The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-08-01
PRACTICAL EDUCATION.
THE NEED OF OUTWARD AND vIsIBLl
SIGNS OF GENTILITY.

The NEED OF OUTWARD AND VlSlbL
SIGNS OF GENTILITY.
County Teaehers' Institute, Jul
25, 1894. by Hugh Wilson.
Your worthy President having done me tn
honor to invite me 10 write paper 10
What Education has Done for Abbevill
County," I, in a weak moment, consented {
attempt TO say something before this associs
tiOn.
The word Education" is 30 comprehensiv
and includes 80 much. that 1t is with grea
difficulty that am enabled to mark out
line Of thought The lack OF data would pei
ple9 me If undertook to give historica
sketch, and the lack on my part OF that whic
is generally described and understood by thu
word "education" would limit my remark
10 very narrow sphere.
But Worcester defines education thus:
"Education-the Act Of educating; the &C
OF developing and cultivating the >ariou
, formation OF the manners, and improvement
Of the mind"
Webster says:
Education Is properly TO draw forth, an,
Implies not SO much the communication O
knowledge as the discipline and the regula
tion Of the heart. instruction Is that part o
education which furnishes the mind with
knowledge. Teaching is the same, being slim
ply more familiar. Breeding relates TO tn
manners and outward conduct"
Appleton's American Cyclopaedia define
the word thus:
"Education-the development and cultiva
tion Of the various physical, intellectual ant
moral faculties In general sense, 1t com
prehends all the means which contribute Il
this result In naa an Individual from infancy
From these definitions It will be seen tha
your President has given me an unlimited
field In which 10 work, and has placed this An
man, In writing on "education," az defined
by these distinguished authorities, might en-
ulate Tennyson's brook. and "go on forever
But I promise al the outset to occupy only &
small part OF your time.
1t Is with pardonable pride that refer IL
the high stand which this county has evel
taken In educational matters. AS result Of
that love for euucation. and the consequent
Abbeville county 10 one OF the most disin
guished counties In the State. Whether in
the field or In the forum, In the pulpit or In
the deliberative bodies. Abbevilles valor and
Abbeville's power-have always been felt.
In the foundation OF our civilization, In the
establishment Of religious and civil liberty
in the tented field and In the scenes OF peace
her SONS have reflected honor on their nativi
ty, and her daughters have been not less dis
Men may build monuments OF granite
bic, butt mothers Of the distinguished
dead are the authors Of their greatness. Few
men, born of silly women, ever emblazone6
ed their names OH the pages Of history. and
few men ever gained renown without wo
mans love and the approving smile OF one
who was better and greater than themselves
| Whoever gives praise to man, instinctiveiy
and irresistibly gives to woman all the hon
or. She is mans guiding star-his adora
BILE queen-his bow OF promise, the light o.
which Ia his haven of safety.
Then IL Abbeville has won renown II Is:
lst. Because OF her noble women.
I'd. Because Of the schools and colleges In
which the minds Of their boys were trained
and wherein the moral qualities were devel
oped and imprinted upon their young hearts
Abbeville has had the best OF schools, and
from whose classes the best OF men, and the
truest OF women, were sent fofth lnto tne
battle OF life-to win fame and fortune-ln all
am now speaking of the literary or clas
sical education. Later on will speak of an
other kind Of education, and the necessity
for the outward and visible signs Of gentilily
est and first i'm mportance In all education, but
as others, more able and more competent
have paid especial attention TO this branch OF
the subject, will refer to u In only an Incl
dental way.
Under the acknowledged quickening inf1u.
ence which IL exerted by the diffusion OF
knowledge all the standards OF good citizen.
ship, Of civilization, OF religion, and OF morali,
|
these are promoted. and. as q result, we have
public peace and private happiness. From
an intelligent conviction Of true religion
and proper observance of a correct morality
come the sanctity OF the home and the purity
OF the freside, where we get sweet foretaste
Of that bliss which awaits us In our nome
beyond The skies.
The education OF the masses increases and
lntensifles the competition for distinction
and adds to the difficulty of acquiring high
position, yet II Is promotive OF the greatest
| happiness, and does more than all else 10
awaken and create the Unsuitable thirst fol
respectability and the attainment; OF higher
and better things.
While more or less education is necessary
for the individual citizen-and is at all times
best for the commonwealth is not for each
and every citizen TO reach distinction.
There are only limited humber OF public
offices 70 be had, and no amount Of education
would increase the Offices, but education will
Increase the chances Of the Individual citizen
TO I'LL these Offices.
There are, however. greater and grander
achievements. The sciences, the mechanic
arts, the exercise of the inventive ge
MUS. the army and navy, the commercial
marts. the literary pursuits, and the learned
professions, all offer inviting and alluring
realities and fanciful hopes.
The fields of learning are 80 wide and &C
varied, that no one man can master them oil
After bis education has reached certain
point, then he must cease 70 study In those
lines which embrace all the departments, bu1
|
the scholar would work and In which he would
attain honor and distinction. II, Tor instance
he goes into the study of astronomy, he mus,
devote his whole energy TO the mastery u
any other OF the broader and larger fields.
But the great mass OF us must walk and
move in the inferior positions. and occupy the
humber stations in life. UP To the time
men who aspire TO places only a little way
above their fellows. can pursue the same
standards and the same lines of education.
The fret and great object OF education Is
not to put the great mass OF us In the exali
ed positions, where we may win worldwide
fame, but IL is TO better fit as for all the ord
nary every day duties OF life, and especially
TO better qualify us to become more efficient
bread winners.
The advantages of education are great. and
diversified.
1t insures greater happiness and greater
usefulness TO the citizen.
| knowledge OF the laws OF health Will pro
long life. 1t teaches us TO avoid those excesse'
and indlscretiOns for which nature is sure u
call Us to account.
Intelligence comes 10 our aid In our sick
ness, and teaches the better observance o
those rules by which We may recover our
health.
1t teaches us to provide In youth and II
health the necessary comforts ior SICK nes'
this worlds goods and knowledge OF how
to use them, we are enabled TO prolong many
q life which would otherwise be cut of.
The statistics show that educated mothers
rear q much larger per cent. oi their children
than do the uneducated mothers.
But the adv autages are soApparent to every
one here, that II were to attempt to enum
crate them, I would mlnify, before this In
telligent and educated audience, the manifolt
and daily blessings which are vuucbsafed Ii
even the least education.
Viewing the situation as do, limited
amount OF education Is beneficial 10 each ant
every citizen.
But this does not follow that believe tha
every man or every woman should receive