Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1879-10-30
rur oRDER OF rnE rnoDTcAL.

TH II OOlODLR oU, AOts
THE ORDER OF THE PRODICAL-
The story Of the Prodigal Son is a Bible
story. 1t has . direct bearing upon the
right ordering of life, and some of its ap-
plications have been made with great fidel-
ity to its obvious purpose. But because it
is q Bible story it by no means follows that
the Order Of the Prodigal should be per-
petuated. That. single instance may suf-
fee. This ardent young man took his pat
rimony, and, going away into a far conn
try, spent it in riotous living. Afterward
he satisfied his hunger with husks. Per-
haps that was preferable to starvation. but
it should be remembered that the young
man did not dine and sup on husks so long
as he had the means Of procuring better
food.
Reference is made to this old story be-
cause at this time, and with the lesson it
embodies and enforces constantly before
mems eyes for at least five hundred years..
an attempt is made to revive the Order of
the Prodigal. This attempt is connected
with the education OF youth. There is no
charge that essential knowledge has de-
creased. We all know that it has not.
Nor is there any augmentation Of the price
Of essential knowledge. We all know that
the liberality Of modern times has in good
degree ~equalized opportunity for gaining
knowledge. In many of the States the
schools are free, and so far as elementary
education is concerned, the poorest child
has as good chance as the richest. But
the men who map out the line of march for
our practical educators, and the men who
make our text books, seem to have been
reading the story of the Prodigal back
ward. They provide and prescribe husks
as the proper pabulum for inquirins minds.
And they give the prescription the force Of
law and regulation.
We do not question the intention of
these parties, but their wisdom. There is
no good reason why our children should
be fed on husks; none why teachers should
be compelled to feed them to our children.
And there is in human affairs no more
clearly established fact than that anything
subjected to a constant strain l~osesits elias
ITCHY. Particularly is this so Of the mind.
The business man who overloads his life
with business cares, suddenly falls out OF
the advancing column. The mind needs
owarusoa s,ak a. <lo 1-.o. .41I -, L,k -
also needs stated periods of repose. How
is it now with our school children? They
return from the school-room with a load OF
books, and up to the hour of retiring, are
deep in the shallow mysteries Of those
books. The bow never unbends; their
sleep is disturbed by dreams Of the tasks
imposed And there are no exceptions
among children who maintain a good aver
age by merit. Ask one OF these children q
question, such as they must meet at every
turn Of life, and they become confused.
They can answer the written question, as
1t Is in the books but the business Of life
does not put questions in that way. The
questions Of the average textbooks are SO
swathed in verbiage. and the prescribed
answer 80 thickly enveloped in husks. that
education becomes mechanical. We are
filing the mind Of youth with husks pre-
cisely a. the Prodigal filed his belly. only
we have no c for doing 1t; he had.
Teaching that does not teach, but which
shovsls . mass Of stuff into children. ss
grain Is shovslsd into a hopper. is the or
der OF this day. II the mind were q hop
per it would not matter; bat the mind 10
IN assimilation OF mental food. and can no
more take care Of the husks Of things than
the stomAch can take care Of the husks Of
grain. To educate IL to d~svslop-nos
TO cram. Even the lowest form Of life
teaches that.