The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-11-15

SCfOHH stronger, Dy feln1OrcinS all ltS
weaker adjuncts and coadjutors.
A wise choice will require the con-
sideration of three things: The mind
tn be disciplined. the discipline requir-
ed, and the means to be used.
TIE YOUNG STUDENT NOT PREPARED TO
JUDGE.
The early student does not know,
and is not capable of Judging, what
his real condition may be, nor what
! specific improvement he ought to seek,
nor what are the means by which those
desired ends are to be reached. If the
client is.the poorest judge of both law
and equity as affecting himself and his
interests; if the patient is in no fit con-
dltion to diagnose his own ailments, or
| to prescribe for their relief; so is the
early student not the proper person to
direct the details of his own mental
development Nor is this restricted
TO the case when development and
discipline is the object of his scholarly
labor. 1t is the commonest thing in
the observation of those who have con-
tact with students to see that they
misconceive the drift of the subjects
onered to them, or the results which
may be gained by application thereto.
Not infrequently the student who is
most earnestly asking what is the
good of,-say linguistic study,-is that
very student whose linguistic culture is
most lamentably deficient. Or that
student who shrinks from wrestling
with mathematical distractions,
shrinks because of his own weakness,
while he particularly needs that exact
| Nil NH lr, L a:
furnish him. In the end his eyes are
opened, and he says: Il am glad you
compelled me to olearn,-geOmetry.'
Approaching this subject from what
ever direction, we are led to the con-
clusion that at least in the earlier
stages of their education, students are
not prepared to judge wisely as to the
details Of the mental and scholarly
training which is best for them They
can do no more than indicate the
general trend and scope of the educa-
ton which they believe they desire,
while even their beliefs are not ALWAYS
based upon logical or prudent found
ations.
He must gain in knowledge of him.
self. his own conditions, deficiencies,
and needs. He must begin to discern
the ends which true culture, fitted to
his necessities, will secure. He must
gain a clearer insight into the infiuen-
ces of studies, and the effects which
they produce upon his intellectual
powers, and the beneficial or pernici-
Gus nature of their results. The time
will come when he may, and therefore
should, become the architect of his
own farther mental structure, the pilot
of his own vessel, the captain of his
ONp marching and victorious hosts
The years usually spent by young
persons at college are those that mark
the transition from adolescence to
manhood or womauhOed. The young
man comes to college with most of his
acquisitions yet to gain. As has been
shown, he knows neither himself, nor
learning, nor life, and the most distress
ing part of his ignorance is his un-
consciousness of it.
When does u young man arrive at
years of discretion? When is he COM
petent to undertake the full control of
his business affairs? The law provides
that he may not control his own pro-
perty until he has reached an age when
he may be presumed to have in a meas
ure laid aside the frivolities of youth,
and to have undertaken the more seri-
Gus and reflective duties of manhood.
1t may be that the so-called age of
majority has been. wrongly fixed, but
the principle, rightly at the bottom, is
that no young man or woman may
have the control of property until an
age is reached which presumes fitness
to undertake the responsibility. 1t is
a saying almost too trite for such
discussion that ones mind is worth
more than any possible estate, and that
the direction of its proper culture is
the highest duty that can be undertake
en-. Is it, then, too much to claim that
the principles that rule in the lesser
example should rule also in the great
er? As before said, the precise line
where these distinctions may be drawn
differs greatly as to persons, and is
with difficulty drawn as to the entire
class considered. Certainly the time
when q young person has acquired
growth, culture, pOise, judgment, and
wisdom enough to decide these import
ant questions comes only very shortly,
even if itscomes ut all, before the end
of his usual collegiate course.
The committee presented the follow
ing propositions - =
j. A system which permits all col
legiate students to select the specific
subjects which they will pursue, is not
based upon consideration of sound
educational principles; it is mischiev-
ous in its tendencies, and should not be
approved.
to the same pattern, nor to neglect or
suppress the native genius of any stud
ent. This must have sway, but the
choice which is permitted to such, and
to all, should be q choice of results
rather than of methods; choice be-
tween courses of study, leading to
well-recognized ends, rather than of
specific studies, usually governed by
the most trivial and insignificant reas-
ons and leading nowhere.
s. II some latitude of choice of SUBJ
jects be conceded to the growing in-
telligenes, during college life, it should
be restricted to the latter one, or at
most two years of the course.
4. Each of the earlier or .so-called
bachelors degrees, given at the close
Of college work as the symbols of
graduation, should indicate some well
| recognized aud distinctive course of
collegiate training. SO that both the
bearer and the public may know with
some degree of certainty what it sig
mites, as well in outline as in quantity
and quality.
5. All courses of study, offered to or
required of undergraduates should be
so carefully planned, so wisely balanc-
ed, and SO Thoroughly performed, as to
4 secure in some reasonable measure a
large, full. and symmetrical culture to
all who are the hOnored recipients, to
the end that no technical man may be
utterly barren of literary culture, and
no literary man may be totally ignor-
ant and imbecile as to the practical af-
fairs of life.