Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-09-30

States have found so little being dcne or
| likely to be done, to educate men for
the work OF agriculture, that they have
| demanded and at last have secured from
their political servants In Congress, an
appropriation sufficient 10 build and
maintain, in each State of the Union, q
college for the education of farmers
The scholar and the worker must join
hands if both would be successful" The
measure had his earnest support in Con.
gress.
He alludes to a prominent defect In
our former systems of education as one
of the causes Of the dormant and dying
patriotism" of the Nation before the
Civil War. "Seven years ago there was
scarcely an American college in which
more than four weeks out OF the four
years course were devoted TO studying
the government and history Of the United
States. For tbs defect have neither re-
spect nor liberation. 1t is far inferior to
the educational system OF Persia three
thousand years ago. The uncultivated
'.ibes of Greece, Rome, Lydia, and Ger
many surpassed US in this respect. Gre
clau children were taught to reverence
and emulate the virtues of their an cestois
Our educational forces are SO welded as
TO teach our children TO admire most that
which is foreign and fabulous, and dead.
insist that it should be made au indis.
pensable condition Of graduation in every
American college that the student must
understand the history OF this continen
since It's discovery by Europeans, the
origin and history OF the United States
its constitution OF government, the strug
giles through which it has passed, and the
rights and duties of citizens who are to
determine It's destiny aud share its glory"
In referring to "tht / special knowleC &c
which is necessary TO ut a man tor ne
particular profession or calling" which
young man may adopt, he says, "You
will make a fatal mistake it you max
only the same preparations which your
predt cessors made titty or even ten years
ago Each generation must have high
er cultivation than the preceding one, in
rider to be equally successful, and each
must be educated for his own times. Ii
you become lawyer you must remem-
Der that the science of law is not fixed,
like geometry, but is growth which
keeps pace with the progress of society"
Who has stated more strongly the alb
surd practices In our public schools,
which compel children to memorize the
ihooS Va NOIus ouu bSu'cuCcs, uDt
stood in single syllable by themS Thus
are squandered," he says, may, far
worse than squsndered, these thrice pre-
cious years, when the child is all ear and
eye, when its eager spirit with Unsuitable
curiosity huugers and thirsts to know the
what and the why of the world and lis
wonderful furniture. We silence its
sweet clamor by examining its hungry
mind with words, words-empty, mean
ingless words. 1t asks bread anu we give
it II stone. Iii TO me perpetual won.
der that any child's love of knowledge
survives the outrages OF the school
house" Again he says, "School commit.
tees would summarily dismiss the teach
or who should have the good sense and
courage 10 spend three days OF each week
with her pupils in the fields and woods,
teaching them the names, peculisrities,
and uses OF rocks, trees, plants and flow
ers, and the beautiful story of the ami
mails, birds and insects, which fill the
world with life and beauty" That man
will be a benefactor of his race, who shall
teach US how to manage rightly the first
years OF a Child's education"