Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1891-05-23
S. E. MARSHALL.

S. E. MARSHALL.
The Advantages Of a Liberal Ed
ucatlon.
No one is able to do all that he is capa-
bic of doing until his powers are devel-
oped by education. Theoretically the
higher the development the more salts
factory the results. The thing to be de-
sired in an education is not the facts
learned but the culture derived from ex-
ercising the faculties Of the mind and
body. The athlete does not perform his
exercises simply to learn how to do them,
but he has in view the state of physical
perfection to which his training will
bring him.
So man educates himself that he may
attain to high state of culture. This
state is so desirable that years and often
lifetime is devoted to attaining it.
One of the advantages of liberal edu-
cation is the knowledge of how to adapt
ourselves to circumstances. Things
never get SO bad but that they might
have been worse. Instances of great men
being in hard straits recur to the mind,
and enable one to look at matters more
philosophically than he could do other
wise. The habit of generalization grows
and one is not elated or depressed by
trifes. A poise of character is attained
which will endure the frown of Fortune
as we'll as her favor. There is differ
ence of individuals in this respect, but an
educated person is much less likely to
have his equilibrium of character disturb
ed by extremes of prosperity or reverses.
The range of pleasure is greater. The
solitude of dreary days may be enlighten
ed by the people of history, the drama, or
of fiction. An educated man is never so
lonesome as an illiterate person. He is
glad to have time for meditation. In the
crowded cities the scholar enjoys the
works of art and science, of which the IL
iiterate are almost ignorant. In any
place the beauties of literature are open
to him, the exquisite theories of science
afford room for the flights of the imagi-
nation, the intricacies of nature are ever
inviting research, the subtle power of
minds over each other awaits analysis.
There is no limit to the realms of scien-
tific investigation. The devotion with
which scientific men and women work is
evidence of the pleasure that they find
in it.
At present there is avast deal said
against learning things which are not of
direct use in the struggle for livelihood.
1t is held that much time is wasted by
such studies. But since the objective
point is the cultivation of the man or
woman physically, mentally and morally,
the more thorough the culture the better
the results. 1t is good to learn things
just to know them. A man can build
house all the better for being familiar
with history and the history of art. He
can save labor by being familiar with
the principles of mechanics. A know
ledge of chemistry is of great advantage
to the farmer. A mother can rear her
children more wisely if she understands
hygiene and medicine. 1t is said that |
half of the children die before reaching
the age of five years, victims of the igno-
rance and superstition of their parents.
A great part of the manual labor per-
formed daily is done by people having
no knowledge of history or much of any
thing else. They are simply going
the round in their tread mill of
work, which marks the outside
boundaries of the world known to them.
A liberal education would place them in
a different sphere of life and their happi-
ness would be of better and higher
character.
Emerson has written that we are each
an epitome of the race. That in each of
us all the capability, the refnments, the
character of our ancestors are summed
up. 1t is pleasant thought and helps
explain the variety of natures which one
person exhibits. Generations of educated
people would almost ebliterate the base
and cruel in mankind, and leave posterity
only the noble and pure traits of
character.
The most important advantage of lib
eral education is the fact that our influ-
ence for good may be greatly extended.
While an illiterate person may be just as
good at heart as another, yet his influence
is circumscribed. The man Or woman
who can move his fellows to action and
guide their movements can do lasting
good for the race If his incinations are
right.
The reasons for not obtaining a liberal
education can be only the lack of an OPP
portunity to do so. In many cases the
opportunity can be made if sufficient de-
be exercised.
But to be literally educated does not