The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-07-16


OF these people, who thus deprive their
children of the most precious opportunity
OF American childhood and youth-an ed
ucation in the country where they are to
live, amid the surroundings Of republican
society-act upon the advice, largely, of
interested, prejudiced, or incompetent
persons. 1t is natural that the large body
of ecclesiastics, who are trying to destroy
the American public school and recon-
struct American society on the medieval
pattern, should recommend European
schools of their own choice to their disci-
pies. OF course the considerable body of
teachers of foreign birth, in our colleges
and academies, naturally prefer the edu-
cational methods of their own country to
that of which they know so little. Many
of our university men are so unacquainted
and unsympathetic with our excellent
common and academical schools that they
advise foreign training, in sheer ignorance
OF better opportunities at home. Num-
bers OF busy men, especially public men,
have no time to acquaint themselves with
the educational goings-on in their own
town, and send their children across the
ocean in search of what could be better
found around the corner. We remember
a very distinguished gentleman of this
Sort harassed with anxiety for the school
ing of a rising family, several of the
members of which were demonstrating
their great need of common-school disci-
pline during the interview. A famous
college president had recommended the
full course of German instruction. Our
friend was astonished to learn that, every
day, in his drive to the capital, he passed
public school.house where everything
was better done than in the foreign insti-
buttons recommended, with the advantage
of keeping his family together at the
most critical period of life. There can
be no reasonable doubt that our best
American schools, all things considered,
are better places for the general training
OF our young children than corresponding
institutions abroad. The best methods
of German and British educators are
found in these schools-generally i'm
proved by passing through the common
sense modification, and more humane
and democratic administration of their
teachers. Apart from this, the instruc-
ton and discipline of indoor school life
is very small portion of child's educa-
ton. No family, isolated abroad, can
maintain anything like an American
home, and the whole outside life to the
child is strange and ill-adapted to qualify
it to live happily and usefully in its own
country. Any little superiority in learn
ing or accomplishments is clearly pur.
chased by the loss of what can never be
regained-the atmosphere of early youth,
the blending of home, church, society,
everything that makes the mighty differ
ence between America and Europe-like
the transition from an elegant, shut-up
interior to the light and shadows, motion,
life, and nameless inspiration of all out
doors. OF course the higher regions of
professional, scientific and artistic train
ing, where the final results of investiga.
ton are sought from experts, must still
be found abroad, although but few of the
many who 60 after such exalted fruit ever
find their way to the preserves. But even
here, the peril to life and health, to man.
ners and morals, religious faith and
patriotic feeling, should be weighed
against the supposed advantages of send
ing susceptible youth on such an errand.
A mature mind and disciplined character,
of course, will find inestimable advantages
abroad, because it will know what it
needs, where to look for it, what to reject
and what to assimilate in European Gull
ture. The great number of superior
foreigners residing in America, and the
intimate relations between different por-
tions of the earth, enable our superior
youth to gain, at home, many of the
supposed advantages of residence abroad.
A civilization that has given a Washing
ton and Lincoln to the world, by home
culture alone, can be trusted, more and
more, as the training-school of American
citizenship. Of the advantages of travel
it is not necessary to speak, except that
they are wasted on thousands of American
children and youth who are painfully
dragged through course of foreign living
only to be spoiled for home enjoyments
and uses. Europe has still good deal
for American use but the best of it
cannot be appropriated by children and
youth at school abroad, and understood
Alright, after the American character and
habit of thinking and living is established
for life"
The BarthOldi Statue.