Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-11-08
Mental Discipline.


Science Monthly, by Mr. Merwin, he
says: The conclusion appears to be
that mental discipline is an incident of
right education; never an end" Says
another writer: 1T would be utterly
contrary to the beautiful economy of
nature, if one kind of culture were need
ed for the gaining Of information. and
another kind were needed as a mental
gymnastic Everywhere throughout
creation we find faculties developed
through the performing of these func-
tions which it is their office to perform,
not through the performance Of artif-
cial exercise devised to fit them for
these functions" Experience and OBJ
servation seem to evince that the more
spontaneously the faculties of the mind
are exercised, the more intensely they
will be stimulated to healthful devel-
opment, and this is effected in no man
ner SO effectually as when exercised on
subjects in which the person feels an in
terest and experiences a pleasure
Would ''gymnastic' c. exercise of the in
fant's mind more successfully enlarge
and strengthen its faculties. than by its
natural process of quickening its per-
ception and its other faculties?
\ forced stimula, or that of slavish
fear seems to be the least effective of
any. The pupil who is compelled, in an
arbitrary manner, to fix his attention
upon his lesson, may improve in the
moral element of patience, or in the i'm
moral of anger, and thus, indirectly, the
intellect may be developed; but, of
course, this process is not desirable
one. The stimula of rivalry or emula-
ton may be more effective, for it pre-
sents more agreeable motive. yet per-
haps not more laudable one Utility
prompting brings into exercise more of
the powers of humanity According to
Mr. Merwin, Until schools were created
all study had for its object real or ap-
parent utility. and, that study outside of
schools at the present time is for knowl-
edge or utility He maintains that be-
fore schools existed men attained com
paratively high state of mental culture
And it is observed that the untutored
forest man is remarkable for his acute
ness of perception and pertinacity of
memory; and besides, many of the intel
lectually clear and strong minded men
of our own nation have not been much
favored with school training. Such as
Lincoln. Jackson, Corwin and johnson,
who received their mental discipline in
the back woods. on the fiat boat, in the
shop, on the farm, or on the battle field
and in social conflict
Says Merwin: Study what is useful,
and the resulting discipline will be most
valuable Useful habits are incidental
results of useful work" The arm of the
blacksmith will be as effectually
strengthened by using sledge in fash
ioning a useful article as in pounding an
anvil alone The hand and eye of the
hunter or the soldier will be as thor
oughly disciplined in the act of saving
his life with his gun as in shooting at a
mark. Shooting at a mark, or playing
a game of chess, may have good dis
ciplinary effect; but if constructing a
machine or contesting case in law.
will accomplish this purpose as well,
two useful results are obtained instead
of one. The use of a narcotic ingredi.
ent, or some other poisonous or stimu-
lating article, may serve to quicken the
energies of the brain, but it cannot be
questioned that the use Of nutritious
articles of equally stimulating proper
ties should be preferred
The presence of parents, and other
persons of position and influence, to
witness the mental efforts of pupils. is
highly appreciated by teachers; and the
more elevated their position the more
salutary their influence. The corolary
follows. that the conscious presence Of
intelligences of higher sphere than
earthly will exert corresponding dis
cisplmary influence upon pupils whose
consciences are enlightened by truth.
These thoughts have been suggested,
in part, in view of the general conces-
sion OF the advocates Of the study of
the dead languages, and some branches
of mathematics, that they ARE not ac-
quired so much for their utilityin after
life, as for the advantages which the
mental faculties receive in studying
them And it seems, from an able ar
ticle in the last number of the Science
Monthly, on this subject, by A. B.
Stark, LII. D., that the utility is very
limited. He says: After that all the
years spent in the study of these dead
languages), not one in a thousand of our
thousand college graduates learns to
read them; and doubt if there are ten
teachers of them in America who can
read them. | need not say word about
Greek These are the words of man
who has devoted sixteen years of his
early life to the dead languages.
AN OBSERVER