St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-02


interests of a man above the spiritual, and
makes riches the supreme object Of human
endeavor- The only remedy is to change the
zeal. Men have plunged into the struggle
for wealth until avarice has become the lead
ing passion OF many, and Las thus obscured
the higher interests of the spiritual in them.
INTELLIGENCE AND VIRTUE.
The amount of intelligence and virtue re-
quired for the conduct of affairs was never
SO great as now. There lies before us some of
the most difficult problems which an enlight-
ened people has been called upon to solve,
and they are likely to increase in number
and difficulty as the time goes on. Let us do
our part in fitting the oncoming American
citizen TO solve these questions Alright in con-
Torrance with truth, honor and justice.
The public school system OF this country
mas developed steadily for more than two and
half centuries 1t has been modified and
improved from time to time and adapted to
new conditions and different localities conse-
ouently we have highly intelligent citizen
ship and great business activity.
1t is well to have educationed pioneers to go
ahead and blaze out new pathways through
the forests of ignorance, but it is not wise in
matters Of education for those who follow the
leader t, to always burn the bridge. behind
them. The wise and cautious general guards
with care his base of supplies and provides
for retreat, even with the expectation of VIC
tory before them We are not so much upon
a voyage OF discovery as upon a campaign
OF conquest, in which we must use all of our
resources, in the words Of another "My
young disciple, don't hunt for new things.
but try to improve upon the old ones; every
fiat stone and most Of the powders have been
turned over by novelty hunters"
The disciples Of Herbart are doing good
work in the field of modern thought by d.
recttng the attention of all to the principles
of the Herbartian philosophy After reading
many OF the treatises written on the subject,
intending to make the meaning and intent
more plain, am forced to the conclusion that
many of the students of Herbart are not go
much searchers after the underlying truths
OF the system as they are searchers after
some evidence that will tend to substantiate
some preconeeived notion. The principles OF
Herbart are comparatively simple and easy
OF comprehension, but after studying many
OF the labored dissertation on the subject
one is lead to the conclusion that the function
OF language Is to obscure ideas. not to dis
close them. Many Of the deductions made
and conclusions reached, with some text from
Herbart as the foundation, would l am sure
astOnish the great philosopher himself could
they be brought to his notice.
MEANINGS OF CORRELATION.
Correlation is a word to conjure with and
is glfbly used by many educational writer's
and 1t has as many interpretations as it has
users. To one it means that everything
taught should have common center; nature
study, language, geography or some other
study. should be the central idea from which
all OF the work of the school shall radiate,
ana the extremists go so far in this direction
as to make much of the school work a farce
Again. others seeing certain relations in GER
tain subjects combine without forcing and
thus one branch of study tends to fix the
facts OF some other branch Others again
take the child a center and so arrange the
course as TO meet the growing needs of the
CHILD, and this, 1t seems to me, is the only
true way and can only be successful when
the course is adapted by the observant teach
er to each individual child
Child study has engaged the attention of
many OF our teachers and those who have the
training OF teachers The study is helpful
In that 1t arouses a spirit of Investigation
but Its greatest benefit will be- as in the
study of the Herbartian philosophy, to quick
en- educational thought and give an incentive
to the study of educational theories and
general awakening of all. 1t will tend to
substantiate some theories of the workings
or the child mind and open up new fields OF
tnought 1t Is too apt to fall into the line
OF the study OF the hypothetical child and
may In that way lead to false conclusions
imagine, but is as old as the history of man
Kind, and we find that all teachers since
time began possessed knowledge of the work
ings OF the human mind, and with that
knowledge pursued their line of instruction
Many time In the country school house the
uncultivated but inspired young girl has
shown knowledge Of the workings Of the
child mind that would put to shame the
theories OF the most learned and profound
philosopher. The most successful teachers
OF all have been those who have made the
most careful study of the peculiarties of the
individual child and have acted along the
line OF least resistance in the development of
the pupil At the same time, they did not
think to call 1t by the name now so COM
mon, Child study -
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
A few practical suggestions and close this
part of my address.
Teachers: Be impressed with the obliga-
lions OF your high calling, and If you do not