Telegram-herald., 1890-03-25
knonl EDGE Is PomEa.



~ Al ksS aired Cslfr--
II ol6en tines - seSticn vas noS va
asd - il Is nov Ii s-S realized ta-s
az ed daeated alaa ~as IN some ssnse 81
psrlor - ignoraas people. bet ee ~@S -
zarde6 a. srsUin4te for wasting Ia
rEas IN Poring over uussy psronuaShls :
ard uaiss4ls. and otherwise looked apoA
pretty mEeh Is people nowadays To
gard man trying % discover perpet2Ai
motion
No~sd@ys. says Goldsn Days, sdCo@-
tion has been exalted - It's proper place,
81 the hs4d 0f an soq alred gifts
An anedaest adult Is al object OF
pity, and frequently OF contempt and
the very first step boy makes toward
future greatness Is - acquire an 81 1oa-
tion
de must be . stupid boy, indeed, Who
does NOT value an education and realize
that he can ros become great without II
IL is true that khere are rleh nen who
are uhb-rate, bat these are accidents OF
fortune They may have had money
left 70 them, may have discovered .
mine, or may have boarded up money
like miser. But these are exceptions
the rule Is that education is the only
ladder % fame
But then arises the question-what
constitutes an eduostion2 The Wabash
railway has issued positive order that
no boy shall be employed In any OF It's
shops OF other departments, for the
purpose Of learning any trade or skilled
work, unless he brings . certificate
from his instructors stating that he has
completed his studies up 70 the second
class OF the grammar school. This would
include a knowledge OF arithmetic up
70 mensuration. reading, writing.
spelling, elementary geography and
grammar, some history. etymology and
natural history, and may be taken as
fair standard Of 3 common-school edu-
cation
IL boy has the means and can afford
the time, he should not stop here He
should go through the nigh school and
college, and take special courses in en-
gineering-ciyil, mining or electrical
chemistry, physics, or any one or more
OF the numerous useful branches now
he must stop at common-school ed ucs-
tion, or even If he goes through college,
he must not stop learning If he wishes
20 beoome great
Textbooks do not contain all the in
formation with which boys should ac-
quaint themselves. They are but the
foundation stones of knowledge. boy
should study current events, tho history
of tho world which is always happening.
Here is where books, magazines and
newspapers have their greatest value.
He must read books of travel il he
would know about the geography Of the
world; as, for instance, Stanleys de-
scription of Africa in the light of re-
cent discovery.
Almost every day the bright boy may
read Of some new discovery in science,
history, botany or chemistry, and add to
his education by just that much. The
knowledge thus acquired is always a
source OF pleasure and frequently Of
profit. And it is popularity of learn
ing that the moro you study the easier
1T is TO study.
The man who has learned two Ian
guages can more easily learn third;
one study acts as prop to another, and
so it is IN every branch. The civil en-
gineer could easily master electrical en-
gineering, and the boy who reads his
tory understandingly imbibes geography
with scarcely an effort.
In the case above quoted the railway
company has found that boys who have
completed the English branches of
study learn skilled work more easily
than those who have not.
The reason Is quite apparent. Skilled
work requires the exercise of the reason
ing powers; the worker must under
stand the why and wherefore of his
work; he Is not n nero machine set go
ing. A boy with an education will
think while he works; he will study
and contrive the very best way of doing
any thing; his brain has been drilled TO
reason and it does reason.
Such boy is twice as valuable to his
employer as an unthinking, ignorant
boy, however obedient and willing he
may be, and the employer is bound to
appreciate his services at their proper
worth. Such boy is bound to rise out
OF the everyday rut; he will master his
trade in half the time an ignorant lad
would consume.
These are prizes worth striving for,
and they are within the reach of any
boy of ordinary ability who will study
with diligence after be leaves school.
II be doesn't bother with learning
any thing now" as some boys are fond
OF boasting, the chances are that he
will stand all his life at the foot Of tho
ladder. IL he wishes 70 climb he must
study. and before he has grown out Of
young manhood he viii be glad to admit