Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-08-13

EDUCATIONAL LECTURE. The lecture
given by Dir. Stearns in the Congrega-
tional church last Thursday evening
WAS of much interest aud possessed the
merit of being unusually practical.
His topic was Education, and he chose
for his text, What are the fruitsps He
commenced his lecture by naming the
objections that are commonly made to
our common school system as it stands
to-day, and showed that while many of
them may or may not have any true
foundation, they nevertheless are of
value, since they continually called at
tention to the weaker points and put
educators on their guard. This of it.
self must continually work out better
and more rational methods, both of
study and teaching. The doctor did
not attempt to prove that the objections
urged were wholly without foundation,
or wholly true, but left that for his
listeners, while he went on to say what
our schools should do for the children
placed within their walls, and to char
acterize any education as not of the
best that did not tend to produce the
greatest amount of good for the indi-
yidual in the shortest time. He relat-
ed that DR. Gallon, celebrated English
scientist, selected two hundred of the
most eminent scientists of his time and
sent number of questions to each,
asking for frank answers, stating that
their names were not to be used. One
of the most eminent, in answer 10 the
question, What was it in your early
education that did the most to direct
you in your present line of research?
stated that it was the instruction re-
ceived from an eccentric schoolmaster
who taught him few elementary things
and made him master of them. Others
answered IN the same spirit and all
bore testimony to the value of an edu-
cation, however elementary or other
wise, that made the student the master
of his work. The doctor took pains 10
emphasize this point and gave his hear
ers to understand that whatever defects
there are in our present system of edu-
cation comes from the neglect on the
| part of the school teacher TO make the
pupil complete master of the work he
attempts to do. He further showed that
the ability to do few things rel, de-
| veloped a love of research and y pride
in the pupil that would lead him to do
most things well and not to remain salts
fled with anything less than mastery of
| the subject taught His lecture through
out was interesting and earnestly de-
| livered. The doctor is a man who I'M
derstands himself and the work he does
His life has been such that he fully un-
derstands what work means, for bis
early days, spent in Massachusetts, were
rugged enough and the hardshps with
which he had to contend were severe
enough to have crushed all ambition in
a lad of less determination. He believes
heartily in practical education for our
common schools, and that good com
mon sense with iudiciouS instruction
are the levers that must elevate our
educational system into the highest
sphere. With more men like Dir.
Stearns to give talks to the people on
this all-important subject. there would
soon grow up q general understanding
in regard to the duties of teachers, par
ents and pupils concerning the office
of our schools that cannot fail to be any
thing less than highly refreshing and
beneficial.