Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-03-03
The Leylc o. Evsnts.

40 ASO3sO - 0VUUeOO
In the study Of history the logic Of
events should not be overlooked.
Nothing can be more interesting. and
ct the same time more profitable. to
the student than to study the WHY, j.
e., the philosophical connection In
events. let them be contemporaneous
or not Some years ago. when teach
ing in the public schools of Indiana,
the writer found it almost impossible
to interest advanced students, young
ladies and gentlemen, in study of the
history of our country. And not until
the method was adopted of studying
the philosophy of history did he sue
coed. II hate history" II can't re-
member anything about it after have
read it." are ordinations too fire.
quently heard from both old and young.
Any subject in which there is lack of
interest manifested is not apt to be
either liked or remembered. Aber-
crombie, in his Mental Science" lays
it down as principle that interest and
attention are the two things on which
the poss ession of q retentive memory
must depend The why of history, of
any thing, in fact, rarely fails to excite
an interest, and with that interest will
come attention; this once aroused,
history becomes a delightful study;
fascinating beyond most other studies.
and no longer hated, but loved, because
the mind has been directed Alright in
seeking for its hidden beauties.
In 1889, body of as grand patriots
az the world has ever seen met to frame
. constitution and to found union OF
the then federated States In that
deliberative assembly, certain element
stood up for slavery so defiantly that
the only alternative left was union
and slavery; no slavery, no union.
Here were two opposing elements, both
planted on American soil at about the
same time (1620), the one represented
by q boat load of slaves landed at
jamestown, Virginia. the other by the
Pilgrim Fathers of Plymouth Rock.
What, even now, is more interesting
than to trace the philosophy of these
events and their causes down to the
close of that fratricidal conflict that
cost the best blood and treasure of this
people? Studying, we will say from
this standpoint, can any one forget the
Missouri compromise, the bred Scott
case, the Kansas troubles, the mis-
sion of Senator Hoar of South Carolina,
or host of other historical Incl
dents growing out of, or closely allied
to, the question of slavery?
The annexation of Texas, the discov-
cry of gold in California and the Mex
lean war, were the leading events &C.
curing during President Folks ad-
The mere fact that these
can be grouped together in this way will
do much to help one to remember that
from 1914 to 1S48 Polk must have been
the President of the United States;
but careful study into the causes that
led to the war with Mexico, and the
full history of the annexation of what
is now the "Lone Star" State, will ex-
cite an interest so deep and earnest
that, having once studied these sub.
iects, they cannot be forgotten. To
Study history I'M this manner is to
study it with method, and for q pur-
pose. And, as o rule, anything done
periodically, and with purpose in
new, is apt to be done we'll A man
with method and purpose will read
sven daily paper in this way. He
turns first to what most interests him,
and treasures that up, because he is
Interested and for the benefit he may
derive from it. He next turns to what
are, to him, matters of secondary in
terest, and reads them, and SO on.
After he has finished his paper-it may
be days or weeks-he is ready to dis
,uss it's contents and remembers per-
tectly we'll the greater part of what he
has read. The point is, newspapers
not only tell when and where events
have occurred, but they generally tell
why they happened; and this, the phi
.osophy of events, enchains attention,
creates an interest and indelibly i'm
presses upon the mind the knowledge
;hus conveyed. Ed r Pritchard, IN
ArkansG1U Irauele7.