Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1895-07-05
MASTERS IN EDUCATION
An Essay By Miss Marie Dun.
ming, One Of the Recent
Kindergarten Grad
yates.

Looking DacKWaru across bE6
/ ages, bridged by the names that
1 have escaped oblivion, we find a
1 few who have left an undying
influence upon the education of
4 the world. And in these many
years that have passed they have
lost none Of their power to
strengthen and inspire the edu-
Gators of following ages. Among
! the masters in education Of cen
turies ago, the Greek sage, Socra-
/ ties, stands boldly out. He
/ founded no schools, as monu-
ments to memory, and no pub
Usher had the honor OF
introducing his works to the
world. His teachings were YER
bal, and his lecture rooms the
\ public highways and village
markets. Associated with him
was the eminent philosopher,
Plato, who was the author of the
first systematic treatise on edu-
cation. Plato was Socrates
/ pupil and co-worker and chron-
icled many of his teachings
which are now gems in the liter
ary world. Plato's own thoughts
embodied the deepest Of philoso-
| ply, but in his theories of edu-
cation he did not forget the little
child, as is proved by his words
emphasizing the Importance of
right training even in the nurs-
cry.
/ The history of the education
{ of the ancient world discloses no
Froebel, yet much was done for
the education of the human race.
All great poets, artists and mu-
sicians may well be called great
educators, but their knowledge
appeals only to a matured mind
well stored with general infor-
nation. 1t remained for the
modern educator to perfect q
system which would be practica-
bic and begin with life itself.
The works Of the Roman Quin-
tilian contain complete sketch
Of theoretical education. He
inculcated much which has been
attributed to the wisdom of a
later age. He urged the impor-
tance Of studying the individual
| disposition and of a tenderness
in disci pline and punishment. IT
has been said that the perfected
education of today is nought but
the combining, blending and
modi flying the self culture of the
Greek and the self sacrifice OF the
Roman. During the first CEN
turies, A. D., so great was the
strife among rations that there
was no time for education or ed
ucators, and later on during the
middle ages learning was mostly
confined to monasteries and re-
ligious orders. The fourteenth
and fifteenth centuries witnessed
the rise of the universities and
academies i'll almost every part
of Europe. Prominent among
these advocates of a higher edu-
cation were the Brethren of the
common Life, in the Northern
Netherlands. They devoted
themselves with all humility
and self sacrifice to the educa-
tion of children.
Still education belonged only
to the few until the beginning
of the 10th century. We now
come to the time when it was
thought advisable to give every
one the benefit of educational
advantages. Soon the defects of
the educational systems were
disclosed, and such men as John
Sturn and Wolfgang Ratke be-
gan to devote their lives to the
improvement of these systems.
The latter was far in advance of
his time and suffered persecution
and imprisonment for his ad-
vanced ideas. Although not
meeting with the success he long
ed for, he deserves an honor
able place among the forerun-
ners OF rational education. The
next educator of note was Com
enius. The long delays and
pedantries of the schools troub-
led him and his ardent mind
conceived that if teachers would
but "follow nature instead Of fore
ing it against its bent, take full
advantage of the innate desire for
activity and growth, all men
might be able to learn all things
and teaching go hand in hand
with cheerful, elegant and hap
py life"
The demand for improved edu-
cational sys TENS had now become
so great the age produced several
advanced thinkers who did much
to better the schools. Milton,
Bacon, Locke, Montague, Franc