Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1888-03-29
A Paper.
Read Before ths Teachers Institute Held
in Keytesvile, NO., March IL, 1883.

We are told that there is nothing
new under the sun; that what is now
has been beforetime, and shall agar
be. This truth was never more lm'
pressed on my mind than in attempt
ing to prepare this paper. Every.
thing could think of had been al.
ready said, and said so much better
than 1 can express, that nothing
seemed left me but to bring together
some of these ideas of others tC
present TO you.
Uncle Esek, the wise man of the
Century Magazine, says he has often
heard of men who knew more than
they could tell, but had never seen
one. 1t is well that he said nothing
about women, for l think l know
more about the subject assigned NE,
education, than ! shall be able tC
tell, at least in the limits of this pa
per.
Since the treatment of the topic Is
left to my discretion, I'll adopt the
formula of an ex-divine, In our town,
for his sermons. He says: ''It's
easy enough; just take a text, then
make some scattering remarks. "
Education then is our text, and the
remarks which follow promise to be
scattering"
Learning and knowledge are said
to be the keys of wisdom's store
house. Wisdom is applied educa-
ton. Education is the sum of life.
Webster's definition is, "uaining,
instruction. If this be true, the
work must begin with our earliest
years, and close only when these
eyes close upon time, to open upon
a new existence.
1t seems fourfold in its nature,
possessing physical, moral, mental
and spiritual characteristics. The
influences which mould it enter
through every sense we possess. and
each hour leaves its lesson for good
or for evil.
The responsibility Of its direction
rests first upon parents, then upon
parents and teachers, and lastly upon
triple combination of parents,
teachers and the subject to be taught
"a threefold cord, which should
never be broken.
One need not be genius to be a
success as a student, for there Is
more hope of dullard or plodder,
than of genius who knows it all
without study. Some Of the great
est men began life as very stupid
boys with their books.
To you it is needless to speak of
systems of education. Time chang
es systems and text books, but the
principles remain.
When the education of the genera
ton, which is now so rapidly passing
away, was begun, there were no
free or public schools, but payday
came regularly, therefore it was 10
the interest of all parties that 4
chld should at least be taught the
s'three Rs before leaving the moth
er's care. Then there were no pri-
mary departments for teaching A.
B. c., and that was blessing to all
parties. a child should never, un-
less in unusual cases, be sent to
school TO lea-n his alphabet. AvisIt
once, but never repeated, to prI-
mary gave me such beart-ache that
dreamed that night of the Bethle-
hem slaughter of the Innocents."
Seventy five poor, pitiful little chill
dren, each trying TO out-scream the
other in their A. L. c. sand one full
grown martyr! 1t was too much
my heart ached for them.
To return to the days CT yore.
There was one feature more worthy
of mention. A punishment by the
teacher involved another at home
two of kind-which helped both
pupil and teacher, though now con-
sidered a relic of barbarism.
Sidney Smith advised yourg lady
TO "live IN the best company when
she read If one does this, ard il
| it is true that one becomes similar tC
his companions, we will resemble
our fayorile hooks. Show me your
hooks and Eli know what your char
| acteT is.
In our hooks which contain result:
of all the combined research OF ages
we may learn lessons from the past
with all its memories. With then
we may toll through the presen
Alright, while from them We ma
gain wisdom 10 guide us along III
future, with its still unsolved prob
lens. 'Books are the quietest o
friends and companions; the we
mans enjoyment, the sick man
solace, a pleasure in merry mood
consolation when sad. better iha
{ a physician for a mind diseased, an
. q sweet oblivious antidote for
thousand corroding cares" it h:
been said that the end of educetio
Is to make man, not cycloped;a
4 citizen, not book OF extracts.