The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-12-06
A Good Way to Spend the Surplus
Millions in Our Treasury.


The recent meeting of the Bankers As
soclation. their far-sighted devotion to the
future training of our youth 10 Finance and
Economy, suggests a matter that we will
strive to inaugurate.
That is, great system Of lecture hall
throughout the country devoted to the in
struc'ion of young and old during afternoon
evening and Sunday hours.
This notion of many that man or woman
needs no further schooling after say 81 o,
%, is not commendable; for it is after thai
period that scholar really begins to learn
practical and useful matters, concerning
which it requires an enormous amout Of
study to even keep himelf abreast of the
times.
These institutions should be endowed
professorships established, and the public
generally invited to attend without cost
whenever so inclined. These professional
chairs may be devoted to every branch Of
learning; their occupants selected as experts
in their several departments, and required
to keep themselves posted mp to the last
moment before going on the platform to
impart the latest information 10 their
hearers.
These lecture halls, made cheerful and
comfortable, scattered everywhere an au-
dience demands. would prove blessings of
great magnitude 10 workers as well as the
unemployed; they would enable the special
inquirer, inventor and all interested tn the
newest details of their special pursuits, to
gain information in few hours that in
public library might take weeks to hunt up,
Regular hours could be advertised on the
bulletins that this or that professor would
speak on some subject, and as in regular
universities, new lecturer could commence
when the other ceased
Thus vast amount of information could
be disseminated that would give some of
our daily papers something to talk sbou,
besides WORKOUT politics.
Again, such lectures would promote an
activity IN all branches of investigation, that
to-day We can hardly comprehend. I'm
provements in mechanics and science would
become proportionately rapid by giving to
the inventor the information that he now,
with the greatest difficulty, is able to obtain.
Concerning the cost Of undertakings Of
this kind, in the aggregate they would un
doubtedly be large, aud we above limited
that the United States surplus could be en-
ployed in no better or more MS .ful way. A;
the same time, We do not advocate national
interference if there is any other possible
way out of the matter, and suggest instead,
that snch halls and endowed professorships
be established by special gifts from rich
men inclined to leave monument to their
own memories.
In our opinion, lecture halls of this kind,
thoroughly equipped and scattered all over
the country, would do more toward large
education of the people, than all our public
schools combined. Above all they wonld
enable every man, woman and
child to select their special line of study to
the exclusion OF those nninterestin g matters
crammed into their minds in our colleges
and public schools.
This alone is vas! feature in the direc-
tion of free learning, now practically
impossible.
The above excellent article is copied from
The FInaaeier and is one of the most SEN
sible articles we have met with on the sub
ject of public education. The old system
of text hook examining is too slow and non.
derous for this fast age OF steam and electric
ity, and new systems Of educations are all
turning on the above plan. We commend
this 10 the thoughtful consideration of Mr..
Tome and the trustees of his scheme of nom
ular education. The same amount of money
expended in the above educational methods
would accomplish ten times the amount of
good that can be obtained by any of the old
devices. Money should not be wasted on
things that are going out of use.