Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-07-20
POPULAR EDUCAUION.
An Able Paper Read by Prof r. A. Arm
strong of West Liberty.

MoRGANIOwN, July 10, 1889.
To tSe Editor Of he Register;
Prof X A ATmstrOIg's paper on the
subject "The Demands of Popular Eiuca-
ton" was one Of such rare merit, ard tie
notice OF it in the published proceedings so
me, gee, that enclose a synopsis Of it in
order that your readers may have the ed
yantsge of knowing the views of ore who
is doing such good Work almost in ouI very
midst.
Prof Armstrong said:
/ The education OF the children of a.y
people Is q matter of such vital Importance
as 20 call for the best energies OF the
brightest aud most thoughtful minds and
Of the most philanthropic souls.
IL the progress of any ps)pls In educa-
ton and culture is an evOlahon-and 1t
certainly is-and if one generation must
add the increment of power that shall
help in the evolution of the next genera
ton. and this is also true, the responsible
ity that rests upon one generation in fur
nishing just the proper kind OF lncremen's
is by 10 means small.
The question then, what are the de-
mands Of modern education, ia one Of great
Importance.
'Oae of the greatest demands at pres
emit is the demand for trained teachers,
teachers educated to their particular pro-
fsssion. The time now is when very few
persCn rs in any of the professions are able to
compete with their fellows unless they
have some special equipment for their
works, Ii is SO in the trades as well as IN
the professions; why should 1t not be done
with teachers? Socrates orce asked this
question: III you were going to select
man to take care of and train your colt,
would you choose one who knows some
thing about training colts or ore who
knows nothing; and If you were going to
choose a tutor to teach you boy, would
you choose one who knows something
/ of his work or one who knows nOthins? Z"
Physical education is receiving more al
tention now than il has in years past. We
are not expected to train mind only,
neither a body alone; but union Of both
"A man, a woman. There is even greater
progress in youDg ladies' schools. Young
/ isdiss are not expected TO pose all the time
and lcok lsngui1, but are expected TO take
/ a reasonable amount of exercise, AID this
| is well. We can learn something from the
greeting of an Athenisn woman 10 Spar
tan sister whom she met; 30, how beau
I tifnl Won are How fresh your skini How
swelling your forml You look like you
could strauele On cx!' This
is the time of year when the public Is
deluged with ORATORS ard essays in which
/ the great questions Of the day IN history,
politics, philosophy and religion are dis
cussed, and settled in the most literary and
logical style by the carefully equipped
young men who are graduated from our
colleges and universities. The public, we
know, is disposed to make sport Of these
illusions.
Are not these productions supposed to in
dictate what the four years of training have
done for the young men? And is this all
that the college can give student in its
four year curriculum? Would it not be
possible so 10 direct the studies Of young
men ss to train and develop their minds
and at the same time give them u mental
equipment that they MI ht depend upon
il in their first battle with the world?
Hert ert Spencer says that it would be con-
trary to the beautiful economy of nature
if one kind of study were required to train
and develop the mind and another kind
give it practical Knowledge. l am not
making a plea for that early-beginn'ng,
long lasting, attending technical educa-
ton. not that. But there is still too much
of the old traditions of cloister education
clinging to our institutions of learning.
/ II is necessary TO develop. aud train the
mind first, get broad foundation first;
give breadth and culture to the mird be-
fore you turn its activities into one chan
mel as must be done when a Profession
is chosen. II will become narrowed soon
enough; give q broad foundation to
build on. But there is in most OF our
schools, of high grade and primary, such
slavish adherence to text books, such blind
obedience to authority, that have some
timee wondered how such students could
ever have any intellectual Independence at
all What We want is not ouly that the
course Of study should be more practical,
but that the young man should be taught
10 open his eyes and see that what he is
doing has some practical connection with
the doings of the world. 1t is a lamenta-
BILE fact that many pupils 90 through the
common schools; some students 90 through
college with the eyes of their understand
ing closed. They are actually blind. and
many teachers might be improved by
washing in the pool Of Sloan. Such
feathers and students should sdd 10 their
morning pstitiOn the words OF the two
blind men: Lord that our eyes might be
opened"
Another great need of tue education Of
to-day ia thOroughn6ss, tboroughness.
One Of Jaeotaps maxims was "tout est
dams tout'-"all is in all" By this be
wished TO emphasize the fact that all
knowledge is relJ ted; one thing known
thoroughly helps TO learn the next thin &
If We learn ore thing and learn Il well,
we have gained not only that knowledge
but a great deal more of potential krowl
edge. But We have in our schools such a
rushing and skinnirg over the work as to
b positively produce intellectual dyspepsia
snd nausea. With many teachers and
superirteBdents the shorter catechism
should read: ''Whst is the whole duty ei
studentsP Ans. To 20 through the books
and prepare for the examinations.
believe there are some teachers who
could schieve wonderful success in teach
ing parrots. l have known children to
recite rules, and when ssked II explain
ard illustrate them showed that they had
about az Ineligible idea of them as it they
had said: "Sic Semper tyraRais Erin 90
braqh " This is a serious matter. The
first and last, the one great object is to Gel
pupils to think, think, THINK. There are
three principal things to which we can
charge this lack of thoroughuess; The
high pressure system in 30 many OF oul
schools; the American ch rscseristic OF
hurry and rush; and the Insecure tenure oil
office of teachers.
No, the least important demand Of med
ern education is wiser restraint, more ju-
dicious discipline in the home, in the
school. am not in the habit of wishing
for the return of tie good old PuritaDical
days when the children looked up to their
fathers ss the inhabitants Of Thibet look
up to the Grand Lama.
, But Whist heavenly, restful place the
school-room would be, what paradise the
home would be, if, not double portion,
no. only half a measure Of the spirit OF
these dear departed children would fall on
the the incoirigible youths Of today. Mrs.
Chief Justice Fuller recognized the rela-
= . & .,-arF and child to-day when she