New-York tribune., 1876-10-07
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE,
AMERICAN EDUCATION.

EXCEPTIONS TAKEN TO UNJUST COMPARISONS
INsTAYCEs or SUPERIORITY OVER OTHER Ma
TIoSs-sIGNAL TRIUBRHs-LETTER FROM PROF.
HoosR OF THE CORTLAND STATE NORMAL
SCHOOL.
TO the RAZOR Of The Tribune.
SIR: very common pesslmist OPINION oD-
tains in tho United States respecting our common
schools am not ignorant OF the fact that our systems
theories and methods OF education are IN cohuluoh
that is very far from perfection.
Our school system must be judged then by its entire
age of developmentt begins at tender years, IL ends
only with the complete results OF mature years
school-house Is simply nurseryits appliances may De
moor the nurse may be unletered but she may be am
bitious She may ns on ambition into the mind OF the
child or both child and may be so much III contact
with hurry and hustle OF busy life that both become
inspired 10 higher progress. Our American school sys-
tenn is them an institution which cannot be shown bythe
cubed schoohouse by the easy desk, by the chart by
the textbook by the drawings, by all these and these
alone They only indicate the condition OF the nursery
The only proper items then, mt the Centennial from
which to Judge wisely OF the educational system OF any
county are It's entire exhibit We then prepared to
pronounce upon the American system of education; Tor
the terms system OF education and system Of schools are
sufficiently synonymous TO serve the present purpose
First then financial credit abroad is so excellent
that our promises to pay" in good demand mt il2
per cent interests general reputation and influence
are 80 great that between 20 and 80 nations have
honored with their attentions and exhibits our state
National and individual munltcence furnished the
money by the millions for the OCCASION our city iur
nished grounds which luxurious for Their extent,
our mechanics conceived ana reared buildings Tor tue
Exhibition which would honor any nation on the lace Oh
the earth. giving one OF the Engsh gentlemen We oc,
sion of saving that II America had done nothing else
than erect these magnificent buildings she woh nave
honored herself Our productions IN tie Alan b@'lnE @
are not indifferent, and the exhibits of some depart
mcns there are crrdtable TO the ~ aegr1e. oT Nc
paper agency is complete for supplying al pOs'i"e III
formation to any one. our machines are extensive
reaching superior excellence IN nll aepartHcn.S. @ Uai
sanitary arrangements are adgqlt' tne plcC
,ncnts are nearly perfect. The United states Govern
mem - bulnE - od Of ji4stratiyc exhibit The several
STATE houses are indicative of thoughtfnine-s ana O
homclike living. The Agricultural hali IS marvel Vi
productive exhibit N all its departments
In the FrancoPrussian war the enterprise OF the Amer
lean press gave the world the earliest the most trust
worthy the most complete news and reports OF the
daily acts system OF education to the 'front.' again.
for the ambition and enterprise insted In It's youth.
Stanley OF the American press discovered Livingstone
Another result for the United states II our district
st h01l. have no grammar grades above ic-ilH MIh
there were THESE upper school, TO act as stinu 10
lower Onesyet our cyii ana sOclA ne tuln'si' % a,
afford cnou IA OF stimulus and oi nonlNe 10 eiea'o anu
OF those foreign countries. II we suffer IN
the nursery, We surely nave gam 3q H'o
broad arena" Which Is the better ior lhe "Orui
Our system Of education Is undoubtedly very faulty
and All that and set as my memory me, Dr. David
Murray o an American college has btcn, aud now u tho
central f,irc IN directing the educational affairs OF
japan. Dr. Murray IS product Oi the American edl'a-
tioual system. Minister Burugamc held great sway IN
the Ta,t-anoher result for s-and only the OF the
tGird ncrfi0u a4 To national ages Our country did
moi appnar 10 very bad advantage m the matter Qt al
iu,tiug the Aatama claims nc Geneva. TAat whOo NJ
Mraton was successfully managed by our representa-
tivcs who were the products of our school ~ STEMS De
such enterprise tH should goa long d nec heSiaO'
fishing conf lcucc ia Institutions IL may DC an
sNorsd that our Congress has hunglrt with to maIsr
mcui of thr award, since u PAID over lous rith
that and yct it j.. settled finally anu tHe "ist dhd
Just distribution may sti be made
| am reminded that Am rica produces no scholars
What other nation did IN it, brsJ century of life
But repc the charge Pfof. Huxley the great foreign
scholar - under obligations to Prof Marsh OF Yale Tor
the essence Of his second lecture In Nowiork. Az to
pcrmaneucy OF the teacLcr5 tenure Of Office II Il nm
uoubfriy an evil That % j. h.ici-and grave defect
t.mt tie constant change Ot local authorizes IN
ar asr, the evil would say only good ana
Kind words toward ull peoples WHO Gre rcVfr-
scented 10 our Centennial: | wOud give ilcm "ll
due hpuns and cItrit FOR Al tAtlr cAcclcH.ls' n't
when avn asked lu d-fIt1-r Ep butrp} uui American
rys tctu ~ schools l. us an educator IN hlnh' hh',
raise ny voice lon remembrance, ana Clhm tht iI'Ftte
of iryt-tic jilg tbc problem further AN 700 pro-
f1ur,Iy inr. .ct with tlo deficiencies in our curr1-
tiougI n s % rirlm freedom criticism for tu'n,
infancy IL Do uuduy IcpumIuaed at s!-ht oi foreign
u,f,y especially whtn D. d. NOT clear that even su'h
maturity wou,I b.st serve America. j. ". ion-L
,fott NornH and IraiHiHJ Nehp)i, Cortland ~ -
sept -, 1876.