The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-07-09
Too Much ~Crammipg.

One of the crying evils Of our time
in America is a fundamental Tiscon-
ception of the true functions of edu-
cation. 1t is very generally assumed
among US that education consists
chiefly in the knowledge of facts, and
that all facts are valuable for educa-
tional purposes. Early in our nation
al existence we took up the educa-
tional hobby aud have ridden it long
and vigorously. No commonplace is
SO dear to the popular orator as that
which points with pride" to the
vastest system of common schools
the world has ever seen, and traces
al intimate connection between our
free institutions and our free schools
In no respect is the superiority OF
republican America over the efete
monarchies of the Old World sup
posed to be more incon.estable than
in the quantity and quality of the
education impaired By our public
schools.
As the natural result Of this wide.
spread and pernicious error a system
Of unnatural examining has made its
way and now reigns supreme in our
schools. colleges and female semina-
ries. During the first half of the
century the evil was confined within
narrow proportions, from the fact
that the recent gigantic achievements
of scientific discovery had not then
been made, or a: least had rot been
p~opularized. But since the close of
our civil war our educators have
taken q new departure and proclaim
ed all knowledge TO be their specially.
As the years ordinarily devoted to
education prove inadequate for the
mastery of the constantly augment
ing list of sciences a growing pres
sure is exerted upon the pupils to in
duce them to pursue many studies at
once aud to devote nearly their whole
time to their books.
The unfortunate pupils are distract
ed by the multiplicity of the tasks to
be memorized and are weakened ply
sically and mentally by the strain up
on their faculties. In some rural
districts it is not uncommon to see
babes of four and FIVE wears of age
confined for six hours within school
rooms, and the chances are that they
are expected also to attend q
Sunday school and hear one or two
sermons each week. All this is
wrong. thoroughly and radically
wrong. Education does not consist
in the accumulation of facts, and it
may be safely asserted that three
fourths of the facts taught in our
schools and colleges prove absolutely
useless to the pupils in their subse
quent careers.
A pressing necessity of the time is
an Association for the Suppression
OF Useless knowledge" which shall
eliminate from cur course of study
more than half the branches which
are now taught therein. Every study
which can thus be suppressed is a clear
gain to true education. The best
educated man or woman is not the
one who has the largest assortment
of facts at command, but the one who
has mastered the problem, What
knowledge is most useful?r and re-
maius contensedly ignorant of q thou
sand things in knowing which the
half educated weakling takes espe cial
pride.
The great want ct our children un-
der sever years is to be let alone, and
not troubled with fects or maxims TO
be remembered. We must change
our ideas in respect TO education and
recognize that a healthy, hearty boy
or girl OF eight or nine years who ia
an adept at all the sports Of childhood
is fer better educated than the infant
prodigy who knows the boundaries
and capitals of every country in the
world, but cares nothing Tor the bail
or hoop. Three hours confinement
in school, say from nine to Twelve in
the morning, is amply u facient for
the children in onr primary schools,