The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-25
THE eeST EDUCATION.
That Which Trims Hand and Brain To-
gether--A Great MistAkc

gethcr-A Great MistAkc>
Each year brings to the general public,
az well as to the educators, the convic-
ton that the present system Of education
is inadequate TO the demands of the day.
The great public. which is more directly
interested in school methods than the cd
ucators themselves, are waking to the
conviction that there Is much useless cx-
penditure Of time and effort in putting
the boy and girl through the course of
study in the schools. This conviction Is
not limited TO any class Of intelligence.
1t Is permeating all classes. With TINS
more complete view OF education comes
among the higher classes a greater re-
spcct for skilled labor. In these days
when riches suddenly take to themselves
wings and fly away; when there may he
luxury one week and penury the next,
it il necessary for every one to he pre-
pared for these emergencies. The ext
gencies in business life cannot always I've
foretold with accuracy. The laws that
govern the evOlutions Of commerce are
to certain extent the same in their ten
dency and as unerring in their effect as
those that govern the cyolutions Of ma
ture.
Ii has long been n great mistake Of the
rich TO educate their children in the eff
horesences of knowledge, and to teach
them 20 view manual labor az lowering
in its influences. But self preservation
is one of the first laws of nature and
there are comparatively few people who
would rather starve to death than work
81 II. f..a.af ~
turc is strong with us all, and there Is
that consciousness III every one, q least
in hearlSovery one, that forces him TO
labor in order 10 save his own life. The
complications of social conditions and the
consequent competition IN al depart
ments of Industrial and professional life,
together with these sudden disappear
anccs of fortunes. are impresslng upon
the minds Of all, the rich as well as the
poor, the necessity Of being fOrcarmed.
The man who is armed il always ready
for an attack. The man who has
skilled brain and hand To fall back upon
is ready for IN emergency.
If society is TO be cOmpacty built and
enduring we must all contribute Our
labor. not only 10 make it so, but 10
keep il so. We have now a. much Of the
disintegrating elements a. wenecd. These
are the criminal classes. the paupcrs, the
insane the bed ridden. the homeless, the
aged. the infirm. We have in this wide
domain many that are needy, but that are
not yet the wards Of the public. With
the increase of the population comes an
increase i'm sOciety's burdens. The com
plicatiOn in social conditions must becvi-
dent to eyery one that will take the trou-
BILE TO penetrate the slight crust which
enyel0ps life ia the United States. The
only way TO put an obstacle in the way
of this alarming increase IN our nOn-pro-
ducing class, or nOn-contributing classes.
is to educate our children 10 become pro-
ducers and contributors. The present
system of education is good so far Is II
goes, but it does not go far enough.
If all members of society were prOdu-
GERS as well as consumers there would be
less necessity for poorhouscs. Practical
education might, and undoubtedly would,
lessen the tendency to crime An idle
brain is the devils workshop is a saying
"a true as it is old. Thomas Carlvlc's
ringing sentences may bc quoted here.
Says the great philosopher: Produce,
produce. produce If it be but the most !
iniinitosimal part OF a product, IN Gods |
name produce it. Work while it is yet |
day, for the night comcth wherein no I
man can work." 1t is the business of |
those who direct education 10 consider |
these facts decpy.-DetrOit Free Press.