The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1881-03-17
Address of Welcome to the jackson County
Teacher's Monthly Association, Feb. 18th,
1891 hy R. Collier.

Address of welcome to the Jackson County
1851, by Rev, J. r. Collier. "'
In oden times the people gathered together to wit
the physical contests of the arena in dead
ly combat with his fellow-man, strove to gain the
victory, to the laurel wreath and receive the
plaudits of the assembled multitude. For this they
srove through long periods of time that they might
come off victorious when they entered the arena.
Those contests in accord with the popular ideas
of the day. Conquest, was the popular desire, and
these contests of in developing the physique
ofthe people, and thus make them better warriors.
1t not always so in Greece. The fertile minds
of the Greek thinkers full of projects looking
toward compulsory education in the schools. Zaleu-
and Pythagoras, held that education was a
leading principle in the State. Plato, in his Repu-
lic,' and Aristotle in his Politics have the
conception of the relation of the State education
Thus early was the Greek mind turned to this i'm
portant question. Our country has had a good
record so far-yet when we consider that we have
flterate population 10 years of age numbering
6,6oOOoO, it may well startle This is more than
was the average daily attendance our schools for
1885, that but 5132 1853, less number by 100000.
Our fathers erected the log school-house and
church, they had covering for
their own heads. Instruction in religion, science
and morality seems to have been almost universal
hope, in behalf of the rising generation; and well
have their defendants carried out their ideas.
Still, do not lead the nations in educational mat
ters We have much yet to learn and to do before
boast. From ''Kddle & Schems Cyclopedia of Edu-.
cation-1s7 get the following figures, showing the
per centage of iiteracy in various countries. The
darkest of all peoples mentioned by him, is India, 95
per cent iiterate. Next, Mexico 90 per cent. Then
Poland and Russia with 91 per cent each Italy, 73
per cent? and China, 80 per cent. Bavaria has per
cent. Then comes Japan, with only 10 cent Ger
many, IL per cent. Scotland 16 per cent, and the U.
S. with 90 per cent.
This takes the American brag out of our mouths for
season; and ought to stimulate us TO better work
We do enjoy seeing twice large proportion of
ilierates T. S., there is in Japan; yet such
is the reading of Kiddle Schem,'' endorsed by A.
r. Spoford Librarian of Congress.
But find something comforting even in this
darkness. For iliterates in the T. s., only
900 in the Northern States. And of these but
100000 native born. There 26oOOOoo people in
the Northern States and this gives us but one in fifty
who is iiterate, that is, per cent.
The great of untaught people is of the col
ored in the Southern States, and until they
taught there will be less difficulty concern
ing them. Ignorant voters the bane of Republic
Citizens must be trained for close and accurate
thinking that they may lay hold of the great ques
tions involved in National life, and upon which
the country is always divided In ancient Greece and
Rome they cultivated the muscle. Trained men for
war; left the mass of the people unintelligent.
We train them the nober arts of 1t is
to give.inteectual and moral culture to the coming
ages. Hence Idesirc to impress the dignity
of your calling.
When you visit Mr.. Shilito's store in Cincinnati,
you may under the dome on the first floor, an i'm
mense porcelain vase of lacquered work. Its SYM
metry and size and beauty attract your attention.
Thousands have paused before in great admiration
for it is the largest pieces of acquered porce
lain ever made in Japan, and perhaps in the world.
What honor to have made such work! 1 have
never stood before it without reverence for
the man who made it.
The "Greek Slave,n in the "Corcoran Art Gallery,'
Washington, is enough to immortalize the name of
Hiram Powers.
Ye are working on a more enduring substance than
the clay of the Japanese artist the marble the
sculptor. The intellectually of the child is to de-
velop in your hands into noble manhood and woman
hood, or be crushed back into deformed shapeless
mass of stupidity. Education is not "cramming,,
but according to the derivation of the word E-ducG
II lead, dFGp out,'' it the drawing out of
the Intellectual and moral powers The noble statue
or work of art-mute in ITSELF eXerts powerful si-
lent influence upon the beholder But work is to
think and act and thus impress all with whom it
comes in contact. Your work is to be more powerful
for good bad than the work of the sculptor the
pencil of the artist ou have more to do than to go
through the books mentioned in your curriculum.
You to make good thinkers out of the children
Even they should not get hold Of all the echncali
ties of the book-what does that matter? Learn the
child to think for ITSELF 1t is entering upon life in
which it will compelled to grapple with questions
never dreamed of by book makers, and the contest,
en- which hang mOmentous issues, must be fought
alone Like the Wrestling Patriarch by Jabbok-we
swreste' alone, with the living issues of the day.
Let of the nobility and Importance of the
work entrus you constrain to give the best
of your time your talent your energy to this work.