The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-11-06
DAILY INTELLICENCER.
Thursday, November 8, 1879


WIKI lilt.c buaDOy ILeN HUI D SIea'
many cheap scars-pins ard slsasy en-
bro.dsred clippers. On the Contrary
he packs in reasonable compass q good
ly number Of serviceable garments II
eIcelien. repair, AMI goes forth neat,
wholesome, and OF al equs! mind, APP
propria:ely fitted for his journey and
lis work.
This man goes on his journey. and
his children stay behind, for the famous
public school Of their ward or district
demBnds their presence, and the absent
fathers orders arc strict; thy must lie
prepared for the greater journey of
life and it, business Week after week
their young heads are stuffed with a
little information on a great number
of subjects astronomy, physiology,
drawing, vocal music. German, natural
philosophy. grammar. etymology
snort, plenty Of cheap scarf pins and
slippers The sturdy everyday needs
Of serviceablc arithmetic mot glib.
memorized sets Of iigure,,) Of accurate
aud intelligent reading, OF easy writing
and correct speech. fare badly among
such hos. Of studies. They are
brushed over hastily by rOte like all
the others. and shabby enough they
ars. as they s'e packed away among
the scari-pins for tina. long and busy
Journey. The precise and intimate
knowledge Of common branches. with
out which no man can be decently
equipped for work Of any sort, is dis
carded for what Mr.. Charles Francis
Adams aptly calls veneer and sham.
The experiment Of "snstter has
been sufficiently tried in the American
public schools. 1t is sort Of decora-
tive art OF which we have had great
deal too much. There is in most Of
our cities vast school expenditure to
little purpose. While this journal has
no mind 10 preach economy in this
direction. it has d reasonable desire to
see all this money used with common
sense and honest discretion. Taere ia
something too much Of drawing and
vocal music. Of 'osopby aud 'olOgy,
about the school courso. The frantic
enthusiasm about drawing which ami
mated School Boards and Superinten>
dents several years ago is getting cooler
and cooler and in many places the
number OF drawing teachers has been
reduced. and a pitiful effort is made to
train the regular teachers to the work.
This enthusiasm unfortunately. has
cost great deal Of money, and its chief
practical result ha, been that a num-
Der Of stiff drawings wero exhibited at
the Centennial celebration in Philadel-
phis. Whatever good in the way Of
handiwork this study in our schools
has accomplished could have been
brought about in wiser way. The
training Of the eye" and cultivation
Of the tastes" SO much talked about by
some Ct the people who make their liv-
ing by teaching drawing in these
schools, have, in all truth and sadness.
never yet been disc, rned. To use the
language OF common sense. this is
trash. The training to read with intel
ligence and appyeciatiye understand
ing one famous masterpiece Of the
English language. would be worth. in
the way Of cultivation. n thousand Of
these drawing lessons.
Possibly ono pupil in five hundred
has some impulse given TO his hand in
drawing which may make him in after
lifo better mechanic. The other 400
have meanwhile acquired DO defines
which will assist them on tho farm. in
tho counting room. or in the kitchen
Why should oil these by wrongly busted
for tho sake of ones 1t is not unlikely
that the solution Of the much. discussed
problem OF industrial education lies in
the establishment of well-equipped and
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS free technical
schools in every city and town. The
cutting of OF tho superiluities, which
now only lead TO "veneer and SHAM"
would save large sums which could be
put to better use. To these schools
could bc sent those children who, by
natural bent. would belong therein.
There is no danger but that suf'it lent
time could DO found both for an i'm
proved public school course aud
technical school course. That changes
arc on tho way to be made is very evi.
dent In nearly every State. As our
readers are aware, tho door is ajar in
the Boston primary schools-in that
Boston which. having tried all the
new ideas" in education. is now set.
Ting upon that most excellent one. the
Quincy plan" Hereafter, the little
people of that great city are 10 be
taught" instead Of being made 10
memories aud gable by platoons.
They are to acquire not u gl,tterin2
varnish. but n pimble Intelligence
which will take them on, iuto the
world in good case, and give to their
minds the same comfort and readiness
which stout and well fitting clothes
give H. their bodies.
Too Mucu READING. There can bs
no doubt that too much rsad,ng leaves
a man no time fer thought Tho artist
does not study colors and drawing all
his life. aud never paint He is taught
how to start. and then learns to pain,
by painting. The artisan doesn't
spend lifetime in training his eye
and hand. aud accommodating muscle ;
he Go,s h,s tools and goes TO work
That part Of the intellectual workman q
education which comes from reading is
to teach HIM how 10 use his tools. that
is. his mental faculties. Ii wings his
imagination; il tames his fancy it
enligh,eaes his judgement il arms
his reason: II onrioaes his memory
Aud when his mind is thus develop a
and equipped it is as ready for begin
ming its l,fework as the blacksmith.
arm is when be gets strength and skill
10 WELD the hammer. Too many
students make Of the world q gymnasi-
um instead Of workshop: they are