St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-04-18
The Distinctive Idea IN Education.

discourse, | must be allowed to explain
what understand by the word discipline.
We find by consulting the dictionary
that disciple means a learner, a pupil, a
follower discipline, defined as meaning
training, corrective punishment. Now, to
follow out all the definitions possible to be
found, and TO be governed by all the ap-
plicaticns made of it, we would naturally
come to the conclusion that there is very
little difference between the terms dis
cipline and government.
And l claim that the general acceptation
of the term falls far short of what true
disci pine is. The first idea presenting
itself is from the sacred text, "And Christ
taught his disciples, saying"-but if he
ruled or governed, it was by love and not
by fear. claim this to be the principal
difference in their application Govern
ment is extrinsic, discipline intrinsic dis
cipline is the very essense, while govern
mept is merely natural to the we'll being
of a people. SO much
Now, | claim that this life is so real that
discipline is the prime factor in the evolu-
ton of our well being from the beginning
to the end. We must concede that life is
the most wonderful thing to contemplate
within the capacity of reasoning-life in
its gradational stages-the plant and the
tree giving the vegetable kingdom, the
animal giving US the kingdom of sentient
existence. Last and highest, man, the
the Divine ottatus. for God breathed into
mans nostrils the breath of life, and he
became living, undying, immortal soul.
Now, next after life in the ascending
scale, the most marvellous phenomenon is
that inherent and inevitable attribute of
all life known TO US. mean growth, self
development, without which life cannot
be conceived to exist. Now, this growth
may be said to be physical, mental and
moral.
The vegetable and animal kingdoms are
so constituted by the Almighty power that
they commence existence, grow and de-
velop. propagate, according to laws pecu-
liar TO the purposes for which created
But man stops not here, for, though he is
physically governed BY some laws peculiar
to all manner of life, he has innate suscep-
tibilities reaching to the very presence of
the Great | Am. The animal kingdom
seeks its own good through instinct, and
while We may train an animal for varions
purposes, its obeyng is still instinct of q
secondary kind, or force of habit, and
however well it may be trained, it is not
by it's own will. but by the will of man.
But man, while animal in his physical
nature, is rational to an extent not yet linn
tied. And [ will say, unless man can
raise himself above himself, how mean q
thing is mani And he must raise by self
willed discipline contributing with the
efforts of his teacher or teachers.
lnanimate matter cannot of itself grow.
The rock of thousand years is only the
result of q cohering Of separate parts of
matter-growth, if you will, from without
merely accretion, But this growth of
animal matter is from within, and in man
a conscious growth which can be econo-
mixed intellectually and morally as we'll
as physically.
And will affirm in this connection that
all that can be done for or bestowed upon
man from the world without cannot be
conn ar ID with what man can accomplish
within and for himself but the indispen-
sable requisite in such case is q tenacitY
of purpose to discipline himself, while
submitting to that of those aule to lead
him.
The heavy sledge- hammer ticks of the
ha,dymuscled blacksmith are mot the re-
suit of knowing how TO strike. but from
continual effort each effort is augmented
until the point of bearing is reached and
the test satisfied. Such is the case in all
mechanical arts. Never give up until you
achieve for yourself degree of efficiency
bordering on second nature.
Notice how this same law re-appearsTin
he realm of mind, and with more i'm
perial majesty in DR. portion as mind is in
advance of matter. If you wish to Develop
your phys power, put your physical
org aus to drill if you seek to bring your
mental powers to high degree of eff
cheney, put them to work upon studies
that will tax thea to the utmost if you
want to be giant killer in the arena OF
debates, get into habit of killing giants.
We pursue our perseverance in the arts or
sciences, not so much for these themselves
as for the good that sccrues from the
stark pursuit. Such will cause a mar
never to be disappointed in himself.
And to keep close to this bent, will
say that most of US would at any time
rather be the man that is the most than
the man who knows the most For the
object of an education is not primarily to
increase what man knows. but to aug
ment what man is; and say right here
that true discipline is the building within
oneself barracades against the depravtsy
of his animal nature, because against such
man is not proof without discipline of the
mind and heart.
Acquired manhood and knowledge are
not identical, any more than food and
physical power. Dlgested food is flesh
and blood. Digested knowledge is mental
power. This mental power must be in
nate, very part of our makeup, not to
be squeezed out as from sponge.
Gentlemen, there is no word in the Ian
guage SO identical to my connection here
as the word information. being synony-
nous with knowledge. Here is my hat,
an ] good one for the purpose. 1t is out |
of form-in fact. almost deformed. What !
can do with this hat nom without? If
fool with 1t, it becomes worse. Any way
| must lay hold on it and begin to shape it
from within. There nav hat is Informed
an educated hat Teachers, as we have
ducated this hat, we must educate every |
boy and girl of our land. Get on the in
side and inform their minds and hearts, |
Anu no'oi io' up un'i uIsclpllne unto Lnem
is law
Even children, much less people. are
TO be treated as objects but as nominatives. |
Teacher and pupils must 60 as one. The |
teacher is only coordinate thinker with |
hem, though they are continually draw
ing from his larger stock Teaching !
should be intellectual companionship. A |
;eacher should be inspired by his calling, I
and this inspiration should be contagious.
When so, the stuuent is better off than if
stuffed with all the book learning shat
could possibly be retained.
The farmer buys what he thinks to be q
grind stone but when he laws his Ak hard |