The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-09-01
Teachers Institute.


in this city last Monday to continue one
week, was formerly opened by State
Superintendent Kiehle, on Tuesday
evening at Normal chapel. The room
was fairly filled with an interested
audience. The exercises were opened
with prayer by Rev. G.. W. Savidge,
when Prof. Soaring introduced the
speaker. The subject of his theme was,
.sThe New Education" lie divided the
the subject at first in two distinct class
es which he denominated the old and
new education, and drew many interest.
ing and instructive comparisons be-
tween them. In China, he said, the
only education taught was the same
which has been taught for thousands of
years. The children Of each generation
were compelled to memorize what their
ancestors had written. and they knew
nothing else nor were taught nothing
else. This the speaker denominated
sold" education, and said that had kept
China in the back ground of advancing
civilization. lie further remarked that
Palestine to-day teach nearly the same
educational ideas as were taught three
or four thousand years ago, which was
simply committing to memory the ira
ditIons of their ancestors. But new
education was far different. 1t gave
new ideas, Independent from the old
superstitions, the wise sayings and
and chronicles OF by.gone ages. The
new education presented objects to the
eye and produced individual thought
and action and that was what was lead
ing the rapidly advancing civilization
of the present day.
The speaker occupied an hour and a
quarter of time, and to say it was Il
rich feast of reason would be saying
but little. 1t was delivered wholly
extempore and without notes, and TO
express our satisfaction of the address
Is to repeat what Prof. Soaring said at
its close, which was: at is the most
thorough, the most beautiful, compre-
hensive and able address ever listened
to-"
A vote of thanks were extended to
Prof. Kiehle, when the audience were
dismissed.
PRESIDENT sEARING's LECTURE.
On Thursday evening, President
Soaring delivered before the institute
scholarly and inspiring lecture on the
"Value of an Education
After tracing the material and social
progress of the world up to the present
time. the lecturer stated that progress
takes sudden bursts, forming epOchs
that We are now at such an epoch ; that
"the nineteenth is the harvest century |
of the ages" "Are we worthy of our
heritage +! Are we fitting ourselves to
enjoy our vast opportunities ?" Only
intelligence will make us aft heirs" of
the past.
The State has right to Intelligent
ooting that she may have honest and
capable rulers.
But to the individual, education is
essential to happiness. AS physical per-
lection is the surest means of securing
physical comfort, SO mental perfection
secures most surely happiness of mind.
The old statement that childhood is the
happiest period of life is the result of
thinking. Not childhood in its
weakness ana semi.unconsciousness, but
manhood in its strength, rejoicing in
over self and circumstances is
the happiest.
The pleasure resulting from knowl-
edge of science, art, and literature is
one unknown to the ignorant man. To
him remains only the lower pleasures of
pipe and bowl.
Culture removes fear and superstition,
and is an undoubted aid in getting on
in the world. And intelligence means
good work, not plodding, aimless labor.
The culture of the Germans by no means
untitled them for enduring the hard
ships and performing the labor of war
in 1870. The question of the future is
not finance, not transportation, but ed
ucation.
President Soaring urged that the
main purpose Of securing an educa-
ton is not that one may become
lawyer, doctor, minister, or
teacher, but to become man. broad,
generous, symmetrical, physically men
tally, and morally. This brief and
hasty outline does nothing like justice
to the lecture, which, with its excellent
thought, elegant dlction, and graceful
delivery, must be heard in order TO be
appreciated. A rising vote of thanks
WAS returned to President Soaring at
the close of the lecture. .
Supt. Rogers has been the presiding
officer of the Institute, and has given
universal satisfaction. There has been
about ninety teachers in attendance who
pronounce the Institute a great success
under the management of Professors
McCleary, Kirk and Mrs. Swan.