The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-07-30
AN ANCIENT SCHOOLsOOK.

Tho "Janua" of Comenius One Of the
Best Ever Written
One of the most successful school
books ever written is referred to in
Evelyn's diary, where he says his dear
son Richard, who died in January, 1868,
had, before his fifth year. made a con-
siderable progress in Comenius' Janua."
This book, "Janua Linguarum Res
erata," was published by John Amos
Comenius in 1851.
Itwas an introduction to the the study
Of Latin, and Bayle said Of it that had
Comenirs written no other book he
1t was translated into IL European
languages, and was really the gate
through which our ancestors of the nth
and 18th centuries entered into Latin
literature. I'm every European country
generations of children thumbed the
Janua, and no other book, until they
were sufficiently advanced to begin
Terence and Plautus;" and for years
after its publication the name of Comen-
ius-thc Latinized form of Komensky-
was familiar in every schoolroom.
Editions of the Janua were printed
In Greek and Latin at Oxford so late as
1900; anc new additions were issued at
Prague, in Latin, German and Czech, in
1874. The chief work of this great
school reformer of the nth century las
just been published in English for she
first time, under the title of THE Great
Didactic of John Ahos Comenius," with
biographical and historical introduce
tons by NJ. w. keatjnge, Of Oxford.
Comenius' own title page describes
the work as Setting forth the whole
art of teaching all things TO all men; or.
certain inducement to found such
schools in all the parishes. towns, and
villages of every Christian kingdom
that the entire youth of both sexes, none
being excepted, shall quickly, pleasant
", and thoroughly become learned in
the sciences, pure in morals, trained 10
piety, and in this manner instructed in
all things necessary for the present and
for the future life"
In the preface Comenius says: let
the chief object of this our didactic be
as follows: To seek and to find
method of instruction by which teach
FRS may teach less, but learners may
learn more; by which schools may be
the scene of less noise. aversion, and use
less labor, but of more leisure, enjoy
nent, and solid progress. and through
which the Christian community may
have less darkness, perplexity, and dis
sension, but, on the other hand, more
light, orderliness, peace. and rest"
These were high ideals, and the
didactic wor:hily set them forth. But
q couple of centuries before his time.
In his introduction Mr.. Heating says,
with perfect truth, that Comenius is
"the Predetermined, the most farsee-
ing, the most practical of ell the writer's
who have put pen on paper on the sub
ject of education;" that his theories
have been put in practice in every
principles; and that "he embodies the
naterialistic tendencies of our modern
side instructors, while avoiding the mar
rowness of their reforming zeal" Yet |
1.-THE Great Didatic" remained in his own
day unknown and ineffective.
Comenius was a prolific writer, as Is
shown by list of more than 12o sepa- |
rate works. all of which are now forgot |
ten. He became involved in the mil |
lenariar movement Of the false prophet |
Drabik, and was not wholly misrepre-
sented by one who described him as "a !
fanatic. visionary, and en- enthusiast |
in folio" He died in 1870. broken and |
disappointed man. and il is only within
the last 80 years that his true merit has |
been recognized. He was. as his |
saws. "the father Of modern |
education. London News.