New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-21
THE RIGHT EDUCATION FOR AMERICAN
IOU1H.

From on aGdrcss at Hiram Coiege june IA, 1867 ~
General james 4. GdJHftd go
II js we'll to know the history of those nagh-
cent nations whose origin Is lost III fable ana whose
epi taphs were written thousand years ago Dui IL
cannot know both. 1t Is lar better 10 study inc
history of own nation. whose origin we can
trace to the fTecst and nobest aspirations OF me
human hcart--a nation that vas formed from lle
hardest. purcSt and most enduring elements OF
European ciYlliZatlOn-a nation, that ny lis idllh
and courage has dared aud accomplished more ior
the human in Il single century IMAM Europe
accomp!ishd in the first thousand years OF the
Christian era. The New England township was
the type afr which our Federal Government WAS
modelled: yet ii would he rare 10 tnd n college
student who can max, q comprehensive ana lltriIlc
gihe statement OF the municipal organization OF
the town. hip in which h" was born and tell yOu by
what officers Its legislative. judicial and exc tutlVe
funci ions are administered. One-ban OF the tinc
which is now almost wholly wasted. IN district
schools. English grammar attempted at 70"
early an age would he sufficient 10 teach our enid
rem 10 love the Republic, and TO become ITS loyal
aud life long supporters. After the bloody baPtlSm
from which the nation has arisen to higher an
nOblcr life if this shameful defect IN our system OF
educatlou be not speedily remcdlcd we shall de-
serve the infinite contempt of future generations.
insist that ii should be made an lndlSpenSaDle con
dtion of graduation i'll every American college thlt
the student must understand the history OF ms
continent since its discovery by Europeans, the
origin and history of the United States. ITS consti-
tuition of Government the struggles through
winch it has passed. and the rights and duties OF
citizens who are to de teilne its destiny ana share
Having thus gained the knowledge which is nee
essary to life health industry and citizenship, the
student is prepared to enter wluer ana grander
field of thought. If he desires that large and lIh-
eral culture which will call into activity all his
powers and axe the most of the material tod has
given him. he must study deeply and earnestly the
intellectual. the moral, the religions and the
aesthetic nature of man; his relations 10 nature, TO
civilization, past and present and above all, ms
relations to God These should occupy nearly II
not fully half the time of his college course; In
connection with the philosophy of the mind, he
should study logic, the pure mathematics ana me
general laws of thought. In connection with moral
philosophy, he should study pol teal and social
ethics a science little known either in colog 5
or Congresses. Prominent among all the rest,
should be his study of the wonderful history of the
human race, in its slow and tO,omc march across
the centuries buried III ignorance, superst-
ton and crime now rising To the subhmtI OF
herOisu and catching glimpse OF n better dcs,
tiny; now turning TcmOTscleSsy away from, ana
leaving 10 perish, empires and civilizations IN
which il had invested its faith and courage aud
houndlcSS energy for a thousand years, and plung-
ing into the forests of Germany. CAM, and
Britain to build for itself new empires better tied
for its new aspirations; and at last crossing three
thousand miles OF unknown sea and builulng IN
th" Widen, of new hemisphere It's latest ana
pTOudeSt monuments.