Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-08-20
PROFESSOR MALLETT'S LECTURE
BEFORE THE STAUNTON
NORMAL.

BEEOhG LIE 0xAON4V N
NORMAL.
-fReportea for the staunton VTNDfoxToR,1
At O'Clock Thursday evening this dis
tinguished gentleman-Prof. of Chemistry
at the University of Virginia-delivered
an exceedingly interesting lecture On some
of the advantages of the study of words
as compared with the study of things. In
other words, the study of language in con.
trast with the study of nature or Physical
science-knowledge acquired mainly by
submission to authority and knowledge Of
facts tested often by ones own observation
and experiment.. On the platform to lis
ten to the distinguished lecturer, was State
Superintendent of Public Instruction, Dr.
Buchanan; Prof. Painter, of Roanoke Col.
lege; City Superintendent of Schools, Rob-
ertson; ex-Supt. BoWles. and others proml.
nent in educational matters.
Maj. Hotchkiss introduced him to the
| audience as gentleman whose fame be-
! longed not only to Virginia and the Uni
ted States, but to the world. and assured
the ladies and gentlemen present that they
would, without doubt. find both pleasure
and profit in listening to him. DR.. NAL
lett said
Ladies and gentlemen: When was first
honored by the invitation to address you.
my impulse was to decline. bat after think.
ing more on the matter I saw that there
we're reasons why should not do so. !
saw in this another opportunity to meet
a Normal Institute; for the first normal
was at the University of Virginia, and the
pleasure then experienced in meeting the
the teachers. was one of the most pleasant
memories of the past. Other reasons JUS
titled mel thought it best to come and
acknowledge in person the favor of the
invitation. 1 took your kindness not as a
compliment to me as an individual, but as
recognition Of the University Of Vir-
ginia, itself part of the great public school
system of the State.
The great advantages of these meetings
consist in comparing notes with each other
and getting the results of varied expe-
rience, thus attaining mutual benefit. 1t
is we'll for each member to contribute his
mite even though it be but mite. Al
though my especial study has been in but
limited field and in an almost entirely
different direction from that of the sub
ject of my lecture chose for that subject.
bleaching words and teaching things
and their relations to one another"
The study of forms of speech, using that
word in its broadcast sense, should eventu-
ate in the capacity to exchange ideas with
one another. The relation of words and
things has been brought prominently to
my attention by opinions of cultivated
teachers IN Europe, perhaps more than in
this country. My own life has been con-
fined to one limited field of study, tending
to show what are the advantages to be de-
rived from study of nature.
Some folks say that words are only
signs of ideas, and not the things them
selves thoughts as it we're, having no ex-
istence-and conclude that it were better
to study the things themselves. Arguing
on this line they say in astronomy, for in
stance. one finds immutable facts true for
all time. So in physics what we find to be
true of heat, electricity and other proper
ties of matter is true in itself and true al.
ways. The immutable law of things is
no doubt worthy subject of study I
know of nothing more impressive to the
mind than this fact that the laws of ma
ture are immutable. When the mathe-
NAUTICAL astronomer is led by calculation
based on known facts to turn his telescope
to that part of the heavens called for by
the result of his work, and there sees the
star hitherto unknown and unperceived,
he is Impressed with an awful sense of the
immutability of the laws of nature.
Another advantage or merit properly
claimed for Che study of nature is the di-
rect application of such truths to the con-
venience of man. Through the laws Of
electricity we talk with people on the 9th
er side of the ocean. The telephone ena-
bles us to hear lectures delivered and mus
ic rendered in distant cities-recognizing
in some cases the tone of the speakers or
singers.
Again, some say the study of words is
not progressive, leads to nothing. You
simply learn that Roman for instance
would have said ''aaua" where an Eng
lishman says water-a mere matter of
The advocates of natur-
al science say that the study Of nature is
expansive; the discovery of to day leads to
other useful facts which often result in
actual benefit to the human race. The
telephone is now regarded as chiefly USE
full because suggestive of other possibili-
ties in the development of the ideas in
volyed in that invention. Facts discover
ed about heat lead to improvements
in the locomotive, and may perhaps do
away with so slow means of movement
In the study OF words, 1t is said we rely
upon the word spoken by the teacher, and
in science rely upon our own perception
Of the fact. This is not always the case
much of the study of science is upon au-
,bority, and necessarily so, for we havn't
time to verify all the statements made by