Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1881-02-24
EDUCATION,

An npf1gnT. honest, 1afmef-man-
EDUCATION.
At the convention Of the National
Educational Association recently held
at Cooper Union in New York City,
the present aspect of public educa-
ton in America and Europe was dis
cussed. A certain Mr.. White, who
had been very severe in his criticisms
of the public school system, came in
for his share of ridicule, because in
calling attention to its acknowledged
imperfections, he had exhibited tone
of contempt and egotism and had
been too sweeping in his denuncia-
tious. Among the speakers Of the
occasion was William T. Harris,
l.. L. D., of St. Louis, who read
short paper on the schools of Europe
and America. 1t commenced by
calling attention to the general be-
wilderment and lack of knowledge
ordinarily displayed ON the subject
of the province of education on the
| part of those that censure what is
done to promote it. They charge
omissions and neglects which do not
properly belong to it, and complain
of studies that are essentially neces-
sary to mental development and
preparation for the active duties of
life. They have &c: understood what
the province of education embraces !;
they have not observed that family
training is essential to the formation
of good manners and the proper use
of language, a proper. sense Of shame,
respect and obedience, and demand
that the province of education shall
be remanded to the family, where
parents have neglected their duties.
The province of the school properly
succeeds that of the family, and
ought to consist of something added
to it. 1t should impart knowledge
and skill in the technicallties of sci
ence, literature and history-the con.
ventionalities Of intelligence, as they
have been called-readlng, writing
and arithmetic. After school comes
the actual education of ones voca'
ton, traue Of business in life. Then
there is the education of the State,
the political education of the mar
into the citizen, and finally the edu
cation Of the man into the mysteries
of bis origin and destiny, and his
his relation to God. He who claim:
fol the public schools all education
and holds it responsible for all tina
should be taught, is outside of al
that is rational, and does not under
) stand at all what they should be
As soon as these provides are mixed
the efficiency of the public school il
destroyed. Neither party, nor part,
politics, nor sectarlanism, must b.
allowed to creep into them.
i From the censors who criticise th
details of school work--who complain
J that too much or too little is attempt
l ed-to those who sweepingly condem
it in toto. there is, Of course, lon
step. Some complain that religion
not Systematically inculcated other
that youths are instructed above th
requirements of their future callings
I and are thus rendered destructft
and vicious; but the statistics Of a
prisons agree on this one point, {
ieast-that the percentage Of th
iiiiterates furnishes much the larget
percentage of crime.
To those familiar with the routin
y OF public education, 1t Is uuneeessar
q to say that no we'll conducted schot
is devoid of constant and effecti1
S moral training. The pupil is taugt
to be cleanly, polite and obeiien'
to be silent, attentive, industrio,
and critical. To sum up all in
word, he is taught to subordinate b
capricious will and inclinations
the reasonable conditions under whit
he may combine with others, al
share with them in their labcrs ~
. fruits Of them. The great work
the school, however, Is to make Il
pupil practice in it what is taugt
He is not iectured only-he
made TO conform to what is require
On tllis account, those who atte'
Ischool but for short periods. not or
E & +.