The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-07-01
A. McGREGOR'S ADDRESS
To the Graduating Glass Of the Canton
High School, 1886.
A Review of Education In Early Days
The Influence of the Teacher Over
the Scholar and Relation
They Bear to Each Other.

And so passes the world along from
year to yesr-and SO 1t has passed for
thousands Of years. Humanity tTeads
| the same annual TOund-yes the same
life round. The ancient Greeks, that
learned, polished and wonderful people,
had their great school exhibitions and
contests.
In the ancient Roman world, educa-
tlOn was not neglected, and the &C.
cOuntsswe have Of Ancient Alexandria,
In Egypt, shows that for centuries be-
| fore the Christian era and after, the
schools of GTecian philosophy hOurished
there Its vast library and immense
museum were maintained at public cost,
and the scholars there attending were
also free. For long years the number of
students attending ran from fifteen to
over twenty thousand, coming from all
parts Of the civilized world. Here
hourished and taught Euclid, whose
work on geometry has come down to US.
Here In the second century q multitude
of Pagans, Jews aud Christians prose-
cuted their studies together. In the
tenth century the Arabs had seventeen
aoGTishing universities, in Spain, Africa
and Asia. Italy, during the middle
ages, had her fOUrishing schools and so
did France, Germany, England and
other lands. Learning then, In all ages,
has had her vOt8Ties. Lei u5 credit and
honor the past.
1t will be seen then that other youth
than these have worried and struggled
along the intricate paths Of science
The history of the world shows awaken
lngs from time to time, TeDnais-
ance, that sent things on with new life
The invention of printing, the discovery
of America, the reformation, the inven-
tiOn OF the steam engine, the American
revolution, and other events, more or
less, aroused mankind and changed the
currents Of human action.
This occasion, may say, Is an episode
in the life history of these
young people, about to be
graduated from the Canton public
schOols-an episode long to be cherished
and remembered by them. 1t is the
inality of some twelve years of study
and application; of struggles and lsbOrs
and trials. The result speaks we'll for
the youth who have gone through the
course. 1t indicates continuity of pur-
pose, and improvement Of the mind, and
speaks hopeful promise for the future.
Let these young people remember that
they have only been preparing for the
realities of life, which, In due time, they
Will better understand and fully real
ize. As students, they have, one and
all, learned to encounter difficulties with
resolution, and not 10 be
eeslly discouraged This is
the true spirit, and Every good
student acts upon it, Our knowledge Is
Of little account unles 1t improves the
understanding. The wise man ssys,
"get wisdom, but with all thy gettiDgs,
get understanding" The truth is, the
great value of education is that 1t en-
ables US to know ourselves; to know how
littie we really know at the best. Hence
a great Eoet wrote over 100 years ago:
"a little learning is dangerous thing"
Drink deep, or taste not the Plerlan spring."
"There. shallow draught5 lntOxlcate the braln."
"And drinking largely. sObers US again"
The more knowledge the human mind
acquires, the more extended is the scope
of its horizon, and hence the greater is
The beyond, and the more illimitable the
unknown. Let our youth, therefore,
bear In mind they have only got q start.
Doubtless they, each and all, fully real
ize this. In his modest way, Sir Isaac
Newton said, not long before his death,
that he had only picked up a
few pebbles from the ocean of knOwl-
edge. doubt not the youth about to
graduate fully appreciate our Public
School System, as we all ought to. Par
ents who think they do better for their
children by sending them to private
schools, Ss rule, make great mistake.
Again, do not overload the little ones.
II they master our English tongue, the
prevailing language here, they do well.
In their closing years of school, if
deemed advisable, they can dip into
other languages. Be careful not to
over task the young mind; let teachers
make their tasks gentle and easy, and
aid them all that is possible, as the
competent teacher will. Thus will pu-
pills love the school and the teacher.
Multiply text books as we may, continue
to pile up expense on parents to the
benefit Of school book publishers, still
the fact remains that the living teacher
Is the inspiring power In the school
room. 1t must ever be 30, and 1t has
ever been so.
The Greeks said there were brave men
before AgsmemnOn; and as5uredly there
have been ripe scholars and capable
teachers before to-day. Plato said all
learning Is but reminiscence, and the
best Of US must acknowledge 1t. How
ever great our attainments, we must all
admit the aid we received from others.
Alexander the Great always honOred his
great teacher Aristotle; and the EN-
pOrer Trajan ever hOn0red his scholarly
and mplished. teacher, PIutarch.
PestalOZZi exhausted his means to es-
tablish his school and was unable to
buy text books. He got along very well
however without, for he blaCkened the
walls of his school room and used chalk
thereon; besides, he no doubt knew more
than the text books, as the capable stu
dent teacher always will. Our schools
then depend mainly uron the teachers,
and these should continue to be model |
students, aiming to keep along with the |
progress of an improving age. Thus
may teachers set good example and in |
fiuence properly the youthful minds |
under them.
The youth should appreciate the pro-
visions Of our noble state for their edu-
cation by improving the same. Over |
one million youth LII Ohio are entitled |
to school privileges, but less than one |
half are In daily attendance, and the |
girls attend more regularly than the |
boys. We see 1t In this graduating |
class, where there are oixteen girls to
four boys.
delivered the address four years ago,
and the class then consisted entirely Of |
young ladies. ! trust the absent lads |
are usefully employed, and that none Of |
them are on the way to lOaferdom. Our
principal male teachers In Canton are |
from the country round about, not one |
Of Canton growth believe.