The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-30
PURPOSES OF PUBLIC EDUCA.
TION,

The Philadelphia Record takes a
proper view of what should be the
course of tuition in public free
schools. 1t holds that the purpose of
Il public school education should be to
train children for the inevitable and
ordinary struggles OF life, to add to
the home education certain attain
ments which, in most cases, cannot be
acquired at hOmegand, at the same
time, to strengthen the physical and
moral powers. The principles of pub
lie education are based upon such pur-
poses, and, to further such relations.
the state maintains public schools
Wequote from the Record as follows:
The pursuits OF life are as various
as are the capacities of children, and
1t is obviously impossible that any
thing in the nature of a technical edu-
cation can be given at the grammar
school. The mental education neces-
sary to enable child to enter into the
struggle with chances in its favor can
be clasSed into three stages: N Those
requirements which it is necessary
that all should learn; (2) those which
are necessary only to those who in
tend to enter into pursuits which re-
quire them. (a) the technical educa-
ton for the pursuit itself. The third
Is attained by apprenticeship and Ger
tain important industries NAV be to a
limited extent taught in schools; but
it does not come within the scope of
the ordinary public schools. The sec
ond or higher education is the bust
ness OF the high schools and Of col
leges, where the young people can go
who have already mastered those
things which al mtSt learn to ac-
quire the further knowledge needed
by all who enter the professions and
what may be called scientific trades.
In the ordinary public schools, which
all, whether they are likely to be la
borerS or artists, doctors or draymen,
are expected to attend, should be
taught those things which every hu-
man being living in d civilized coun-
try ought to know,
This necessary knowledge includes
the ability to speak, read and write
the English language with an ap-
proach to correctness, a good ground
ing In arithmetic, little drawing,
and an outline OF geography and Of
the physical sciences, including hui
man physiology and hygiene. Above
all, the reading, writing and arithme-
tic should be cared for. Without
these it is impossible to acquire higher
knowledgej with these thorough
ly implanted in the brain, the
day-lahorer who has the incli-
nation or the opportunity can,
at any time in his life, improve
his mental status. Of what use is it
to boy or girl to learn from text
books miscellaneous assortment of
historical and scientific facts when he
or she cannot write letter, take
notes from an address, add correctly
column OF figures, or even read I'M
derstandingly any but the most SIM
pie books?
The scientific knowledge that
should be given in the public schools
is not by any means a course in bot
any, chemistry or astronomy; still
less a succession of doses from
textbook on natural philosophy. 1t
is such series of well chosen oral
and object lessons as will teach the
broader facts respecting the order of
the universe of which we form part,
and make all acquainted with their
own structure sufficiently to give
them guide for life conduct. To
give such a course, however, requires
teachers more efficient than those
whose stock of information is, like
that of their pupils. drawn from a
text book only.