The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1882-01-11
rha rdueatlonal 1n.ere..s o9Ihs s8a.e.


that the educational interests OF the state
will be pressed upon the attention Of the
next legislature of Mississippi with an IN
teusity scarcely approached in former years.
The recognized reality of those interests
will demand action TO provide for essen tiai
needs in the prosecution Of educational
work. The trouble will be to agree upon
What are essentiaI needs 1t will be rare
good fortune for our noble commonwealth,
if a calm, patriotic spirit shall take posses
sion Of our Legislators, and shall lead them
tn discard all mere sectional and partizan
efforts, and to look at the great question be
fore them in its legitimate bearings upon
our real good.
These interests of education, as they are
to be considered by the State, range them
selves in eorrelatiye parts, and constitute
systeu. Education is both a science aud an
art. and as in all other matters OF theory
and practice. has its fundamental prInei-
pies and conditions Of movement and pro
duct.
wise dealing with the question must,
therefore, proceed on the basis OF these
principles. Now, there are three important
results TO be sought in the course OF educa-
ton. LIST. Intellectual training, End, ac-
QUESTION of knowledge, Sd, the art OF use :;
and these must come 10 the order IN which
they are here named. 1t turns out,
however, that true course OF education
will combine all these elements in every
step of its passage. Any mass OF facts VIII
be of little service to a mind unable from
want of training to put the facts to right use
This is true, whether the principle be ap-
piled to education in the schooi-room OF IN
the sphere of any given industry.
Now, this feature OF mental training mus'
90 on from the beginning to the end OF
chiId's education. And, if 1t Is not secured
in the earlier years of that school-llfe, say
from eight or ten years OF age TO htteen or
sixteen, it will, as rule, not be secured al
all There NAV be some amendments to q
defective training, but the bad habitS ac-
auired in these first years, and the demands
Of labor for bread and shelter, leave the op
portunity of training to but few who pas;
eighteen. This mental training Is not sim.
ply mental exercise, for this every mind
has in its daily life. But the mental pow
ers, in the course Of their unfolding, mus
be subjected TO proper methods and engaged
on suitable subjects. Not to stop here, Oh
the detail of this interesting field, 1t may
suffice to saw, that the true methods ano
proper subjects of study will be pre-
! cisely such as will best serve the
| pupil in the end of his course, when HI
comes to make a special application OF hi
| education in practical affairs OF life. Our
| ing the earlier years of pupils school-lli'
! the subjects of study must he more or les
elementary and general, indeed, the whole
school course should DE in certain sens
general, that is, of a Kind that will prepare
/ him for entering upon the study OF an.
special pursuit that he may select. 1t !
easy to see from these premises, that II tn
State is to educate her children with vieP
/ to the best interests of these children whei
they become men and women, engaged II
the great struggles and issues of life, thel
the first thing is to secure proper provision
for those formative years, during which tn
mind takes on its modes and settles int
its habits of action. During this sam
period, too, it acquires, under the bes
subjective condition, the elementary knowl
edge which forms the basis and security q
progress in the course.
If were authorized to name the parts G
a proper scheme of education for the State
; | would take the following order: First
the eommon school for all the children, i
which should be taught those elementar
subjects, and only those, which are foun'
necessary for even the narrowest limits
industrial life-spelling, reading (real reao
ing), arithmetic, geography the elements
not the intricacies, of grammar, slmpl
/ history of the United States, and rs tar "A
practicable, some lessons in botany. Next
] : i ,tsHs "a rot
in sufficient number to bring their advau
5 tages within reasonable reach of all, and 5
as to equalize local considerations to th
different parts of the State. The course {
study in these schools should begin wheI
the primaries leave off and include all thu
,, might he necessary for substantial educ;
ton as to fit the student for entrance apo
ordinary business or into the university {
any technical college. Third, the unlVe
sity and special schools. This trI-form sy'
: TEN should have the university for its eel
ter; into her should be gathered the highe'
and completest forms of knowledge; III he
should be exhibited the fullest outcome
/ true methods of training and acquisition
5 her superior light should be shed upon til
e whole system and GitfuSed into every par
giving measure, and tone, and cast to on
education. And this will oe so, if the par
are properly correlated to each other in Il
: disposition which the Legislature makes
the matter. The university is already e
tabllshed and equipped, at least substar
e TALLY equipped, and needs comparative
2 small OUTLAWS of money to make her a
5 that is immediately demanded. Her re
! wants however, should be met with l
5 stinted hand She must be looked to, NJ
5 simply as a place where young men
], means end leisure may spend the years
e their minority in elegant and converter
; scholastic society, or where aspirants 70 tn
. learned professions may be best fitted #
t the objects of their pursuit, but quite
o much and especially for teachers in on
schools and for successful managers an
laborers in all our practical industrie
, Her power has been, will be, and must
felt in every pulse of intellectual, social at
} industrial life and this power should
brought out in its most effective form au
!, measure.
t But our colleges, as such, even if the
we're multiplied much beyond their preser
number, could EepeiYe into their halls only
3 small fraction of the whole body of childre
Yet, all these children need more DF lie
education, and the State needs that the
shall have it. Evidently, then, the grea
stress of attention is now claimed by Il
: common school interest, for this Is to reac
o the masses, agd it is the initial element
complete system. Other parts of Il
system may well afford to wait until tn
II one is properly adjusted and provided 70
o The State Female College is not nearly
: much needed as many insist upon. The
are many colleges in the State that secure
> truly collegiate education to our youn
g women-quite as much SO as most of the
n would have time 10 receive at The Sta
+ College. For the few who would have tt
time and means to pursue the highest form
of science and literature, the. univei SIT
can be opened, until time shows more elea
D ly the need of the proposed new colleg
d Something more must be said in anoth'
r article on this subject, and also in referen'
to the training schools and the technic
schools. PRACTICAL.
Hon. @. 3. Hooker INDICATED.