Smyrna times., 1881-07-06

THEOBJECTs IN NEDUCATION.-The space
occupied in the daily papers with the ac-
counts of examinations, cOmmencements,
&c, shows that the matter of education
has a commanding interest in our public
affairs. The beginning is in the family
the first training, then the primary school,
secondary, academic, on to the College and
University. An exchange well says that
the great aim and object of education
should be to develop the subject of it.
But this idea does not appear to have pen
etrated the heads of the great majority of
our public educators, whether school dl-
rectors or teachers. Until within few
years the school training of children ran
in q series of well-worn ruts, from which
none appeared to have courage sufficient
to diverge. Plodding along in the same
well-beaten thoroughfare, the first bit Of
remonstrance was met with contempt as
the emanation of disordered brain. But
gradually new light has crept in. Froebel,
with his kindergarten system, was the first
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matter-of-fact principles speedily carried
to the minds of people willing to give the
subject thought the conviction that in all
the past they had been laboring under a
hurtful delusion that education meant
something more than learning to read,
write and cypher; that it meant the train
ing of the body as we'll as the mind, and
that it could be thoroughly complete only
with such a union.
Experience has taught in a manner so
unmistakable that none can wellmisappre-
hend its teachings, that the men who
make their mark broadest and highest in
the workshop or field. in mine or COM
merce, are those who in early life combin-
cd in some degree book education with
work bearing relation TO their vocations
that the skilled hand is always better
guided by an intelligent head, and an in
telligent head becomes more capable OF
accomplishing distinguished results when
aided by well-trained hand. How i'm.
pOrtant then that in educating our children
we should bear this important truth in
mind. and of what moment it is that thi:
cO-education shall begin with the little
child.
Children should be taught that while
books are intended to instruct the minC
there will be that in the life before then
demanding something more. They should
be made to realize that while there il
mental food in books mere mental knOwl
edge is not, save in exceptional cases, al
the education needed. FOur-fifths of man
kind are dependent upon their hands TO
support, the artist nc more and no les
than the hod-carrier or the street sweeper
hence the education Of the hand is to tn
mass Of mankind of really greater i'm
portance than that of the head. 1t is tn
judicions combination of the two tha
makes the perfect man, and to effect thi
combination as completely as possible
their education should go hand in ham
and commence in early childhood.
Industrial art must he given a place sid
by side with mental instruction. School
need not necessarily be converted int
workshops, but they demand such
change as will enable 81 boytO obtain som
substantial ideas in regard to his futur
calling. While the workshop become
school, the school should be an incipien
workshop. The intelligent apprentic
naturally find ia his daily occupation
something go .D,crest and instruct him
He sees in the material used by him
great deal more than 81 mass of inanimat
matter. It stirs thought within hin
prompts inquiry, invites experiments, an
thus brings into active play all his nativ
powers. In the primary, grammar an
high schools the foundations for these do
sirable results must be laid broad an
deep, and until such a system of educf
ton becomes general, our public and pr
vate schools will fall far short of the
true mission" ~ .s..-..-. .,...f,