The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-11

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Tor future reference; the last aptitude
In reproducing and utilizing our sew
eral acquisitions. When these several
qualities do not co-exist equally, it is
evident that careful attention, frequent
repetition, aud constant reference are
necessary to good memory.
| NOW after having taken a glance g, t
the intuitive and acquisitonary pow
, ers OF the mind, we next observe its use
Tor these various acquisitions, both in
themselves considered and as premises
for further ana'ogo .inductive reason-
ing. We term mental activity in the
; latter case ratiocination, while in the
former wo refer to tho more general
and comprehensive faculty OF reason.
Just here it is we'll to notice that our
mental acquisitions arc 10y no means in.
dependent OF each other, but on the
| contrary they follow each other in such
consecutive order that wc are led. as bv
stairs, to higher and higher spheres Of
thought and contemplation. But at all
times we should observe due regard
| for tho primary laws of thought, tho
fundimcnta cognoscendi, and suffer not
ourselves to swcrve from their logical
| mandates.
Again, wc find necessary to u high
| degree OF mental evolution reason
| able amount Of acquired knowledge in
addition to priori data.
Now as to the possibility OF facilitat-
Ing mental development, we reason
that, analogous to the muscles .>rer
which it has control and the sense
through which it operates, the mind is
itself capable Of development through
, exercise; hence the primary Importance
OF exercising tho mind generally in all
Its spheres Of activity ga soul with
out reflection, like pile without in
habitant, to ruin runs"
we now assert that education, as a
means to this end, is to insure utility
In practical and legitimate speculative
knowledge, and also the consequent de-
velopment inseparable thcrcfrom. 1t is
also necessary that there should bo OBJ
served an economy OF energies and time.
we have seen that it is natural for the
mind to acquire. But there are limita-
tlons to this power. There exists de-
gree OF potential activity which, If
overtaxcd, may result in exhaustion
and stupefaction. The mind cannot
hold two things, in the same sense, at
once, or too many altogether.
What, next, Is our intellectual food?
Ono has said: "The mind, like all
other things, will become impaired.
tho sciences are It's f91a4; III tSey G y oNrish,
o@1 iitt nit same time they consume it,"
All learning may be classified broadly
rs scientific and linguistic. 1t is Il
common saying that the sciences make
| an acurato and the languages full
man. Both, in q sense, should mako a
complete man.
We qualify tho above advisedly, for
| there is an indispensable substrata con-
ditioning all wholesome psychical
growth, alone insuring real happiness.
| and without which our monuments,
| though more durable than marble, shall
all crumble to tho ground. "Tho fear
Of the Lord is the beginning of knowl-
edge, but fools dcspise wisdom and in
struction. prov. 1t.
| Now for brief application of the
| foregoing observations to the school
room. In the first place, IL teacher
should not disregard his pupils intui-
tion and faculties OF spontaneous OBJ
scrvation by trying to show or explain
to him something he already knows.
| Neither should he outrage his energies
or rob his precious time by adhcring to
books and ''methods" that contain
parvum in mmlto. Is not this true Of
many of our textbooks, notably, those
on English grammer, which, in their
futile aims TO entertain rather than
! logically instruct, are signal failures?
1t Is necessary, then, that q teacher
| should possess scholastic attainments
coupled with common sense" so that
he may exercise judgment in tho sclec-
tion and use OF books and enforcement
Of a reasonable amount Of profitable
study, and what, with due cooperation,
he may evincc such an interest in his
work as will be reelected in his pupils
and rebound to the good Of all.
"rhe sun is but spark Of fire,
transient meteor in the sky;
But the soul, immortal as its sire,
| Shall never die"
| Nj. ~. MCWHORTER,
| Principal Beth Eden School,