Connecticut western news., 1893-09-28
AMERICAN CHILDREN.
WHEREIN THEIR EDUCATIONAL TRAIN
 ING IS DEFECTIVE.

ING IS DEFECTIVE.
 The Subtle Distinction Between ''Instruo-
 ton" and "Education" Made by the Clev-
 and Farseeing French-The Need of | American Youth.
 A subtle distinction between 'instruc- ton" and education" is admirably drawn by that people most highly en- dowed with strong analytical faculty, | the French, with the habit of keen scru- tiny, thorough investigation and just de- | duction usual with them. The difference existing between acquired knowledge on the one hand and inculcated virtues on | the other has been embodied in these separate appellations, which carry with them two distinct meanings. Both may be largely possessed apart from the oth- | CT.
 But when both are combined in one individuality the highest degree of ex- cellence has been obtained of which the human race is capable.
 With us in America it is fair to state that instruction from books, in school and college, where the aim must of necessity be only the development of the mind and intellect, in conjunction with religious teachings from the pulpit and at the fireside, sums up the education generally given to the youth of the country, even among the prosperous and the wealthy. But between these two lines of educa- tion, both admirable and necessary, stands more subtle and intangible form of mental and moral training which embraces the development of the finer chords of both the intellect and the sentiments having for effect not only to instin a desire for knowledge and virtue and reproval of vice, but to ed- ucate as to the desirability of that su- perior excellence which enables the pos sessor to strive for the ideal graces and beauties, which, when understood and practiced. produce a perfect civiliza- tion.
 That religion alone cannot give this result is shown by the fact that the. e1- treme and beautiful polish to character and the broad aesthetics it evolves have been possessed by men and women who have acknowledged no attachment to re- hgious creeds and again by members of Christianity and organism alike, while the bookworm and the savant, whose mind is the crowded receptacle of mar velous agglomeration of knowledge, may be absolutely lacking in this particular phase of culture.
 It is this education, which does not ap- ply exclusively to the intellectually nor to the moral sense, but envelops the whole being through cultivation of the receptive faculties and finer instincts, which Is denominated education" by the French, and which should be applied with greater care in America to the training of youth, for as factor in en- hghtenment and progress its value is enormous. With the many splendid qualifications given by nature to the American citizen, and which the polit- ical institutions under which he lives has fostered, his sturdy self dependence, spirit of inquiry, his energy and natural intelligence, if aided by strong de- velopment in this direction, would pro- duce remarkable results both in the in- dividual and for the masses.
 For 1t is evident that from a cultiva- tion of this phase of the human mind springs the conception and execution of all that pertains to the arts, fine and in- dustrial, they being the tangible e1- pressions of the aspirations and genius of those from whom they have emanated. Unless the trend of people be toward an ideal existence, stretching beyond the absorption of effort merely to supply the wants of mans physical life, neither poet, sculptor nor painter nor the artis- tic and accomplished artisan will emerge to adorn and testify to their civilization and their superiority. Indeed expan- sion in this direction proves the condi- tion of national life with sure and true precision. ...
 The time has come when an education tending toward similar results should occupy public thought in this country, heretofore too exclusively engrossed in solving the problem of national exist ence. It Is just to say, however. that there has been an advance, noticeable In large centers, which has been brought about by friction and competition and the contact with our nationalities, vary ing opinions and antagonistic creeds. But the general improvement has not been in accord with the capabilities in that direction of the American people, nor proportionate with the increased wealth, for outside of our large cities, in the interior portions of the country, life is still unjustiiably primitive, and those living on plain and frontier, In mountain and forest, are uncultured be- yond what their isolation would justify.
 Again it is noticeable that the educa- tion of the children of those classes pos cd States generally superficial. The American early youth among the edu- cated classes, which are those exerting the most influence on the destinies of people, is not subjected to that sober discipline deemed necessary by the older nations of Europe as being a protection to them, against their own irrepletive impulses, through mental habits thus en- forced. and as constituting a desirable tutelage in preparation for the later se- were struggles of life. The overindul- gence generally accorded the American child and youth is the cause of a general disregard of authority and careless atti- tude toward obligations, distinctive feature of the American youth. On the part of those in authority the effort would seem to be to gloss over the un- sound basis of scanty learning by some few gaudy accomplishments, equally su- perfcially possessed. New Orleans Times-Democrat.
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