Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1880-03-26
THE SCIENCE OF euucAL,oN,
And school Affairs in District No, cs.
Editors Press and Ddkotaian.
SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. %.

Editors Press and Dakofaidn.
SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. %.
The public school in this district closed
few days ago. 10 the evening an entertain.
mt NJ WAS gwen ny the pupils, consisting of
select readings, dialogues, aeclamatinns etc.
After which the teacher, Mr.. Charles Eli.
son, addressed The audience on ",rhe Science
IF Education." The speaker said: 1T il
ruty gratifying to meet on this occasion so
many the friends of education BY yeur
presence here tonight you give encourage
ment to the nObest work that ever occupied
he attention of the human mind-the
tuca,iOn, the development "f human be.
tngs. The time WAS when men might be
found who openly and persisenty opposed
'n1 cause OF e!ucation on the gtounds OF
conscience, affirming that education max
men vicious. immoral and bad. Happily for
our country and happily too for humanity,
hose days have passed away, :Iust forever
and all good men everywhere are now unit
ed in the grand work of human culture and
human development. What is education
aud what are the proper means for its at
tainment? are the questions for present
consideration. Man is created with educs.
tional capacity. The truth of this proposi-
tion is apparent when we reflect that men
have been educated to a greater or less
degree in all ages. 1t would be impossible
to educate that which has no capacity for
education. Not only has the Divine Being
indowed man with capacity for education
but He has placed within his reach certain
educational forces and these in their nature
are exactly suited to the proper develop
ment Of mans educational capacity. To
denJ this proposition charges God with
folly in creating mau with educational ca
paclty susceptible of vast, varied and almost
infinite development and yet having pro-
vided no proper instrumentalities for the
development of this capacity. No wise
man would willingly be guilty Of such folly,
much less then an infinitely wise cres-
tor. Again there are certain right
and definite modes or processes
OF applying these forces to mans faculties,
thereby arousing them to activity and
growth. We know that there is right way
and a wrong way in everything, and the
application of these educational forces forms
no exception to the general rule. These
three simple propositions constitute the
basis Of the science OF education. To edu-
cate human beings is to develop their facnl,
ties harmoniously in accordance with their
nature. The child possesses, in an undevel-
oped state. all the faculties Of the fully de-
| veloped man, and the extent to which the
child's faculties shall become developed will
depend on the forces employed and the
mode Of application. There should be a
simultaneous development of the faculties
of the body, mind, and religious powers.
For everv educational want there exists an
educational supply exactly suited to that
want. The body requires food. and food
exists in vast abundance suited to all condi.
tions Of humanity. Food is an educational
force without which there can be no growth
and no development. Another important
educational instrumentality is exercise
Exercise is a condition reces.
sary to physical growth and
development. The physical powers neec
rest. Res, ia as important as food or exer-
cise. We have mentioned these three edu'
cational forces not as exhaustive of the list
but as being sufficient for the purpose Of il
lustration. What are the forces suhicicp
to develop mans intellectual capacity? The,
are food, exercise and rest. But, says on,
does the mind eat? answer, yes, the mine
eats and unless it has its appropriate fooc
it never grows. however much it- compan
ion, the body may grow. The Hon. Hor
ace Mann once said when addressing con
ven,ion Of teachers, that the poorest thint
he ever raw was a we'll developed b dy con
tanning little pincned, dwarfed miud
The food for the mind is the great facts ii
science aud nature. God has given maj
two great bonks. the book Of nature and tn
book of Revelation. The source. Of intel
lectual food are exhaustlesa. Man ma
commence the study Of nature a. soon u
;o,oll; ,opoa hou;o, IN Iour ~ tho mip
ard prosecute his work with vigor until hi
hair is silvered with years and he il read
to step from the shores Of time, and yet b
has hn. just commenced his study; as an
other ha. said, he is like little boy on tn
ocean beach picking up here and there
pebble, while The vast ocean Of science lie
) unexplored before him. But the min
needs exercise. To feed the mind and Civ
it no exercise would cause mental dyapepsi;
Exercise gives strength. The teacher wi,
: causes his pupil to think most, other thing
being equal, is the teacher who accomplish
most for his pupils. The teachers succe
ia measured not by what he can do, but b
: what he can cause his pupils to do. Agai
rest is an important educational fore
OF its importance it is n
necessary to speak in this connecto
But man not only possesses physlcal and II
tellectual capacity bu. he has moral ar
, religious faculties. These also need cultul
and development. Some parents and teac
e ers say "Oh! there is time enough for rel
gious teaching after other things are lear
: ed" "The minds of children should not
= biased by doctrines and creeds." 1t is n
e necessary at all that they should be. Tt
!. would defeat true religious teaching. Won
the same policy in reference to ready, e.
ersphy and arithmetic be n wis. one, or o.
likely to be adopted by any parent or ,eac
l. er? Ia there not truth in religion as y,
:. AZ in mathematics? And will Il
u truth not produce M healthy resui
u will II not expand the mind? Who wnr
o dare say there is time enough for INTEL,
=. ,usl culture" do not bias ,hr chill
d misd with grammar ard at,thmet
y "Wsit III he comes 10 maturity" Wait
he can iudRs for himself" How "a