Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-04-04
Afternoon Session.

According to programme, the afternoon
exercises were opened with music, after
which Miss Clara Lilibridge, Of the
High School delivered an address on
physical Culture" It was listened to
attentively, and proved to be an interest
ing document, its substance being as fol-
lows:
"At that modern seat of learning, the
headquarters of the great out-of-door
university, situated in a picturesque
spot on Lake Chautauqua, in New York,
is reared building in imitation of the
Greek Parthenon. 1t is known as the
hall in the grove, and represents the
great temple of truth, from which eman-
ates all the learned doctrines of all
ancient and modern sages, but it
is like the fountain which sends forth
only that it may recur to itself again,
and annually may be seen the gathered
hosts assembled just without its walls,
demanding admission to the citadel, but
only those who have passed the arches
dedicated to faith, science, literature and
art are even allowed to present them
selves at the golden gate, the key OF
which is carefully guarded. Aspirants
for graduation honors literally pass un-
der all of these arches, erected as SYM
bols of the various departments of learn
ing pursued, and find, as they pass,
flowers strewn in the path and the way
becoming brighter and easier, until they
reach the very gate to the temple of
truth, where they make the triumphal
entry into the grove dedicated to learn
ing. Symbolical is this of the many ave.
nues to be traversed in order to reach the
highest degree of culture and the key
of active thought will alone unlock the
doors. 1t must be turned in each one
of them, for only by complete and har-
monious development of all the human
faculties can the highest ends of educa-
ton be obtained.
A complete education is three-fold,
consisting of mental moral and physical
training; again, the brain possesses a
threefold form of working, and We are
prone to measure the force or character
of this organ entirely by its expressing
power, that is, by what comes out Of it.
The problem for solution resolves itself, i,
then, into the following: Given the
brain, with its threefold power of absorp-
tion of assimilation and recreation
and expression, to fnd the best
means for its perfect development. Ex-
amining carefully into the conditions, we
observe that the brain absorbs through all
of the five senses and expresses through
but two organs of these senses, the
tongue and the hand, while assimilation
and recreation may be said to be the re-
sultant of the other two functions. We
will, however, consider but one factor in
the problem and the methods of obtain
ing it. That which we have denomi-
mated as our first form of expression may
in a measure be said to belong to the use
of the vocal organs. These have re-
ceived much attention, so far as culture
with view to musical expression is con-
ceTned, but the importance of a trained
voice in the schoolroom is too frequently
overlooked. No one can question that
there is an educating influence
in calm, self.contained voice. Chill
dren unconsciously use their inn
itative powers and not unfrequently
is it the case that as the voice of the
teacher, SO is the voice of the child. But
aside from this by no means unimportant
fact is the quieting effect produced by
low, well moduated, sympathetic tones,
gentle but firm. Though child may be
unable to snalyze the impression, yet he
will readily detect whether voice has
the right ring in it. The voice and the
eve in a great measure determine the
teachers ability to secure and preserve
order in the school room. 1t is
a universally conceded principle that
whatever object is to be ac-
complished, a thorough equipment
will best advance the possibilities of Sc
curing satisfactory results. To furnish
the mind, to develop its faculties, to dis
cipline its powers, have ever been recog-
nized to be the province Of the professional
teacher. In order to be able to think,
We must practice thinking. Self
activity is observing and reasoning
is an essential to mental expression and
becomes the practical part of education.
Reasoning from the same basis, in order
to be able to do thing we must practice
doing it. To quote one Of the earlier ed
ucators, Industry, the physical activity
of our race, is the true, sacred and eter-
nal means for the union Of the whole cir
c1it of our powers into single, common
force-the force of humanity. 1t trains
the understanding, guides the powers
and purity of life from the deadly vast
ing of the senses, closes the gates OF i'm
agination against error, blunts the loqua- |