The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1879-10-17
Educational Department.
J. H. SAUNDERS, EDIroR.
Falae Aims In EtlmcntIon.


FRlae Aims In Education.
1t is safe, at least, to make the pre
position that public schools are ours
to all the youth whom they unfit 70
their proper place in the world. Iti
the favorite theory of teachers tia
every man can make himself anythin
that he really chooses to make. The
resort to this theory to rouse the am
bition of the more sluggish pupils, an,
thus get more study out of them.
have known enthusiastic old fools VIII,
made it their principal business to o,
from school to school and talk sucI
stuff to the pupils as would tend t.
ct everyone of humble circum.
,~ ,'r and slender possibilities for the
:''O M lay before them. The facr
49,. -, ignored iD many of these
sVuOv,s' ,..; sed emphatiealIy for
majority Or the places - sSts ~ NJ ~ sIhs
subordinate and low R0ces. Every
boy and girl is taugI to be "some-
thing" in the world, hlch would be
very we'll if being "suething were
being what God intened they should
be; but when being fOmething" in
wolves the transformatin of what G cd
intended should be respectable
shoemaker into very edIferent aud
very slow minister of be gospel the
harmful aud even ridiculus character
of the instruction becOtes apparent
If we go into a school ehibition ouI
ears are deafened by declmations ad
dressed to ambition. Th boys have
sought out from literatub every stir
ring appeal to effort, ad every ex
travagant promise of rsard. The
compositions of the girl: are Of the
same general tone. We ear of "in'
finite yearniug" from the ips of girls
who do not kn5u enoughlo make {
pudding. and Of being pOhSed "afte'
the similitude of palace rom those
who do not comprehend u common
est duties of life.
Now, l believe that a scbol, in or
der to be good one, shnld be on'
that will fit men and wouen, in th'
best way, for the humble positions tina
the great mass of them muslnecessari
ly occupy in life. 1t is notnecessar.
that boys and girls be taught any les
thaI they are taught nov. The.
should receive more practical knowl
edge than they do now, Eithout
doubt, and less Of ahat whia is sim
ply ornamental; but they CAN'T kno'
too much. do not care qucl
knowledge a man may havs<'SfAire
10 school, that school has been a curs
to him if its influence has been
make him unhappy in his place, an
to fill him with futile ambitions.
There must be something RADICAL
wrong in our educational system whe
youths are generally unified for th
stations which they are to occupy,
are forced into professions for whic
they have no natural fitness. tt
truth is, that the stuff talked 10 DO!
aaa.girls alike about aiming high
and the assurance given them indi
crimiuately that they can be anythlr
that they choose to become, are esse'
tial nuisauees. Our children all 60
public schools; they are all taugI
these things; they all so out into Il
world with high notions, aud find
impossible to content themselves Wi
their lot. They hoped to realize
life that which had been promised the
in school but all their dreams ha'
faded, and left them disappointed al
unhappy. They envy those who
they have been taught to consid
above them, aud learn to count the
own lives a failure. What we great
need 10 this country is the inculcati
of sober views of life. Boys and gi
are bred to discomfort. Everyboy
after a high place, aud nearly ever
body fails to get one, aud, failir
looses heart, temper and content. 7
multitude dress beyond their mea
and live beyond their necessities,
keep up a show of being what tn
are not. Humble emplOyments &
held in contempt, and humble pow
are everywhere making high emplc
meut contemplate. Our children ne
to be educated to fill in christian /
mility the subordinate Offices of !
which they must fill aud taught to
spect humble callins ss, aud to beaut
). aud glorify them by lives of content
aud of glad industry
Wher our public schools accompli
an end so desirable as this they v
= fulfill their mission-ad they will
before. l seriously doubt whetl
/, one school in a hundred, public
private, comprehends is duty in t
particular. They fail % inculeate
. idea that the majority If the Offices
y life are humble; that th powers of
II majority of the youth thich they C
tain have relation to these Offices; /