The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-02-04
..rRE WHOLE PURPOSE OF TEACHING. ;,

a greater question is Important question
which includes all others, namely: What
Is the purpose of instructions" More i'm
portant in the education of a child thar
any particular subject is the idea which
the child gets of the value of education.
A great deal is said, these days. about
man as an industrial being, and as citi-
zen. The demand is urgent that instruc-
ton shall have respect especially to these
two facts II is said that these two objects
alone justify taxation for public education.
However plausible the reasoning. the po-
sition is certainly unsound. Education is
not. primarily. for obtaining livelihood,
nor for citizenship; but for personal excel
lence; excellence which includes these
facts, it is granted, but which nevertheless
only includes them: this excellence being
the whole purpose they being but parts.
The state is not superior to the Individual
but is only means by which the indi-
vidual secures his greatest good. It i'm
poses limitations on his conduct and Oh
his liberty, but not more than do other
means which he uses for MS own good
Ii individual good could be better secured
without the institution of government.
government would not only be Unnecessary
but an evil Thus we have the conclusion
that il is the individual for whom the
states exists and whom it serves, and not
the state which the individual serves
The justification of public education at
general expense is simply that the state is
the most efficient means by which
education can be secured Educa-
ton. then. only includes preparation for
industry and citizenship: 1t Is not these
alone and does not base its claim TO public
| support on these alone. This reference is
made to what is conceived to be the true
! oI.N. So L. o,l,, Z.
that we may have sure foundation on
| which to stand while we do battle against
! the industrial forces which threaten TO
! take possession of the schools. Training
for work is only part of the plan of edu-
cation, and not the whole of the plan.
! Manual training has place in the public
school if it contributes to the personal ex-
| if the conditions for its in
/ PRODUCTION and maintenance exists.
| Whether we take low or an exalted
view of the purpose of education, the So
called practical parts are legitimately in
the common school scheme. The only
objection To tuem in this paper is that
their claim is based on grounds that are
not tenable
In the First Reader of series formerly
in use the following anecdOte is related:
A man once met Rufus King when boy
going TO school The man said What
do you expect to be when you have grown
up" 81 mean TO be man" said Rufus,
Il mean that the world shall know one
day how much | have learned" This
simple illustration may serve to show
what should be the idea of each pupil AS
be tolls at his tasks from day to day.
Whenever the schools depart from the
idea that it is men and women that are
being trained and perfected, they have
abandoned the foundation ON which they
Shn r1lH he mir
lawyers nor clerks, mechanics nor mer
chants, bankers nor bakers, nor mere citi-
Zens even. The schools are training those
who will follow these callings. They are
not training them for these callings, but
for citizenship in the imperial common
wealth of ideas The school should aim
to do for one pupil precisely what it does
for another In the intention of the
school the hod carrier shall be as intelll-
gent as the lawyer. The school in the
grammar department ought not to assume
that one pupil will follow this occupation
and another will follow that Its only
mission is TO give culture and power 10
mind and heart and body. Culture that
will be the sOlace of the man, whether he
follow a manual or a mental occupation;
power that he can use IN his life work,
whether he WELD the plane or the pen.
Doubtless there j. an element of patriot
ism as well as demagoguery IN the wall
which resounds through senate and press
and pulpit, that the rich are growing richer
and the poor, poorer, and that our indus
trial system is radically wrong. However
that may be, the dangerous idea seems to
obtain that If the schools can do no more /
for the pupils in respect 10 quail ying |
them for business, these great financial /
inequalities can be leveled. The princely /
fortunes that excite our alarm, admira- /
tiOn and desire flow through the channels .
of business and speculation, and naturally |
enough the desire TO enter these depart |
ments of activity Is prevalent. The schools /
cannot afford to discontinue the exalted /
purpose of atfOrding culture for 4
the purpose of training all Of .
the sordid and selfish powers.
4 boy needs TO be thoroughly impressed /
with the fact that gaining an honest, in
dependent livelihood is an important /
duty: that the person who can not do this |
is unfortunate. and the person who will /
not do it is a nuisance. But when stress is
laid on so-called useful branches of know
ledge and they are pursued by the pupil
with the idea that they may be made the
source of profit. a grievOus wrong is done.
When class is instructed in the subject
of chemistry with the idea that a practi
cal chemists they may reap rich returns,
rather than that they are study
ing the very mind of God, a great
violence is done to the cause of true
tuuIdIlOD. W men pupil IuSltdu VI Dt- /
ing taught that knowledge Is an excellent
possession itself, is taught that with it he
may obtain gold and silver, a wrong idea
of the value of knowledge is impaired to
him and his true education grossly per
verified. If. instead of being taught that
he can do much good a. an intelligent
school teacher young man is taught TO
have respect rather unto the school teach
ers princely compensation, great violence
is done to his conception Of the relative
value OF things. Time will not permit the
further discussion OF this phase of the
question; therefore one point only
will be considered in conclusion.
Leaving out OF view the other two
r. we demand for reading the place OF
tional scheme. There Is nothing that will
solve so many problems a the cultivation
Of good literary taste. When the crowds
that frequent the saloon shall be succeed
sd by multitudes that prefer the public
library questions that now alarm viii not
even exist. When good books are on the
table in the home the street vender Of
Deruicious literature will find his nefari-
lus business Improbable When man
STALL have within his mind such stores OF
wealth as VIII afford him pleasure in the
absence Of grOsser possessions, greed and
raud viii greatly diminish. Happy the
man who cav say.
Il feel no care OF coin,
Well doing Is my wealth;
Ny mind To me an empire,
While grace affOrdeth health"
The nations is secured if she realize
hat
More 10 her than gold or grain.
The cunning hand and cultured brain. y
The study Of language can claim the
.hief place in any course, not only be
.ause it is the wealth OF which IL Is the
ource. but also because il Is the study
which gives greatest mental power il is
he best expert opinion, believe. that the
Natural sciences, in 50 far as the depend