The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1893-07-28
What ls Knowledge1

The fret object of education, SO far as the
mind is concerned, is knowledge. What is
knowledge? If rubber ball is placed be.
fore child, certain ideas are formed in his
mind, in agreement or disagreement with
ideas previously formed. Ideas Of color,
form, hardness, etc, are thus formed, and
if names are thus applied to them, he says
that the ball is white, round, hard or soft,
as the case may be. This constitutes his
knowledge of the ball. If the child had
never seen ball. or if he had never seen
anything white, or felt anything round or
hardness could have been formed in his
mind by simply telling him that the ball was
white and round aud hard.
We see then that words are moi knowl-
neither do they convey knowledge of mate
rial things to any one, unless the words are
associated with ideas that have previously
been formed by the aid Of the senses. The
same principle is 'rus by acts of the minds,
which We may also call objects of thought.
If, for example, we say "we form judg-
ments,' no idea Of that &C, would be formed
by anyone who has not observed such ON act
in himself. In seeking knowledge, there
fore, and in ibs,ructing others we must not
make the mistake of supposing that know!-
edge can be gained from words only. or that
memorizing the products of other people g
thinking IS thinking itself To lead pupils
to think for themselves and TO acquire know!-
edge, objects of thought should be so pre-
scnted as to lead them TO know the objects
themselves by recognizing their resemblances
and differences and by perceiving the rela-
tions which their parts have to one another.
The amount of knowledge which The young
graduate of the school or college has is very
small. Hc may be able to tell much of what
others know, and this may be of use to him
but what he really has as the result of his
own thinking, or what he hos that will stay
with him for any length of time is compar-
atively little. What he most relies upon fol
assistance in the duties Of life is his well
trained powers of mind. If his memory
ouiy lS tTaiueu, Nc mas Dut llttle 10 alQ MIN
but if his power of observation, attention
judgment and reasoning have been strength.
ened by orderly exercise, he has in his de-
veloped POWERS constant assistance in what.
ever he undertakes. Indeed, the difference
between an educated and an uneducat ed
person is seen more in the difference OF
mental development than in the difference
of amount of knowledge possessed.
But the powers of the mind to be devel.
oped include the sensibiities and will as well
as the powers Of the intellect. The usefulness
of the man, for which his early education
prepares him, depends fully as much upon
his desires and purposes as upon the
thought employed in carrying them iuto
effect. 1t is important, therefore, that there
be a harmonious development of all the
pow ers of the child if it is to be truly edu-
Gated. To attain these objects Of education,
the wise teacher acquainis himself with the
process of mental growth and development
which has been deduced from much obser-
va,ion and experience, atd whicbrserve as a
guide for him in his difficult work.