The sun., 1893-08-06

The ambition for the requirement Of
knowledge manifested at the summer
schools Is not checked by the business de.
preston which Is simultaneously disap.
| pointing the even more universal desire for
material gain.
| Chautauqua Is filed with students eager
| for the improvement Of their souls, their
minds. and their bodies. Four hundred
others In all parts Of the Union are getting
the benefit Of Its system Of instruction by
correspondence. In this department there
are as many as seventy-two courses of
study. including. besides English. the He
brew. Greek. Latin. French, and German
| languages: and the number of instructors
| Is fifteen. 1t is intended for people
who want a college education. but cannot
spare either the time or the money to go
| from home to get it. Such direction and
supervision Of their studies may be SER
viceable. The system may give profitable
employment to some minds that else might
rust away in places remote from the intel
lectual activity Of civilization: but 1t does
not provide by any means sufficient sub
stitute for college.
The merely scholastic training Of the COL
lege is not the sole nor Is it the chief ad-
vantage 1t confers. The competition at a
college. the social contact, and the COM
parative test Of character and ability are
Of prime value. Young people who do their
studying by themselves and apart from
opportunities to measure their requirement
and capacity with those Of their fellows are
apt to estimate themselves unduly. with the
consequence that they suffer grievous dis
appointment and modification when thew
boldly venture into the crowd OF the edu-
Gated and the proficient.
Moreover. is 1t desirable. In the interests
OF society and for the welfare OF the indi-
viduals. that such facilities for scholastic
training should be extended by such
means ? At best. the requirement must be
superficial only; and that is an evil about
as bad as no education at all. At this period,
more especially. thorough mastery OF some
one particular field OF knowledge or indus.
try is requisite TO the practical success of
most men who have their living to make.
They cannot afford to scatter their energies,
but must concentrate them. Already the
supply OF moderately well educated men is
far in excess OF the demand: and tho
standard of the measurement Of ability IL
raised steadily.
huotner department. OF Cho CnautauQun
system Of education concerns itself with
"the theory and literature Of letter writ
ing" Undoubtedly the outward appear
anco OF a letter and tho form of Its literary
expression afford an indication Of the social
quality OF the writer and his degree OF edu-
cation. Inherent vulgarity and deficiency
in cultivation are betrayed in letter when
they may be concealed In speech. Tho sham
gentleman is likely to give himself away
when he writes letter. though no may
carry on his imposture very successfully II
he avoids such a Decessity. Genuine refine
ment and social and intellectual polish ap-
pear Enthusiastically In tho mere form OF a
letter. 1t Is also true that great part OF
fairly well educated and fairly accom-
plished people arc incapable OF writing
graceful letters. They will frame letter
OF friendship or courtesy after the fashion
OF letter OF business purely. AS soon as
they get pen in their hands they lose the |
capacity OF natural expression.
1t S. therefore. desirable enough that |
people unlnfFmed as to the matter should !
have their attention called to the proper