The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-09-21

| Tie WdntS OF society, and That such prac'
teal applications, SO far from detractins
from the discipline which it gave the
mind, in reality made that discipline
more forcible and complete. He viewed
mathematics as an instrument for the
extension of art and science, and con-
sidered that it should be studied, not as
! an end, but as means to an end, with
out which study would be in a great
measure fruitless.
| I'm short, the aims of the middle and
higher class schools was to raise men
above the influence Of vulgar wants
The Baconian principle of utility and
progress would lead us to conclude that
| the education of the boys should fit and
prepare him for discharging the duties
of the man. But did the collegiate
| trained aristocratic teacher care for the
duties and interests of the carpenter, the
wheelwright, the engine builder, or the
| scientific experimentalist? Between him
and them there was an impossible gulf;
he lived in quiescent world of abstrac-
tions, they lived in a world of action
and progress. How could the one be-
come the educator of the other?
Interest quickens mans perceptions
and invigorates his mental powers The
artisan works out his results chiefly by
inductive processes Of reasoning, because
he finds the highest degree of certainty,
and sufficient degree of exactness in
the method, and performs his inductions
well and carefully, for his interest de-
ponds upon his deductions. Hence it
was that whilst philosophy remained
stationary the arts went on progressing.
Bacon observed this and therefore re-
commended the inductive process for
the advancement of philosophy What
the artisan has performed successfully
on limited scale he proposed to en-
ploy in the advancement of universal
science. Thus Bacon's philosophy was
borrowed from the workshop, and what
he did for science we may now do for ed
ucatiOn; we must adopt in our schools
more or less those processes Of reason
ing, habits Of thought, and peculiar
modes of self instruction employed by
our practical men.
eff the great intellect of Bacon could
condescend to borrow from the work.
shops, why should we be ashamed to
borrow from the same source? But yet
SO it is. talk to some of our profess
sional men-it may be our lawyers, or
our clergymen, about borrowing ideas
and taking hints from the workman:
they would smile at you with contempt
and say, Can men who have had a coll
lege education obtain any information
from the lowly class, whose education
has been altogether neglected so far as
the schools in which these men had been
placed in their childhood are considered:
but these workmen, when they left the
schools, had to commence a course of
self education, and that self education
makes the English workman what he is
the pride of his country, the most
skilful artisan of the world.
Notwithstanding all that has been
done for primary education within the
last 20 years, we are still very far from
having realized the Baconian condition
of utility and progress. We are still
under the dominion of abstract theories
of education, consecrated by the great
names and sanctioned and patronized by
great societies. That philosophy is
false and not less hateful than it is
false, which arrests the progress of
by extinguishing the spirit
Of inquiry, and destroying freedom of
thought and action. The platonic philos-
ophy enslaved the human mind for 1000 |
years, and during that long period it
produced no fruit, because it superseded |
lnductive processes of inquiry by laying |
down theoretic dogmas and sublime |
fictions. Bacon emanci- |
pated the human mind from the degrad- |
ing and enfeebling slavery. He showed |
that the inductive method |
would lead them to new truths, far ex-
ceeding in brilliancy and utility any
hing which the ancient gods of philos-
ophy. whom the people had blindly |
had ever discovered. It is
not necessary to say how wonderfully
his prediction has been fulfilled. Thus
our platonic theories of education must
me day fall before the inductive method
If inquiry"
Dear reader, in quoting thus extern
,ively from one Of England's greatest /
my object. is two-fold:
first, to give due credit to the giant in
elect and universe embracing benevo-
ence of Bacon, and second, to direct the
of teachers to the necessity
md importance of the inductive. method
n education. The great works Of .Ig-
latius Donnelly. Atlantis, Ragnarok and
he Cryptogram, which challenge sue
'essfully the "old school, SCIENTISTS and
iterateurs. are. to my mind the most
emarkable productions of original in
luctive inquiry. Very truly yours,
W. E. CUMMINGS.
.---.- se@s-.
Quantitative sTheory Admitted
The Philadelphia North American,
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