Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-05-29
A Dialogue on Education.

made, and how often q United States Sen
ator is elected, and In retsrn will"
| had reached this point the other even
ing when there come a ring at the doc
bell. and after = minute discovered tha
Mr.. Old fogy had decided on another at
tack. lie meant to give me dts this time
He brought along with him two or three
school teachers, and they At once walked
into my school room. did at first have 4
sign OF state Prison over the door, so a.
to mske II seem like regular school house
10 the pupils, but as they insisted upon /,
as tovelty, l removed the sign.
"Wen. you have been teaching. see" "
Observed Mr.. Old Fogy
"Yts. six of these children belong in the
neigh,orhood, and do not attend any regu-
lar school"
| we don't exactly agree on the school
| quesiico. you know" said Nr. Old Fogy,
You did rather stump me the other night,
| but Ia Ike you to ask some OF these teach
ers a few questions"
VERY veil; Mr.. Blank. please tell me
how many bushels OF wheat In a barrel OF
foury'
"Why, that isn't regular question: he
replied IS be looked around.
Isn't IL Your arithmetic says that
sixty ponn,s OF wheat make a bushel, and
because II does not say how many bushels
make barrel OF -four. the farmer who Is
figuring On his years supply must be left
in Ignorance. Here Is ChArley-only nine
years old-he may answer"
From four and half to five bushels, :"
the boy replied.
Now. Mr.. Blank. can you name the
more prominent stsrs?"
Il can, sir"
II thought so. but eau you tell me how
many spokes there are in the from. wheel
OF a bugSy-can any Of your
II protest." cried Mr.. Old Fogy, but
they didn't answer. for all that.
"Well, Mr.. Blank, can you translate
La,lnr'
II can. sir
"No doubt Of II; bat can you tell me
how to preserve cider:"
There you go AGAIN. cried Mr.. Old
Fogy. but none OF them could tell.
Are you familiar with cube root, Mr.
Blsnkl"
IL am"
But can you tell me the salary Of our
Governor;
None OF them could.
Try some OF the ladies, suggested Mr..
Old Fogy. after few more questions.
"All right. Miss Blink, are you good in
algeora?"
Il think so"
And can you tell me how many yards
OF cotton to buy for pair OF pillow slipsT'
why. no"
DO you know what will take stains out
OF = table cloth or sreesc spots out OF a
csrpet:'
NO. .ir "
%, an you direc, a cook 10 make pie-crus,
or mix biscuit or breadr'
NO. sir"
DO you know the acreage length OF a
lace curtajR''
NO. SIR"
''Can you mix a mustard plaster. tell me
a ready antidote for poison, suggest a fam
ily remedy FOR a cold or sore throat, tell
nc how many yards In a bunch OF dress
braid. the number OF yards OF ticking 20
maze a bed tick. way 10 remove paint
from windows, or how 10 make cruel for
the sica r
No. sir"
What are you driving att" Indignantly
demanded Mr UId Fosy.
I'm let my class 90. aud tell you. Let
me fir., remark that haven't asked ques-
tion which these children here can't an
swer. This lit,le girl will promptly answer
everything | have asked Miss Blink. and
yet -he : not ten years old A month ago
| told her that alum and brown sugar would
relieve Group. A week ago at dead OF
night, reused from sleep by her parents
aud the walls OF her sick brother she pre-
pared the remedy while her father was
AFTER the doctor and her mother was eIcii
ed and helpless, and 10 half an hour the
Group vas gone. You ask what atn driv
ing a.? Women are called helpless, and
We do not looA to see them have presence
OF mid. Why are they so. Simply be-
cause hey may know algebra By heart and
yet no. know what's an antidote tor almost
every poison. They learn astronomy aud
yet dOa't know what Is good for burn or
how % stop the nose bleed. They know all
about botany and yet cannot tell what TO
do for person who has tainted away"
"BIt I'm not a honsekeeper,' protested
Ml-s Blink.
"No; well, every woman looks forward
10 marriage. They were born TO IT, Every
female expects TO be rich. but not one Ia
five hundred can so marry as 10 throw the
entire responsibility of her house OH hired
help Six out often may have a servant,
but unless the mistress knows how things
should 90 what can be expected Of the girl.
While the lady sits Ia Ge parlor and real
izes that she can draw, play the plano and
read French, the help breaks, smashes
and throws away, and the family are soon
look ng for \ cheaper house. Miss Blink
here may marry aud never lift hand, but
II she knew every duty-if she knew rem
sdies and rsc!pes-wouldn't she have more
self-reliance and be better prepared for her
responsibilities:
"Can you name one married lady In De
troit who makes use OF algebra: Can you
name one who Is ever iDconvenienced for
the want of geometry? Do you know OF
one who wouldn't trade OF all her Latin
for 8 cure for cornsT
Mr. Old Fogy said he thought it looked
as II we would have a snow storm.
Then take the other side We do not
teach our boys to be observing and then
we turn around and call them needless.
We pass the hugs OF every day life and
let them grasp at the theoretical. Thus
they become helpless. They can name the
planets, but they cannot give the leGgth
and width of brick. They can name every
ancient philosopher, but they can't put up
the stoyepipe; they can figure in cube-root,
but they can't tell all-wool cloth from half
cotton. We let them go to school for
years, are proud TO find that they know so
much. and then discover that they can't
tell why hickory wood will burn longer
than pine, and we hear somebody say Of
them: He has a hne education but no
horse sense"
Mr.. Old Fogy suggested that it was get
ting late.
"NOw then, some Of you tell me about a
business man who has made his money
through a classical education. Tell me one
lawyer who wins BY howery speeches and
I'll name a dozen who win by arguments
which even boys can digest. Name q mer-
chant who buys at random, as We educate
our children, and l will name the day Of
his failure. Name one who can tell you
how TO saw out q bootjack, build an ice
box. putty in pane OF glass, mix paint,
or hang a gate. and III show you that he
is doing q safe business, dictated by obser-
walton and common sense. Last year =
gentleman with ine collegiate education
opened q grocery store on certain street
In this city, asking no advice IS to location
and making no observations Of the move
ments Of the public. He had got nicely
opened when q bootblack called In one day
and bluntly said:
Gimme . cents worth Of peanuts!'
peanuts! Boy, l don't keep peanut
stand!" was the indignant reply.
'You won't keep even = peanut stand
here two months from now!" cluckled the
lad as he lonnged out.
In i've shoro was fuiInro ond