St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-04-18

our country is more concerned than the
education of the masses, and comp llsory
education is entirely consistent with such
right. We owe this to ODD, our couotry
aud ourselves
After an experience of one hundred
years our government has forced the COM
pletion of one abutment to support the
great arch composed of all the States. 1t
is universal suffrage, but hope it will not
take another one hundred years to COM
plete the other abutment, which must be
universal education, and every American
must regret that the latter was not COM
pleted first.
Said Louis XIV, II am the Safe"
Under despoti<m as q consequence, there
is no suffrage, no education, no discipline
of the masses in ethical teaching, and by
what can we liken it unto, DETER than a
cone standing on it's apex, supported by
bsyonets, as other wise its equilibrium
would be unstable. But with universal
suffrage. brought about by universal ed
ucation, government would be likened
unto a cone resting on its base, case of
stable equilibrium. Our government not
yet answer to this stable equilibrium and
never will till education comprising ethi-
cal discipline, be universal. God grant
that the day is not far. 1t is a pre- missed
land that, though we may not enter, our
children may, and God speed that day.
have dwelt at some length upon dis
cipline as the prime factor in educing the
latent energies of man a. rational being.
And if you will bear up with me. l will
conclude with the third of mans essen
TALLY as conscious being-morai de-
velopment being the climax.
The lowest form of education is termed
the phsyical, next in order, psyche phys
ical and third and highest, the training
of the mind, in which we find the special
field for moral education.
en- analysis of mind, are these, intellect,
the sensibilities and the will, correspond
ing with these, are the true, the beautiful
and the good. These rank IS follows:
The Intellectual brings into activity but a
single part of our spiritual being, power
of thought and knowledge, the aesthetic
nature the idea of beauty brings into
activity both intellect and sensibility
while the moral nature based upon the
idea of right say right and not utility,
brings into activity the intellect, the sepsi-
bility, the will.
The moral nature brings into activity
every capacity of the human soul. And
patrons, fellow teachers. and children, it
is in this highest order of development,
that true discipline is needed to cause a
growth that will make US men and women,
ideal citizens and Christians, with faith.
hope and charity, as the incidents for our
hope of Heaven.
Now let US satisfy ourselves as to what
concrete characteristics this moral disci-
pline will bring about, and where and by
whom required.
True discipline, from one disciplined,
imparts character, and to complete our
idea of character, we must incorporate
faith, hope and charity. Faith, tlIeologi-
callY considered, means the true knowledge
of the first principle OF the universe. To
brig up child without faith, to 20 out
upon the sea OF life. would be like leaving
vessel on the tempestuous ocean without
a rudder. Hope is the practical side of
faith, it gives US comfort to know of what
the Bible teaches, because of our faith in
it as being Gods word. Charity is the
highes st of these virtues, it embodies both
faith and hope. and it does not consist in
alms-giving rs much as being up and
doing, for ourselves and fellow beings.
These are secular virtues as we'll as
theological virtues, and he who teaches to
the contrary teaches that which is subver-
isve of good government.
These virtues are taught at home h" the
loving mother, at the church. the sabbath
school, under the influence of religion and
in the school, by the teacher.
Now it is more to my purpose in giving
my idea as to what extent these virtues
should constitute the make up of the
teacher, because l have previously said
teaching and being taught should be an
intellectual companionship, and rather
than the learning be made up from books,
1t would be better, lar better. were the
learning educed by inward susceptibilities
working outward, as the result of having
gained the very identical characteristic of
the teacher.
Teacher and pupil are related much as
two clouds approaching each other. One
being in p ,sitive and the other in neg
alive state of electricity. The teacher is
the positive and BY proximity and tact
ELECTS the spark that will supply the mega
tive
Teachers, we must regulate our lives
and SO live, that our actions will be law
to those looking up to US for help.
And again, before concluding, will re-
affirm the leading idea which l am trying
to add to, during this discourse. Man &C
nothing in the outward world
of discovery and invention, that can once
be compared with the results which he
achieves as in no other instance of human
indeavor, and in my last sentence, | will
end with the leading idea, that the dis
tinctive idea of an education is not to in
crease what n man knows. but IT, augment
what man is.