The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1885-09-09

wow, iutftlOies resolved, Lnat we, the
teachers of Ohio county in Institute as
sembled hereby memorabilia the Con.
gress of the United States, that by en-
actment il cause to be discussed among
the several states "a portion of the afore.
said surplus for educational purposes,
ResOlreR, That we heartily indorse
the able efforts Of Hon. Albert =. Willis
and other members of the Kentucky
delegation, who labOred so faithfully to
have bill passed by the last Congress
embodying these views,
Resoired, That our county superIn-
tendent send a copy of this preamble
and resolutions to our Representative,
Hon. Thos. A. Robertson, and the OF her
Kentucky members Of the next Con-
gress Prof O'Flaherty expressed his
views at length on this subject claiming
that 1T was no party measure, and that
there could be no constitutional restric-
ton since the General Government had
already acted in a similar manner, by
donating for the same purpose, large
portions of the public domain
The Institute took short recess, al.
ter which the closing address by G.. G.
Wedding, who was unavoidably absent
was read by Prof. Rhoads
GEO. q. WEDDINGS ADDRESS.
Ladies ana GenHcmea:
In the acquisition of knowledge two
grand, paramount objects are to be at
tanned. First, the disciplining or train
ing of the mind, So a. to think and
reason correctly, cogently aud philoso.
phically; and secondly, to thoroughly
prepare, qualify and tit one for an intel
ligent discharge and performance OF
the various duties and responsibilities of
life. Without these being kept con,
stantly in view by both tutor and
student, all attempts at thorough
education will prove more OF less abOr.
tive. Let us examine, briefly, these
cardinal ideas ia their order:
First, the disciplining Of the mind.
All the faculties aud powers we possess
are improved alone by exercise, and
with proper training, can be made
capable of almost anything; at least
more than can be easily imagined
Notice, will you, the fingers Of that
young lady, fall a. il were, ON the Keys
of the piano, naturally without any
thought or pains, into regular and all
mirable motion, producing most de-
lightful and charming music. But how
was this proficiency attained? BY loag
years of exercise and practice. We zee
the athlete, or gymnast perform fetes
of various kinds that are beyond the
reach and almost the conception of the
unpracticed spectators, while they are
nothing but the effects of exercise aud
industry in men whose bodies haye
nothing peculiar in them, to those of
the mere lOOkers-On. Now as mans
physical organism is improved by exer-
| else, so also is his mental. Truthfully
has that celebrated metaphysicIan and
thinker John Locke said, AS il is in
the body so it is in the mind practice
makes it what il il, aud most even of
those excellencies which are looked ON
as natural endowments will be found,
when examined into more narrowly, to
be the product of exercise, and to be
raised to that pitch only by repeated
actions" L never did believe much in
what is popularity known as 0eRius.
Constant application, determination
to succeed, will accomplish more ttsn
the brightest flash of genius that was
ever emitted from the eogitatOr of man.
Mans superiority, physically and men-
tally, comes from discipline and exer-
else, while conversely his iu.sriority
comes from Incidence, supiueness and
lethargy. | shall not stop to sugges
what particular branches of education
you should apply yourselves to, father
than To say that believe that it is gen
orally admitted among schOlarsthat the
study of mathematics settles in the mimi
more thoroughly and perfectly the
habit Of reasoning closely aud in train
than any other study common to all
school curriculum. l would not be unl
derstood As urging that all should strive
to become great mathematicians I; be
cause hold that il is only necessary to
know enough of the method of reason
ing which this study brings to the
mind. to be able to transfer it to other
parts of knowledge, as occasion may
demand. "FOr i'm all sorts of reasoning
every single argument should be man
aged as mathematical demonstration !;
the connection and dependence of
ideas should be followed till the mind
is brought To the sOarce on which il
bottoms, and observes the experience
all along; though in proofs of proba
bility, one such train Is not enough to
settle the judgment rs ia demonstrative
knowledge" Again. the study of
mathematics teaches Us IN reasoning
how - separate all the distinct ideas,
and to behold the relations they sustain
toward each other, and to lay by those
that relate not TO the proposition in
hand, and leave them wholly out Of
the consideration, Whereby the mind
becomes used To long trains of oOnse
quences. Ii is cOntended by some that
the study of the classics does moie to
train the mind to philosophical reason
ing than anything else; but j do not
think so. IL is true that any mental
exercise is advantageous and assists t.
develop in the mind the ability L.
think correctly and to reason logically
But after all, the particular study 10
which We should apply ourselves, il no.
so important as that We do apply our