The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-05-28
PRACTICAL EDUCATION .

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and the last legislature made provision for the
establishment of q state university, at which
young men can receive collegiate educations
and 60 out from its portals to battle with the
currents in the stream Of life with knowl-
edge Of Latin, knowing how Gaul was divi-
ded into three parts, and all about Tityrus
reclining under the wide spreading branches
of a beach tree. ETC.. all of which is we'll
enough, and Ill of which We can
endorse. But the question in
this practical, common sen.e
unitarian age, as to education goes further
and reaches deeper than mere knc Wedge
of what text books teach. 1t is pleasant to
understand thoroughly all chemical formulas;
to be sble to read ntellgently tho geography
Of the heavens and to calculate tho distance
from planet to planet, and TO understand the
laws that regulate their movements; to bo
profoundly versel in all scientific knowledge;
to repeat the Greek roots by rc'e, TO sean the
Latin and Greek verses of the old pools, and
to read Guently and apprecistely the grand
old Greek tragedies, snd to be familiar with
tho problems of Calculus and Mechanics.
and all the higher branches of pure
mathematics, but of what
avail is it all 10 young man just launching
out for himselfin the arena Of life, if he has
no practical knowledge of what life, its
duties and its requirements are? If he don't
know how to go to work to make living, If
he has no trade, no profession, no practical
knowledge OF any avocation, what matters it
if he does know Greek verb from San
scrit adjective, or an ode of Horace from IN
owed TO his lsndlady! The trouble is that
the girls and boys and young men and young
women of tho age are not given more OF
practical than of theoretic educations. They
should be taught how to make living when
tho time comes when they will have to do
so, as we'll as how to demonstrate geometrical
problems and to thump wsl,zes on piano.
Let the girls be taught needle work at school
as we'll ss at home, SO that they can make
their own garments and their husbands shirts
when they marry. Way We saw o
man short time since with & shirt on that
his wife had made him. ge was q poor
man aud could not afford to buy his shirts
ready made, and although he had been
married moro than twenty years, the shirt
he wore, the handiwork of his wife, WAS 0
wonder to look ut. 1t WAS almost miracle
Indeed, it was wonderfully and fearfully
made" 1t was the only hump.backed shirt
we ever saw. The bosom was cut bias end
the sleeves looked like two raaingotes with
the JIM ANS; it had a polonaise tail and u;
collar was something like the tower Of Da-
msscus that looked toward Lebanon. Tina
mans wife's early education had been neg.
lecied. She had been reared in aflluenc,
and consequently had never been laugh
how to cut and sew. Cookery should b,
taught to girls in school as we'll as at homo
We SEQ thai in the large cities there ar
schools of cookery where lecture
on tho art arc delivered, al,
practical lessons given. Why cannot Their
be chairs of cookery, in MI female schools
With apractical knowledge of how to Gu
and sew and cook, young woman is iltte,
for home duties as soon as she leaves school
either to perform these duties herself or t,
have them done. But that is not all tina
young girls ought to be taught that is prac
tlcal. They should learn book keeping AMI
numerous other practical things tina. viii
enable them to earn livelihood, should the,
DO thrown upon their own resources. Blu
as tho mon of the country must il
the main DO the workers, especially atten
tension should be given to the prsctica
training of boys. The American Machinis
says that there should DO state apprentic,
shops where portion at least of the expen
scs of young men learning trades would b.
paid. The trades unions of the countr,
have made themselves close corporation
and 1t is an exceeding difficult matter for
youth to find place whore no may becom,
approntised to learn strsde. lisa nolori
Gus fact and one greatly to III,
delriment of the country, that so few ybupl
men have learned trades in America, that WI
arc mostly dependent upon foreign counirie.
for skilled mechanics. Texas has an inst,
tuition known as tho Agricultural and Me-
chanicsl college, located near Bryan. tn,
object of that college, as contemplated by
tho law, ia 10 give Its students practice
knowledge Of agriculture and Of those scion
ces pertaining 10 agriculture, and to ensbl,
such Of the youag men as desire to dc
so, 10 learn some trade Such
a college ought to DO LIBERAL,
supported and iii was, and Its objects wer'
carried fully into effect, it would DO worth ,
hundred fold more to the state and to III,
youth ofthe state than any university will
ever DO. But docs this college effect III,
objects fer which II was founded We SO,
that lis pupils arc taught Up.on's inranr,
tactics. Will knowledge of the facing.
how to wheel by fours, how to dress 10 th,
right and how to preseat arms or right shout
dor shift, ever DO ofany particular. benefit e
these young men! Will such knowledp,