The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-09-06
uuaALD DALGETTY
O.oD. into a Disquisition upon E""-
cation,
wherein ne Exhibits the sh"''o"'''
Of Mems Professions
srrnrsLANr, Aug. 27, 1879

|
To the Editor OF The Comet
Among the FIRST literary efforts OF my mo
was an essay-a brief essay-on 'lie iinpo''
ant subject of EDUCATION.
My opinion now is, that the ar''io WIS
not valuable as literary product'on ea''
;sfactory, to certain extent, it certainty
WAS to its author, In that 1t aVer1eu 'ne
castieation that was its alternative pu' INC
teacher was not enthusiastic in oommenoN
ING its merits, and the big boys anu e'f''
laughed it to scorn.
Their Judgment may have been correct.
The article. as I said, was brief 1t started
with the proposition that education Is
Good thine"-it got no further than the
proposition-it didn't even prove ~ 10 'ne
satisfaction of any one disposed to be skep-
tica,. and it didn't illustrate or elaborate
The earnestly hypocritical appeal to inc
"beloved schoolmates" (boys VINO pouhoe'
and girls who pinched me,) to use unswerV-
mo diligence in the improvement OF our
onnortunities. was neither original nor ele-
can't and the allusion to the kindsome ana
patient labor of our beloved teacher' couiu
onlv compare with the elegance and eio-
ouence with which that part of the subject
is generally treated by older and moro &C.
complished essayists, in its total insineefity
and abiect todyism. 1t was too thin to IN
j finance the one-eyed Irish tyrant 1t was
aimed to mollify.
Tn the forty wears since that day, have
lived to doubt the only merit of my earliest
affort-its truthfulness: meaning, the only
J. merit that then believed it to possess; tor
o narents. grand parents, uncles, aunts, teach
If ers, preachers, family friends, the whole
1t world. one might say, bore unanimous ana
% nersistent witness to the fact that education
1t was more to be desired than great riches
% and so they told us boys; and 80 we DE-
at lieyed; and 30 the essay stated-orieny
lie souarely, tersely, positively, and falsely
~ stated
e. If were going to write another essay Oh
or tha same subject, it might be longer one
re it might contain some very good aaEioo u
I'd bows and girls; but the average teacher ant
ey his average coadjutors might seek IN vail
ey for a compliment in all lis pages. But
n before TIL taacher of the period, IL woui'
it be proper to notice other parties. In
H. parents of the young roprobateS who are i
tn be the future independents, graeNbaokors
y, and soaptails of this g4sat nation, might
Ly, made the subject of remonstrance ana al
les monitiou. The best of good advice NIGH
I'm he thrown away upon them in great profr
La sion They might read it, from the cur
en- ositv men feel to examine novelty Inc
IN, MIGHT admit some of its facts, and fe
led amused at others; and controvert other
~. They would admit the general necessity
ex- training mp children-of educatlng-of
is cause it liz customary to pretend to col
es yiction of that necessity; they would enJt
an n reference to the blunders and general IL
efficiency of largo class of teachers the
at would abnogate the intmation, and NEE
by with emphatic denial, the statement tn
oat themselves are derelect in parental dut
re- and practically incompetent to hold contf
UNI of the young people whom mallgna
destiny has made their children
d Reoin at the lowliest cabin in all the Ian
the or 90, if you please, to all the lowly caDl
nd. in the nation; go up the grade OF hum
t of habitations until you make the rounds
by the palatial abodes of republican arist'
lum racy, and every denizen who heads fam
in any and each abode, will tell you tt
pres the paramount desire of his life is to et
med cate hin children. And he lies. John SIN
and will tell you SO. John Smith, whose MID
d to name is X, will express no regret at
ulae poverty, except that it disables him tr'
and educating the Junior Johns, to point
I'M least, at which they might dispense W
/ to the x in signing their promissory notes.
lar- this wise Mrs John X sympathizes with
l of 10 John: ''If Sary Jane could read
the them Jones gals, wouldn't begrudge
len- thin," she says.
sill. The Jones girls, you will understand,
one difficulty read and dimly understand
S on exciting incidents of the dime novels,
the admire beyond expression the gaudy 70
+ the of the misshapen angels in the fash
to be plates of "the Fine Fashionable Fen
} the Fools Folio Magazine, and Blindside u
ly- panion." Lying John x! Mistaken II
of lane Smith. "The fear of the Lord is
not beginning of wisdomn-yet the Smith b
lieve fish and hunt rabbits on Sunday, with
dol- castigation or remonstrance from ~
.esist Sary Ann dips home made snuff wit
so as dogwood tooth brush, and talks about
have neighbor girls scandalously; and the
lould ternel Tidy Jane, whose duty plainly
lance dicates that no poker should be left uni
by in educating against such an aoomin
, by a habit, sits quietly smoking, looking
ID its hearing, tolerating.
con- Now the Jones family live in hewn
house. The senior Jones-called So
lrlow Jones when present, and cold Jones"
at re- absent, by his neighbors and frien'
lands can read aid almost understand a s.
!, that article in newspaper. The young
made Jopeses can make out to read at tho en-
ne of each annual four months session of the
school, and having good memories,
lpaci- really being naturally smart boys,
lue to learn again at the beginning OF the
ne OF term.
o the The teacher, I'd grade certificate I
r, i. e. boards with the Jones family, and i
eircu- would ike to be gallant and Agreeabl
ty in Miss Tuscarora, the eldest daughter OF
silver Jones' house and heart She has been
hough term to the Topemoh Female Institute
d. 1t improved her oppayouiiies to ihe 74tei
as qualifying herself to act the difficult part