The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1879-10-22
Education-a Few Concluding
Practical Thoughts.

In the series Of editorials which
have recently appeard in this paper
on the subject Of education, we have
endeavored to express in as clear
language as we could command its
design, 1t is not an end, but Il
means to accomplish an end. The
design of education is TO train and
discipline the mind, to develop all
our native powers, and to equip Il
man for his great life-work. We
have been liberal in our views as to
methods. We have not insisted on
any particular type. On the contra.
ny we have admitted that there is
much fexibility in the methods to
be pursued. Different minds are to
be trained in different ways. Only
this did we insiS on, that the judg.
ment of the wisest and the best is in
favor of about an equal proportion
of languages, ancient and modern, Of
mathematics and the sciences, both
mental and physical, as the curricu.
lum to bring out all powers and train
them to the highest culture. The
ancient athlete endured hardness.
He exercised every muscle, bore with
accomplishing patience the hard
training of the gymnasium, and
when he bounded into the arena he
had all the agility of a young Loop.
ard orthe spring of the king of the
forest.
We now come to discuss q practi-
cal question intimately connected
with this whole subject-how can
these attainments be procured? We
answer-by paying, and paying lib
orally, for them. No man who has
spent years Of his precious time and
thousands of his money can afford to
give his brain-work for nothing. He
must be fully compensated for all his
requirements. If his attainments
have cost nothing he deserves moth.
ing; but if q teacher has spent large
means aid years of patient toll to
acquire his endcwments then must
he have full remuneration for his Ia.
bors. Men ordinarily pay libelally
for the services of a lawyer, and Sc.
lcct also the best when they employ
one. They do the same with refer
ence to physicians. They get the
best and pay well for the services of
a man Of eminence. Why then not
get the best teachers and pay well
for their services? A cheap teacher
is ordinarily dear one in the end.
He does not know what to teach
and how to teach; he gives the mind
q wrong bias just at the time when
the habits Of study are to be formed,
which will either cling through life
to the pupil or will require years to
unlearn what has been enormously
learned at the start. The old max
i'm, "The child is father to the man. y
is sadly true in relation to mis.di-
rected education in its incipient
stages. 1t is harder to break u bad
habit after it has become fixed than
to form u good one at the start. 1t is
also true that a good teacher is the
best for beginners. The mistake so
commonly made by parents is that
eny sort of teacher will do for the
juveniles, but an accomplished one
is necessary to give the finishing
touch. This is the reason why so
many pupils become discouraged.
Having no proper training at the
start every step becomes a drudgery,
until finally the whole matter is
abandoned with digust, and parents
themselves are dissatisfied and CON
clude that it is of no use to waste
money in fruitless efforts to educate
their children Grcenbrier hdcpcnd.
cnt
As Pennsylvania politicians elect
no State officers this fnll to sneak of