The Washington times., 1894-10-16
REASON WAS THEIR WINE
Congregational Clubs Fall Meeting an
Enjoyable Occasion.
HON. ". T. HARRIS ADDRESS
His Able Explanation of the Difference Be-
tween an Elementary and Higher Edu-
cation-PhilosophY Its Leading Discipline
Banquet at La Fetra's.

A quatre-foil with each leafet inscribed.
"Wit and Wisdom, Music and Mirth," would
be fitting emblem Of the joyous occasion
at the Congregational Clubs fall meeting last
night at La Fetras cafe. For there was
true 'feast OF reason and flow of soul" after
the more substantial yiands had been cleared
away. The wit was plenteous and unsurpassed
in quality; the muse of song lowered over the
assemblage in power and sweetness, and the
mirth was none the less hearty and general
because wine was altogether lacking.
The dining-room on G street was beauti-
fully decorated with palms, and the long
tables, arranged like an elongated capital E,
bore smahy iardinieres of primroses. The
guests, to the number of seventy-1ve, arrived
shortly after 7:30 and took their places at
table. Mr.. Justice Brewer, president of the
club, sat at the center of the transverse table.
At his right were Hon. w. 7. Harris, United
States Commissioner of Education; Rev. DR..
s. M. Newman, pastor OF the First Congre-
gational Church, and Miss Newman. On his
left were Mrs. L. f. Mason, Mrs. w. I.
Hughes, and Mr.. w. 7. Hughes.
JUSTICE BREwRR's REMARKS.
After the tables had been cleared Mr..
Brewer rose tohis feet and said:
1T is customary for the President of the
United States, upon the convening Of Con-
gress, to send message, telling Congress of
the condition of the country. So l. as presi-
dent OF this club, am supposed TO give you
my message. And l can do no better than to
quote the opening lines of President Taylors
message upon his Inauguration, with a slight
variation.
'''The Congregational Club is at peace with
all the world, and hopes to maintain ami
cable relations with the rest of mankind.
Laughter. In regard to finances, we be-
lieve in good American money, and are not
averse to taking any silver dollars you may
happen sto have with you'll Laughter and
applause.l
I'm the history of this country there is
nothing more marked than the influence of
New England in the affairs of the nation.
This is due to its educational advantages, and
tonight we have with US one who will tell US
the difference between the common school
and the higher education, which has given 20
New England her strength to dominate the
affairs of the nation-Hon. W. L. Harris,
United States Commissioner of Education"
Mr.. Harris. thus introduced, read a paper
on 1.-The difference in quality between an
elementary and higher education" which
was in substance as follows:
I'm the whole country. according to re-
turns for 1892, there were about % per cent.
of the population that attended school some
time during the year. The proper school
year should consist of 200 days, but the aver
age attendance per pupil was only SO days.
Reducing our average to European standards,
we are not doing as much for the education
Of our people as Germany, though We secure
a larger whole number in attendance than
any European nation, and have increased the
per cent. of attendance from 20 to % in
twenty years. and the number OF days for
each pupil from 79 days in 1871 to SO days in
l592.
COMMISSIONER HARRIS STATISTICS.
''At the rate We are now securing attend
ance on our schools we are giving each one
of the coming generation only four and three
tenths years of instruction of 200 days each.
Not even Massachusetts is giving an eduea-
tion to all its inhabitants equal to seven years
each, and some of the States are giving less
than three years of 200 days each.
1.-The higher education gives to its gradu-
ates. in the way of directive power, an ad-
vantage over his iellow-citizens of less learn
ing. Elementary education is defective, not
merely because it includes only few years of
school work, but because its methods of study
and habits of thought are necessarily crude
and inadequate. 1t is a necessary character
istic of elementary instruction that it must
take the world of human learning in frag-
ments, and fail to give its pupils an insight
into the INTERPOLATION of things.
1.-THE education, which we call secondary,
begins to correct this inadequacy, but it does
not correct in any adequate manner the in
tellect and the will. II does not correct in
telIectual perception into rules of action.
at is the glory of higher education that it
lays its chief stress on the comparative method
of study that it makes philosophy its leading
discipline: that it gives an ethical bent to all
its branches Of study. First it seeks theunity
of human learning, then it specializes.
"Higher education corrects the proneness
of the individual TO move in the same direc-
tion and in the same channel as his teacher
Hence the importance of reaching the in
fuence OF the methods of higher education
before one closes his school Career. And 1t is
important that some plan must be devised to
unite more closely the classes who have re-
ceived the higher education with those enter
prising minds, who, after leaving the elemen-
tary schools, have entered on careers of self
education.
WHAT THE FUTURE SHOULD BRING.
'Let US hope that the number of those who
reach colleges aud universities may be greatly
increased. and that instead of one person in
439 we shall have at least one in 100, and the
after leaving the elementary schools. under
some wise Chautauquan plan, or some board
of university examiners, shall be at least a
| score in every 100."
The paper was highly appreciated and
warmly applauded.
The First Congregational Church Quar-
tet, consisting of Miss Cora Boyd, soprano;
Miss Florence McNelly, contralto; D. G.
Miller, tenor, and Elphonzo Youngs, jr.,
basso. sang McFarren's 1.-The Sands of Dee, y
and Mr. Miller rendered Balfes Come Into
the Garden, Maude The quartet was un-
der the direction of DR.. j. W. Bischof. Miss
Edith Merrifleld. of Falls Church, recited "A
Darky's Discourse on Apples.
Short addresses were made by Prof. Isaac
Clark and Prof. j. l.. Ewell, of Howard Uni
versity, and DR.. S. NJ. Newman, of the First
Church.
At business session held before the ban
quet the following new members were elected:
G. H. Dana, W. W. Foster, Rev. Allen Hazen,
D. D., and W. II. Pennen.
-a -
Two Rides for One Cent.
20 1vor bafuaaO