The Portland daily press., 1882-05-13

formation. The work OF the school
should be both to inform and to edu-
cate, giving to the latter its due prominence
Too frequently the attempt is simply to inform
The mind is made a mental stack-yard for
dead facts, crude material, instead OF cult
waited field. There is no room for anything to
grow except rank weeds and thistles.
This, in my Judgment, is the principal mis-
take made in all our schools, from primary to
university. The retentive faculties are alone
brought into requisition. Memory is overtaxed
and many times breaks down hopelessly ruined.
Memory is grand faculty, but it is not every
thing. Some things have to be remembered.
The alphabet, photography, the multiplication
table and many facts In history. win some
children this is very easy. Some can scarcely
learn them at all. Some have natural memo
ries, and some very poor ones. They reason
WE'LL can recolect-re-collect-w there is
any reasonable relation between the facts to be
recollected, but remember abstract facts very
poorly. A gold way to test your memory is to
take twenty names from some catalogue, names
entirely new, and have friend read them over
while you commit them. II you write them
down or read them over you will recollect the
spelling. In this way you will get some idea
of what your children are doing in the pubic
school. A vast majority of the textbooks used
are beyond the comprehension OF the child.
What he does learn is as meaningless as He
brew.
The teacher can do much toward putting life
into these dead subjects. A grand step was
taken in the right direction when the word
system was adopted instead of the alphabet. A
child will learn the word cat easier than the
letter G. The letter is dead fact, the word
suggests live idea.
Let us look at another error in our public
schools. In my opinion many OF cur schools
are systematized and graded to death. They
are graded and subgraded until there is moth
ing left but grade. Two colts can be broken to
walk together, to trot together, and to pull to-
gether only when matched in mettle and mus
Gle. Minds are seldom matched. Some colts
are thoroughbred some trotterS, some runners,
some heavy draught, and some are scrubs 1t
may not harm the scrub to drive him with the
trotter but the team will never be fast. The
trotter will lose his action and become scrub
also. So the child fettered and chained to a
grade, will lose his mental action and his am
bition. One is a mathematician, one histori-
an, and one nothing; but all are held to the
grade until each branch therein is mastered.
The pupil that loves arithmetic, grammar
and reading, but detests photography, geogra-
ply and history, is forced to absorb his proper.
ton of the branches for which he has no taste,
until, in many instances he loses his ambition
and quits school in disgust. He was born for a
racer, but hitched to a load he could not move
he baked, and had to be turned out to grass.
This is another reason, I think, why our So
called best schools are frequently the poorest
Another reason why the child reared in the
city with every advantage is at maturity 80 far
behind his country cousin, who has had but
two or three months schooling a year. The
country scholar is broken to drive single. He
can run if he feels like it, walk If he chooses.
and should he balk for a while, he does not
keep score more from going on.
The school is a little world all kinds OF minds
in it, and as in the great busy world, each
mind should be independent The race of life
ladies and gentlemen, is "a go as you please
race" Another objection is the stale and in.
\ 1f sno1 IN nuv
schools and colleges. Truth is brought to the
pupil wrapped in mummy cloth and covered
with the dust of prehistoric times. Everything
must be received as brought, or not at all. Ev
cry sprout of an independent thought il
promptly pruned of-nipped in tho bud. Take
your child to the seashore, and hear his excla
nations of delight, as he picks up pebble ant
she'll. Then tie his hands, place him in 3
chair, and see If you can interest him, though
you fill his lap with rubies. You cannot do it
You must let him run. Let him "bathe his
brow in the breeze that blows" Let him pici
for himself. he NAV finj something new ever
to you. 1t will not harm him If he does, and
it will do him good for you to tell him he has
found rare specimen, and one you have new
or seen. 1t will encourage him to search fol
more, and it will tire you to follow him
Watch him, however, he may pick up scor
pion. Keep him within the sound of your
voice, lest the tide surprise him and bear him
hence. He will come back to your side tired
by and by, and you can help him Gull his mot
ley selections 1t will rest him for another
search.
The teacher often robs the child of all his en-
joyment. There is no sensation sweeter thar
that of the discoverer. 1t is pleasure t.
think one stands "where no one is or has beer
since the making of the world" Let the chile
climb for himself every eminence within his
mental horizon, and get view out upon thu
great ocean of truth. 1t will inspire him will
new ambition. had rather be the discovere
of truth than the bailee of q fact. l haG
rather be the legitimate parent OF thought
than the executor of an exploded theory.
had rather be an uncouth bsckwoods philoso-
pher than polished superficial foel.
But close. If what have said be true, lei
nothing be spared in home or school to develop
healthy bodies, wrestling thews that throw
the world Keep in mind that this takes time
Encourage independent thought. Urge the
mind to think, the heart to feel, the tongue tt
speak, the hand to do. Let the child know
that much as may be done for him, he can dc
vastly more for himself. Let him understand
that poverty is one of the greatest blessings he
can inherit. Instil love for truth, with cour
age to pursue it. Inculcate principles OF love
kindness, virtue, and, above all, insist upon
self-confdence, self respect, industry, perse-
verance and honesty. These are the key te
success and to greatness.