Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-11-21

studies in America, being asked if he
had studied religion, replied: "No. l
had no time for anything that has no
practical bearing" Indeed this is q
practical age. The wide world over
people are talking about doing things
practically. Ministers are encouraged
to preach practical sermons. Editors
are running practical newspapers. En-
gineers, instead of sapping the ener-
gies Of their lives in rearing hangin Q
gardens and monster pyramids, are in.
tcresting themselves in inter-occanic
canals. ship-railways and other things
of like practical nature. In fact
everything tends toward the practical.
Yet no word is SO generally misunder-
stood. Religious enthusiasts might
urge that the japanese could study
nothing more practical than religion,
for what would it profit him if he
gained good education and lost his
soul. just where the practical leaves
of and the impractical begins is mat
ter of speculation.
Some say teach just so much arith-
metic as the pupil will utilize in after
life in business enterprises. But who
ever bad an example in business in
volving the cube root, arithmetical
/
series, complex fractions, Formulation
and great number of other subjects
with which arithmetics are crowded.
Who ever had to prove in business
that all right angles are equal, or that
any two sides of a triangle are greater
than the the third side: Who ever had
practical case oi' finding the weigh,
of fish when only the weight of The
head and fraction of the tail are
given! Or how long it will take two
men to do a piece of work when it
takes one man three DAYS and the other
two! A practical man of experience
would be apt to reply that it depends
upon the season of the year in which
the work is 10 he done. and the num-
Der of shade trees III the field: and
then the probably is that it will take
both longer than either.
Whose digestion is better for know
ing that his food must be properly
masticated, unsaIivated, etc.. etc
Some say practical knowledge of the
classics is just sulticiency for getting
one along smoothly in derivation.
Those who understand the classics best
affirm that a practical knowledge fna-
bles one TO read them at sight, and
ANYTHING that comes short of this is
Impractical. Each one, it seems, de-
termines what ia practical from stand
point of his own. the standpoint beil g
such as will enable the individual to
turn nimble penny.
Should pupil, on graduating
in our public schools, make
application for position in
drug store, he would probably be met
with the question, have you studied
chemistry! oh yes, he replies, upon
which the proprietor pours forth such
an amount of questions as to utterly
bewilder him. What, retorts the pro-
prietor, you want a position in my
drug sture and know nothing about
chemicals but theory! l never went
to school and yet | know infinitely
more about these things than you do
never make mistake in compound
ing medicines, and you don't know
poison from anything else. You may
talk to me about bonds of affinity,
anatomy, molecular forces, and that
sort of nonsense. bother my brains
about nothing but the practical. The
trouble with our schools is they at
tempt to teach too much. II they
would narrow the course of studies !
and teach chemistry and pharmacy |
and thoroughly, they would
succeed better.
Not meeting with success here, he
applies for position in bank and is |
asked if he has studied bookkeeping.
banking, etc. OF course he has
studied these and is given long col
uinns of figures TO add, and other
things in the line of banking to do,
and gets through very poorly indeed.
Dur clerk, replies the banker, never
went to school, yet he handles those
subjects better than you do. The
rouble with our schools is they at
empt 10 teach too much. If they
would teach only a few subjects
md make their pupils experts in
commercial arithmetic,
ookkeeEing. business forms etc, they
would succeed better. You have stud
ed every thing and are fitted for moth
ng, aud thus is he confronted when
yer he applies fer position.
The idea is current that n pupil, on
course of general studies,
ught to executes skillful work in any
ne of business whatever. but no man
sense would attempt anything so
and because it cannot be d
one many would narrow the course =
studies to the few subjects they -
nd application for in business life. y
o matter how good an education y
srson has he stands at the threshold u
his calling novice, and can be-
me proficient only by long course
dilligent application. A distin- =,
lished educator makes clear expos
on of this whole mater. He saws: =,
G primary aim of the academic ),
hools of science and language is cul- =,
re; that of the professional schools a,
actice. Self Is the end of culture: a.
t selfis the instrument of practice. ID
he academic training views man him -.
f as the end, but the professional -,
lining views man as the means and -,
3 calling as the end or business for Il,
: pursuit of which he is to be fitted. :.
e academic, or general training, fits ~
no line of business in particular, a.,
it furnishes culture as the condi- T.,
n of the highest attainment in one =,
,cial vocation. The man cultured a..
} more fullness and strength as a 80
,cialist. than the same man uncul- -
ed" II. S. AUSTIN.
Eagle Township, Nov. 10, "a
- W.