five years ago
We cannot tell what special fields our
pupils may be called TO explore, but GER
tain IL is that they will find the 0cld
much wider and much richer than we
have found it. They will find them
selves surrounded by circumstances and
comforts which n few decades ago kings
could not purchase, and possessed of
hat knowledge of science and phcnom-
ma of which even modern philosophy
never dreamed.
In order that school may flourish In
any community, there must he recog-
milton of its wants and an appreciation
If its value. Teachers can do their
best only when they have the cooperation
,f the parents and the Board. This be-
ng given. tlle rest will generally follow.
fault finding, cynical crit
cism without suggesting any improvement
nent, is never productive of any good
md is never INDUCED in by a true
riend of education. We are pleased To
say, however, that, during the past year,
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