Mexico weekly ledger., 1880-01-22

'N'e 'h"' spun vi liee'oi1 anu lhqul-
l think that there IS a growing ten
deacy in some of our higher schools,
both public and private, towards the
increased use of the lecture. This
do not deplore, if they will fill up the
measure of its usefulness with the
catechlsm. Young teachers, in the
ardor OF their first love often grow
enthusiastic in their advocacy for the
lecture method. The earnest and
the lukewarm both use it; the one
from q zeal that is not according to
knowledge, the other from a lack of
interest in his work. The one, anx-
ious 10 impress, frcts under the slow
process of questioning, and pours
forth in his misguided zeal gems of
thought to IN inappreciative class
who need the severest lash OF the cat
echism; while the other, tired of all
things that pertain to his mischosen
profession, Except, indeed, his sala-
ry), shrinks from the labor of cate
chizing and the probable discussions
that may thereby be aroused, and
feeds his prospective American law
makers on cold broth het again! The
inability of the lecture to gain the at
tention Of the whole class, to meet
special wants, and thereby instruct
thoroughly is amusingly illustrated in
an anecdote that l heard minister
naTate recently. AT the conclusion
of lecture, designed to show the
superiority of the power, wisdom and
love of Jesus over all other Bible
characters, the teacher asked The
class whom they would rather see
when they go to Heaven. Immedi-
ately n boy, who had a diseased adj
miration for giant warriors, piped out
''Gerliah" (Goliah). That lecture
was failure. 1t did not bear even
the insipid fruit of passive receptivity.
If all boys and girls were without
mental obliquitics, attentive and al
ways on the qui piUe to learn, the
work accomplished by the lecture
alone would perhaps be unexception-
able. Bat lis merits must be deter
miued from an ontological stand
point. 1t has dignitied and impor-
tant Office in the informative process
Of education; but, if it would perform
successfully the duties of that office,
it must go hand in hand and heart to
heart with the caJechism. Alone it is
servant Of the repetition school
IA living man with carcass lashed
to his back who may creep, but he
cannot run" 1t can neither take The
place Of the eatechism, nor achieve
nigh results without it, Cooperation
must be its watchword; otherwise, ii
is powerless to educate.
If a catalogue of learned advocates
have any power to determine the char
acter of system, the catechetical il
| certainly not without merit. From
the beginning of its history, it has
been practiced by master minds will
the most, decisive and favorable re.
suits. 1t was instituted by Socrates
the philosopher, the lover o
wisdom. Previous to his grea
rcformative movement, public in
struction was characterized by th,
most 'consummate arrogance, and i
wore the guise of the lecture. Th'
naughty designation OF the lecturers
Sophists, the wise men, is a fine ex.
DoDent Of their nadantrv In fh.
midst Of this arrogant age of mins
Socrates came, in the humility Of
lover of wisdom. The novelty of bi
method Of instruction brought hin
hearers, and its intrinsic !, worth re
tanned them. His wonderful originali
ty both of matter and method, ant
that, methods power of awakenin,
into beauty the gem of inquiry, .iilx
a magnet held the people to him
He said let there be light, and tn
/ darkness that hrooded over mind fed