Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-02-02
Studying Current History.

ltlI SCHOOl, WAS tOrfneu III WASH
ington City, not long ago, for the
study of current events. They met
twice a week, and were under the
direction of a woman of knowledge
and experience. The newspapers
we're diligently read, and each sub
ject Of public interest whether it
concerned European politics, the
tariff, the prospects'of presidential
candidates, or the execution of the
anarchists carefully studied
and explained, until each pupil had
a clear and rational comprehen-
sion of it.
We would recommend such a
course not only to our boy, but to
our girl readers also, warning them
that it will not be so easy as it ap-
pears at first sight. "The study of
history" says Gabeaux, increases
in difficulty as it approaches our
own times" If we seek to find out
the truth about Brutns or Cicero,
there are but half.a-dozen authori-
ties to consult, and we cannot
question their yeracity; but if we
wish to make a correct estimate
of a living presidential candidate,
the air is filled with countless
contending voices, and we know
not which to credit.
An English woman well-known
in the literary world, observed,
while travelling in this country,
lately, II find your young people
well.informed as to the character
and events of the reign of Eliza
beth, but singularly ignorant of
those of the present day in Eng
land. At dinner-party largely
composed of young women in
New York, the question of impe-
rial Federation was preached, and
not one of them even knew what
was meant by it,"
No doubt the lady was right in
thinking that the young people of
this country-and the old people,
too, for that matter-are not very
close students of English politics,
although they have had, during
the last year or two, surfeit of
dispatches and articles in the
newspapers regarding the Irish
question and Home Rule.
But it would not be just to
young Americans to represent
them as being more ignorant of
what is going on than are the
youth of England or France. Fan
cy a Young English boy or girl, in
any walk of life, called upon to
give an Ineligible account of the
movement known here as ''cOm-
mercial union with Canada "a
subject which has been much
more discussed Oh this continent
than the federation of Great Brit
ain and it's possessions have been
discussed in England. Not one of
them could do it.
In urging our readers to inter-
est themselves in what is going on,
therefore, we by no means intend
to intimate that they are in need
2 of being stimulated to the study
of current events than are the
young people of other lands but
we insist that all would be greatly
broadened and improved by gen.
) eral knowledge of what the world
is doing. 49,
1t is not only as necessary, as a
matter of education, that a woman
should know the current events of
the age in which she lives as well
as those of the past, but the i'm
, mediate effect of such study is to
, lift her own mind, and bring her
into the spirit of the times.
Young girls of the present gen
) Grafton, to whom the higher edu-
cation is open, are apt to look
. down upon the intellectual cOndi-
ton of their mothers and grand
mothers. Yet the women, both of
; the South and of the North, who
! lived during the Revolution and
the Civil War, developed remark
= able strength and vigOr of mind,
which was shown, not only in fire.
quent deeds of courage, but in in
domitahle f0rtitude and endurance.
The reason was that they were
l brought in contact with great
5 thoughts and events. They did
D not study history, but lived it;
| they were educated, not by text
: books, but'by battles, by suffering,
3 by noble devotion to cause
3 which seemed just to them.
5 Let our girls go outside of petty
5 pursliits-of painting china and
!, art needlework-and bring them
5 selves face to face with the great
: movements of the day in which
: they live.-Y0ath's Companion.