New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-09-05
rLrLNNLNH SCUOOL.

Most of the bows and girls III the Jnlted
States begin school again some time during
the fist two weeks in September, and HE
TRrnrNr would like 10 speak a friendly WORD
or two of warning 10 such of them rs 1t can
reach. II would avail Little to speak to Their
parents. If there be any subject on Whlch
the AVERAGE American citizen has made mp ms
mind irrcvocably. it is the education OF MS
son or daughter. If there be any one thihS
on earth on which lie thinks he has an absolute
right to experiment and work out his own
noculiar theory, without regard to puOiIc
opirion, It is the character, NINA,
and training Of his own child. lie ap-
nroycs of the old classical, or tina mod
! crn scientific, or the commercial course. lie
| thinks il best to train the lads brain inces-
sanity. cram it, drill it, never to relax or
leave it to Nature for an hour, any more than
he would horse which he meant to enter
/ for the Derby. Or he believes in allowing
Nature to do all to indicate the direction and
/ aim of the human growth as 1t does the veg
| ctoblc. 70 supply the force, the in
crntivc. the corrective quality; only to be
assisted and seconded by the parent
or instructor. 1t the child be
girl the parents theories may be equally IS
decided and an'asoni,tic. He, perhaps, Is
cong to give hey the higher cduca ION. mere
Is TO be no difference between hcr and heI
brother. She is to be entered at Swarthmore,
Vas,ar or Harvard. Or he does not believe
"in slrong-mnded women =; his girl shall be
Of the old-fashioncd domestic type. The lit
file she learn, must be under her mothers
WING. from master or g0verncss. ha'eVef
the parental opinion or hobby, il will doubt
less be carried into effect during this fort
night. and viii determine the school. the
studies and the mode OF pursuing them for
the coming year.
1t is not our purpose to interfere with ad-
vice to the parents If they make mistake
! If is not, after all, altogether parable II
they try TO make an oak out of weed. and
nv iucessaut terrible pressure strain weak,
ordinary brain and body to extraordinary
height Nature will assert itself sooner or
later. The human plant will finally sink to
its proper place and level, and will not
probably be MORALLY injured. If they in
any way mistake the place and uses of
the immature man and woman left III their
care. and give them the wrong train
ing In youth, they will find their
own propcr work in the world if they have
|
for any especial purpose. If they were not,
the error of education really matters little.
Rut there are certain mistakes which can be
made by you, the boy or girl on beginning
school this week. which will be enduring as
your life. They have little TO do with your
textbooks. When you are fifty years old it
will matter little in your daily life whether
Won studied Homer in the original or in a
translation at fifteen. But it will matter
much how you studied it with what persisten ce.
what sincere anxiety to reach the bottom of
each new thought, what unfaggng healthy
industry At fifty you may not remember a
s,nrle line of the school books in your satchel
to-day, but the brain will remain. They may
he lost like the grindstOne on which you
sbarpened a wonderful tool, but the tool Will
be yours to cut your way through the world,
and every weary turn OF the wheel now which
!, sharpens it will tell then.
Another mistake you will be likely to make
at school Is to have too much sef-conceit
and too little self-respect. Self-conceit will
make you hold yourself and your school ard
your petty affairs of the first importance IN the
world. You have passed" into the Junior
year. or stand fair to win the belt for the
? hundred-y yard dash in the next Intercollegiate
contest All mankind. you think, is ready tc
: cheer Just consider If you or any other
member of your school, Juniors and despiscd
Freshmen together, were swept ont of ex-
istence, how small a space it would occupy IN
the morning paper In a week. how many
people outside of your own home would
| remember that you had ever livedf Even tc
YOU such uncomfortable dead-weights OF con.
sideration will be useful in holding you
through life down to your true place
where only your proper work can be done
, Self-conceit exaggerates your importance tC
} the world, but self-respect shows you the
Importance Of yourself to yourself. 1t lift
YOU above schools or defeats, or death itself
5 The important matter to you beginning
school tomorrow Is not how this teacher o.
t that conducts himself to you, whether he II
D partial, incapable, unjust, but how you con
t duct yourself to him; whether you ar,
l truthful. honest, manly. Forty years henc,
7 what will his injustice or incapacity matter
to you' He will be of no more weight II
your life than the puff OF smoke in the SKY
to-day But the lie you tell. the cheating t,
gain high standing, the tricky meannes
shown to weaker boy-they will live will
D you You will carry their marks with yol
, when you lie stiff and white in your coffin.
8 In word, boys and girls, 1t Is not parents
8 or schools who are making you, 1t Is you who
t make yourselves. 1t is not Legendre or Virgil
which the world will SEQ alive In you at mid
die age but the trifing actions Of your DAILY