New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-08-20
CORRESPONDENCE.
Educational Progress.
ARTICLE I.

Into this 'GreaC central Slaln, wa
tered by majestic rivers, and fertile as
the historic valley of the Nile, now are
pouring all nationalities of the world.
All sections Of the republic lind here
their center. s.rf >ss Il
From the northern, southern, and
middle sections OF the Atlantic slope,
from the west, the Pacific shore, and
from far off Asia, immigrants are
coming here. The telegraph and rail
road communication, all over the world
are bringing into close connection, all
mankind 50 that each one lives, as it
were, on the border-land, and shakes
hands with the people across his front.
Ter. saz.:9 =.a4 .a$ f#
Each nationality has learned some
thing essential from the other; and as
each nationality has some peculiar trait
not found in the other, they clash
against each other and the rough angles
are worn off. @
Each individual of. the hnman race
has an experience of his own, and since
man has first a tongue and then pen,
he communicates his ideas to others,
and thus common fund of intelligence
is established. Were it not for cul-
tured, ennobled language, where would
history, science and poetry be? The
inevitable answer is, in oblivion. And
the highest point OF knowledge would
be to-day just what it was 5000 years
ago. From the fact that boy OF good,
sound mind may now become better
scholar at Is than a man was able to
become at fifty, in ages long ago, is
not all owing to the boy s intellect, but
to the great advantages by which he is
surrounded, and helped. .s5 -
The remark has been made that edu-
cation in our country is quite peculiar,
and is strictly an American system,
and that all our efforts ought to be
bent to develope and perfect it as an
American system, Independently of
presidents. .ss
But. has it any definite Specification?
One of our aborigines might talk quite
consistently and intelligently of an
American system of education, and
might point to a training in the use of
the bow for war;. and for hunting the
deer, or buffalo. @ a#g
The Chinese, the Hindoo, and the
Hottentot, might each claim q system
peculiar to his country. But Of the
nations who lie within the stream of
European civilization, how is it pos
sible for any one to claim independence
Of the past, whether in science, and
letters, in arts, religion, in government
or in education! Are we not an out
growth Of modern Europe?
The men who first settled this coun.
try came from Europe, with thoughts
which they had thought there, with
pri nciples which they had gained
there, and to plant her institutions
which had sprung up there, escaping
it may be, from impediments, persecu-
ton, and oppression, which at the time
were in the ascendant there, to find
here fairer climate, and a more gent
al soil, and to breathe the pure air of
freedom; but Europeans, with Euro.
pean ideas too, running back 20 centu-
ries, binding together the past, the
present and the future.
Our science, art, and our literature,
with one consent, we give them a
European origin. The spirit of our
constitution is found in the English
constitution. Our representative gov.
eminent symbOlizes with that of Eng
land. Our common law was the COM
mon law of England. Is it in aduca-
ton then that we are purely original!
Is there nothing Of foreign origin here!
Let us see. The first institution Of
learning was founded at Cambridge
Massachusetts,. It was founded by
men who had been educated in Eng
lish universities.
F5& After this, other institutions were
founded in different parts Of our coun-
try, such as Yale college in New Hay.
en-, and Nassau Hall, or New Jersey
college in Princeton; and they are all
after the same model. This is true in
general of all Che colleges that have
been founded in our country.
Who, then, after tracing the pro-
grees of education in this country does
not see that they are a reprod uction
Of the English colleges?
They have their head master or pre-
sident; they have all the same under
graduate classes with the same names;
the annual commencement exercises
and the academical degrees Of Bachel.
or and master Of Arts. .54
The necessity of education felt by
all, has led to a system Of popular ed.
ncation, which is the glory Of our ma.
ton. In popular education, we sym
bolize most closely with Germany.
Our ancestors knew that a privilege
which costs the people nothing, is
neverduly estimated, and is never i'm.
nrnvad tn the hest ADVANTAGE