San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-05-19
SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLS.

COuCluuC VIC ScIitS vi 56IIuOuS vi
the "home school," reference to
what is to be further taught there.
in must necessarily be brief. The
education SO far has embraced the
teaching of love, trust, confidence,
truthfulness, obedience and self re.
spect. Perhaps the most import
ant habit that can be ingrained in
to the young consciousness after
these is that of close observation.
Children are naturally curious, as
all young animals are, but this
natural faculty of curiosity must
be developed into the acquired quail
ity OF close observation. This
not so much curious inquiry into
what other people think and do, as
an enquiry into the facts that lie
all around them, and which in
their relation to each other demon
strate the laws which govern them,
the marks which distinguished
them one from the other and all
those other phenomena which lie
at the bottom of correct conclusion
as to these observed facts and their
relations.
The falling Of drop Of water,
the walking of a fly on the ceiling,
the regular recurrence Of day and
night, the invariable succession Of
flower from bud, of fruit from bios
som, the whole phenomena OF
growth, the unfolding Of plant and
cat and dog life, these and all other
things that come within the range
OF their own observation are to be
watched carefully, and the devel-
oping attention 30 directed that it
will note what is interesting and
instructive and amusing in this
unfolding. This habit Of correct
observation lies at the battom Of
all correct knowledge and is Of the
first Importance. Like all other
lessons and impressions, the earlier
it is learned the longer will it re-
main an enduring possession OF
the mind and an indestructible in
heritance OF the memory.
One of the first benefits that will
result from this habit Of observa-
tion in this, it will establish an I'M
conscious and natural industry OF
mind that will never be lost in
later life. The young intelligence
trained and habituated to habits Of
close observation will never be
without some subject in which it
can interest itself and upon the ex-
animation of which it will spend its
energies. If no other result was
secured this would be OF itself suf-
ficient to more than repay all the
care and trouble that has been eX-
dended in cultivatiDg this habit.
The mind thus trained is insured
against the idleness and frivolty
which lies at the foundation OF
nearly every ruined life. This
habit grows by what it feeds upon
until it grasps within its all en-
bracing fingers everything that
concerns humanity to know, and
thus employed gives the go by tc
the devil of idleness and dissipa'
ton that turks in every by way o.
life to tempt the young feet into
those paths which take hold or
destruction.
This habit once formed viii
prove an increasing delight to its
possessor. 1t will find sermons
in stones, books in the running
brooks, and good in everything
The marks of "design" thus seel
in all, the thought of the designer
will follow next, and then tn
whole domain of being is unfolded
The home in which this faculty o
observation is fostered is Away
an intellectual center. The child
rem who go out from it will Away
be the most studious in their class
es, the most entertaining and orig
inal in conversation, the mos
amusing and delightful as com
panions. The very atmosphere o
that home is inspiring, and its In
fluenee strengthens with years
The memories that cluster aroun'