The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-03
poIIr1oAI EooaoMY IN RpucArroN.

POLITICAL ECONOMY IN EDUCATION.
Until within the last quarter of century
no department of social science was considered
quite so easy and simple as political economy.
1t was regarded from the time Adam Smith
published his wealth of Nations" in 1779,
to the middle of the present century, as some
thing fixed and unalterable. Adam Smith
blazed the road along which all the leaders Of
the English school have travelled. Nautilus,
Ricardo and the Mills-father and SON
have contributed various parts to this '1abso-
lutism Of theory, and built up an economic
orthodoxy whose attractions have been almost
irresistible They made the complex science
of political economy apparently as simple as
common arithmetic. A few simple rules were
laid down, by which all political "sums" were
to be performed and proved. Anybody could
learn and apply them; they were held applica-
BILE to all times and places. Read and believe
Smith, Nautilus and Mill, and the English
village cobbler or the western district school
master become at once statesmen and econo-
mists. although desirable that the in
structor should be familiar with the subject,
himself, says Amasa Walker, in the introduc-
ton to his Science of Wealth, fit is by no
means indispensable. With. a well-arranged
textbook in the hands of both teacher and
pupil, with suitable efforts on the part of the
former, and attention on the part Of the latter,
the study may proftably be pursued. We
have known many instances where this has
been done in college and other institutions,
highly to the advantage and satisfaction of all
parties concerned"
with a well-arranged textbook in the
hands of both teacher and pupil" How sim
pie and easy How in accordance with the
methods Of much that we call education in
our high-schools and colleges but which is,
after all, only deplorable cram. can apple has
stalk, peel, pulp, core, pips and juice. 1t is
odorous and Opaque, and is used for making a
pleasant drink called cider, pipes in concert a
roomful of primary children THE principal
products of Indiana are wheat, corn, oats, rye,
barley and potatoes, echo the grammar
grades, and the same is gone over for the next
days lesson for Illinois, only the order of sue
cession is changed; and so week is taken for
the Geography of the Middle States. The
order is as much to the child as the
fact The mind is added with such
useless stuff in geography, grammar,
history and natural science. If seventy per
cent Of this twaddle can be produced in
written examinations the youth may go on to
the high-school and college, and study polit-
ical economy in words of three syllables and
by essentially the same methods. The theory
of the schools is that anybody can write a
textbook on any subject. and that any other
body can teach it. All children and youth
must study all branches of human knowledge
although desirable that the instructor should
be familiar with the subject himself, it is by
no means Indispensable" says Mr. Walker,
and this naive confession throws flood of
AShO VNOh IL oOh OLao 10 nAltVon anu tdub1b III
| political economy in our schools and colleges
Nothing easier than political economy,
says Mr.. Walker; cit is deductive
science; anybody can teach it; anybody
can learn it, And so anybody
can write book upon il, as DR.. Chaplin has
done. Its a royal field in which to turn
loose the old cribbers of monohippuric col
| leges Let them write full series on ethics
on politics, on mental and moral philosophy,
on social and political economy fourteen
weeks course" in each of the metaphysical
sciences, as we have them cut to fit in
physical science. But let them be printed
privately and restricted to the private insti-
buttons which are bound indissolubly to the
old ways in education and government. They
should not be saddled upon the high-schools
carried on by public tax. To bias the mind
Of American youth by such un-American
doctrines as are taught in the Rev. DR..
Chapin,s First Principles Of Political
Economy approvedby the Indianapolis school
board is as contrary to the desires Of the peo-
pie as was the suppression Of the war history
for score Of years.