The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-17

the same time, it may be safely said,
that a very small proportion Of the
men of genius, who have visited our
universities, have passed their after
fame by high academic distinction.
Cambridge has been rich In poets, but
only four appear on her honor lists.
Not only this, but sometof the ablest
men have proved signal failures at
colleges; and more than n distin-
guished man has expressed, in later
life, bis low estimate of university
training. The university tale, then,
seems to be but a prolongat1on of the
school story. The men whose names
should have shed most lustre on their
university appear to have profited but
little by its characteristic educational
system. The net result of III peda-
gogic system, applied to- the biggest
brains, is decidedly small. We have
further to note that manga distiH
guished man has done fairly well
without the aid of this system.
There is noKdoubt that the estab-
Gshed system has, up to quite recent
years, been farstoo inelastio, in forcing
the same subjects, of study ON all alike,
without reference to Individual tastes
and aptitudes. Moreover, the pre-
.scribed system, however elastic, must
enforce the methOdical study of some
particular branches of learning. 1t is
Indispensable that the average boy
should be kept pegging away at certain
subjects, and the average boy offers
no serious objection, just because he
feels no particular desire to rove into
other fields of study. But, it is the
habit OF genius to pasture over a wide
area of ideas, seeming out just what
pleases its palate best, and what, as a
rule, proves most nourishipg to it's
own special capacity, and anything in
the shape of a tether is CALLING to it.
But it does not follow that because
the possessor of genius is not well
fitted to reap the particular benefits Of
our pedagOgic system, he is really in
dependent of educational forces and
influences altogether. However keen
and strong the impulse toward knowl-
edge in the boy, his attainment of it
obviously depends on the presence of
humanity appointed sources, if only a
well-stOcked library over which he
car wonder at will. More than this it
is indisputable, that the greatest men
will be the stronger for a wise intellec-
tual and moral guidance in their early
years. It is nothing less than a pro
found error to suppose that the plant
of genius grows into fruitful maturity,
irrespective of the kindly influences of
sun and rain to foster its development.
In a sense, a boy OF girl possessing the
divine flame, is more susceptible to
the human influences of his or her
surroundings than the ordinary child.
1t is not, however in the regularly APP
pointed educational authority that the
original youth commonly finds this fer
tilizing influence. Sometimes it is a
member of the family, sometimes a
school or college friend who ministers
to the youths development but not
infrequently, the quickly responsive
mind of the gifted boy or girl has
known how to draw intellectual and
moral sustenance from many a tenn
pOrary human contact. a. o.
1t will not do for the e~ducator5to
leave genius alone, yet in his attempts
to further it's growth he is very apt
to bungle. For every son of genius is
a new individuality, needing it's own
peculiar forms of sustenance james
Sutlg, English Illustrated Magazine,
London, January.