Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1885-01-29
Higher Education.

! lofu 10 the youth OF the land good every
day education, sufficient TO take person
through life, if no higher aim than a living
is in view
The education so obtained at public ex-
pense is not designed TO lit one for any
special vocation, il simply gives him just
such a start as his companions around him
possess, j, gives him no advantage over
them.
Ii young man or woman desires To be-
come something of ssa6er higher course
Of training must be acquired, either in the
/ colleges of the iaud or by course of study
4 diligently pursued in private, and this
training must he of "a kind to ft one FOR
his chosen career.
A youth with a fair amount of schooling
just entering life on his own account
should carefully consider his aims in life /;
he should make up his mind to some voca-
tion and then bend all his energies in OBJ
taing higher education in the branches
that will be of most service to his chosen
work If he intends 10 mingle with the
hustle of industrial life, on the farm OF in
the workshop, let him pursue the higher
courses of study that will be of most use
to him the branches that will assist him
to take leading position in the ranks of
his special labor.
Daniel Webster, when a young man, in
formed his father that he bad made up his
mind to be a lawyer. his father endeavored
to discourage his son from entering so
crowded a profession rs the law, yoang
Daniel eagerly replied: 'Bnt father, there
is always room at the top"
This truth is of universal application,
and would urge upon every young man
to thoroughly prepare himself for his life
work by pursuing all the related higher
branches that will he of use to him in fu-
ture struggles for this top place" that
Webster aspired to fill, and which he
reached.
have met with men in most OF the in
dustrial pursuits of life who only lacked
isreparatioa, which might have been ac-
guired by judicious study of certain re-
lated branches of education in their young
er days, to have allowed them TO take this
top place" but lacking this special train
ing for their work, they were forced to
compete with the masses for their daily
bread
say to every young man that the key
word to success, whether you enter your
self among industrialists, as a farmer,
mechanic or artizan of whatever trade or
profession is preparation. There have been
certain drawbacks to higher education in
the past where young men upon entering
college were forced to 90 through set
coarse of study before they could grasp the
long desired sheep-skin or diploma of
graduation. This set course of study was
prepared ON general principles by the facul-
ty of the college, some mathematics,
smattering of the sciences, few modern
languages sprinkled in, and lots of Greek
and Latin.
This curriculum must be taken by every
student whether his future life was to be
spent in the field or in workshop.
Now, it is plain to be seen that such a
method must be disastrous in many re-
poets. A young man upon leaving college
enters the active arena OF life. His Greek
and Latin becomes useless he soon loses
his fluent methods of translation; his
knowledge of the sciences is not sufficient
to afford him any practical aid in his pur-
suits, and he regrets the years spent in
college, and his children in many cases are
from entering college halls.
These facts could not fail to attract the
attention of educators throughout the land,
and from the more active minds came the /
cry, Give US a practical course of educa-
ton
In 1851 a grand movement was began 1
for the higher education of the industrial |
classes of the United States, ard in answer |
to this appeal for practical higher educa-
ton, in 1852 Congress granted lands for |
this purpose from the public domain. This
grant, when accepted by each State, be-
comes the means of establishing an indus
trial university, composed of the various
colleges of agriculture, engineering. science,
literature, arts, designs, ETC., with full lib
erty given each student to take those
which will aid him most in his
chosen career. Of course, the faculty care
fully provide an outline of studies tor each
separate course OF study, and the students
are advised to pursue some one outline OF
related studies, but full liberty is given
he student in his choice.
In these universities, then, we have the
answer to the universal cry for practical
,ducation.
So popular have these institutions be-
,ome that the older universities have been
orced to yield to the general demand, and
low every university of Importance, as far
g have knowledge, has changed its pre-
cribed courses Of study SO as to admit OF
hcice Of studies by the student. I
1t is Of course desirable for every one to ,
tudy as far as possible all branches Of ,
earning, but the world is to broad and life
o short for human mind to grasp even ,
he rudiments Of knowledge in all the
aried branches Of investigation. must
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