The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1882-10-26
Wrong Views of Education.
BY 8. D. M'LAUGHLIN.
Few individuals hold the same vie
with regard to education.

Few individuals hold the same vie
with regard to education. u
We have in this country a gr'
many persons who believe in the
German theory; that the child's edg
cation should be centered in the call
ing pursued in after life, that the par
ent, guardian, or others as the case
may be, should have the right to die
tate what should be the future occupa-
tion of the child would seem to most
American educators as absurd and ir-
rational, and in fact it does not accord
with our ideas Of individual freedom.
The young man may be forced to pur-
sue business repugnant to his nature
and yet because of the stinted limits
Of his early education, powerless to
choose another. The great principle,
that education should be broad enough
that the individual would be prepared
to grasp any emergency, is entirely
lost sight of.
But there is another class of persons
who, not accepting the views Of the
first named, are worse extremists in
the opposite direction. They are
found in what the world would term
the upper walks of life, the man of
means, who sends his boy to the most
popular college in the land, fattering
himself that it is only necessary for
his son to pass through college and
that then he will be concentration
of genius and education, generally
qualified to fill any position he may
choose in life. These promulgated
views have been the shipwreck educa-
tionally of many a bright mind that
would, under other circumstances,
have honored some useful calling. It
is historical fact, that the individu-
ais who attain to eminence in any vo-
cation mount upward from the lower
NEST round in the social ladder. This
is subject to ponder upon. If the
weather. class of our people would
get the right views Of education such
might not be the verdict.
But the greatest errors are made by
those we would suppose last to make
mistakes. For example, the mechan-
les or farmers son, who has always
been accustomed to working in the
shop or following the plow, attends
school, graduates, and comes home
full fedged B. A. His mind filled
with fifty ideas he has inculcated from
others who were fortunate enough to
possess lucrative positions, he now
views the unpretentious avocations he
once pursued with contempt, and
rather than engage in any thing labo-
rious, or uncongenial with his fine ed
ucation, ekes out miserable existence,
In more genteel occupation; forget
ting that education is not to elevate
the individual above his fellow man in
the social scale, but to prepare rather
for the active duties of life and good
citizenship. The educated workman
is as necessary an individual, and far
more useful, than the genius, who,
basking in the sunshine of his self
estimation, is always waiting for a
congenial tidal wave to float him gen
tIy o'er the ocean of life.
The education Of the great laboring
of our people, is one in which
wrong views, in practice if not in pre-
cept, are held. A great many persons
may say that the working class Of our
people have more encouragement to
educate than any others. But how
many of our men who employ labor
either in the factory or on the farm,
place a premium on the education of
the employees? They will say that
all that is required, is that he under
stands the mechanical routine of his
business. Yet we say, we are in favor
Of educated labor, whilst no induce
ment is held forth to obtain it. And
grant that the man who employs such
laborers, has family of boys, silently
but surely they will ingraft the vulgar
actions and bad principles of the ig-
norant persons they are compelled to
make associates Of in their daily work.
The man may wonder why his sons
take to evil, whilst if he would exam
me carefully he would find. that he
placed no premium upon the qualifl-
cations of their associates, These are
some Of the erroneous views Of educa-
lion we often meet with in Free
America.