The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-01-20


girls Of this fact, as their fathers and
mothers, the voters and taxpayers, many,
too many, Of whom win yet sacrifice the
school, with ali its privileges and benefits,
to the immediate interests Of the farm,
the workshop or the mine.
When once the sons and daughters of
toll learn the plain, honest truth, that
they will prosper in life just in proper
tion as they mix brain with muscle,
mind with body, thought with labor,
then, and nottillthen, viii the sehoolsre-
ceive the recognition and support their
worth demands.
In the discussion Of this question, We
do not assume that the rural school is es-
pecialIy adapted to the needs Of the farm
er any more than the city school IS adapt
ed 10 the special needs OF tie merchant
or the mechanic. The free common school
does not discriminate in favor of any
trade, avocation or profession it does
not inquire what that boy or this girl
shall DO in adult years. but seeks to cul-
tivate the mental and moral forces in
both, and thereby to lay broad and deep
the conditions for success in any sphere
Of honest living. The father, over anx-
ious about the future of his boy Of tender
years, puts him into arOom in which had
been placed dollar, an spple and BIZ
bic. "If, when return, said he, find
him eating the apple, he shall be farm
er, If playing with the dollar, heshall be
trained Tor a merchant; bat If reading
/ tie Bible. / viii educate him for minis
ter" In short time he returned, and
what did be lind The boy perched upon
the Bible, eating the apple. with the dol
Lar in his pocket. Well,7 said the as
tonished parent, the only thing 10 do
now, is to make politician of him"
Ah my friends, We know not what
grand possibilities, or what sublime in
fuenees may lie sleeping in little heads
and hearts but We do know that it is
the mission of the school. aided by the
home, the church, and hesitate, 70 devel-
op talent, capacity and power, and thus
bring out the noblest, the truest and the
best in the boys and the girls. Then.
with the ability TO know. TO think, and to
do, and with the Impetus towards the
good and the true, the individual will
find the right place every time.
The mission Of our common schools Is
to develop the power of independent
thought and work, AM to lay the right
track for acquired ability To be able to
stand alone, and to meet successfully the
duties and responsibilities Of life, Is
priceless boon to al, and the essential
condition Of true citizenship in any gov
eminent Of the people. Without this
power life, at best, is b1t in degree fail
ure. The history OF the world is made
up largely Of the story of ignorance, su-
perstition, misery and wrong on one hand
and misguided ambition and misused
power on the other. Henry Ward Beech
er once declared that in every communi-
" there are nineteen persons who de-
pend upon the twentieth for direction
and support. Whether this be true or
not in every community, We do know
that there are vet many, very many, in
every community who are simply at the
mercy Of surrounding circumstances, be-
cause they lack the knowledge, the
thought, power, and the skill to manage,
10 encourage, 10 control the forces about
them, and %, shiffless aud helpless, they
drif with the current-sometimes to the
poorhouse, sometimes into the ranks Of
disgrace aRd crime, but always dead
weight upon the community, because
they lack the essential principle Of true
manhood and womanhood, the ability
and the impetus to think and know and
do for themselves
The elements Of this selfhelp, right
living. and true citizenship. are
/ /. Vigorous health, AID q practical kao,rl-
/ eige u rs prss.l ration. To stand upon the
threshold Of indiyidual life with strong
body and vigorous health, constitutes an
essential part Of the capital with which
to assume Efe's mission and without this
capital the individual. however favored
otherwise, Is poor indeed. He who by
I inheritance, instruction. training. and
Z practice is thus equipped, viii be prepar-
ed 20 fight the battles Of life, to overcome
/ obstacles, 10 surmount difficulties, TO defy
opposition. to achieve success. Toiling
with hand and brain, he viii go on
I through the three score and ten. il may
be four-score years, until called BY the
Master TO give az account Of the talents
entrusted to his keeping, lot the least OF
which we're rugged health and his power
10 preserve it fer the purpose of right liv-
ing.
But 1 think 1 hear some one say, why
tax to farmers about health and hygi-
enc they defy ali your rules, and yet are
/ the most II .ged and healthy people un-
der the sun" That is doubtless true OF
them as a class. and yet if the country
grave yards could tell the causes as thev
tell results, I fea- there would be many a
sad story Of reckless abuse and fatal ex-
posure. How many are there even II
this enlightened age who from Ignorance
Of hygienic laws, self-abuse, exposure ol
over-work, are broken dcwn in early life
and thus absolutely close up every ave
nue for success in life. Cramped anC
crippled from aches and pains, stuntec
or stupeied from the excessive use OF al
coh0l or tobacco, going down the Hill o
I life at thirty, tottering on the brink of th'
grave at forty, they rest beneath the elod
even before the meridian Of real life
reached. How often do We attribute Il
an all-xise Providence the death 0
those Just prepared to begin the work o
! life, when the fact is-and l say it reyer
ently-Providence had nothing u d.
! with it save so far Is He established IN
laws Of health and vigOr, and to their Vi
} olation attached penalties which must b
! paid as surely as effects foIlox causes.
Ofeourse We do not bold the school
responsible for ali that pertains to hygi
enc. but as they are the common sourc
Of our intelligence. We knox that fror
T them must come the plain, practical lei