The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-03-03
For the Democratic Advocate

MEssRs EDITORS I'm your issue of February IL,
we find Mr. Francis b. Livesey, of Sykesville. Nd,
still on deck aud working hard for his cause.
W. tnd that he states There are people who de-
man u free college education, III Her, beer bicl =
c. 5. cuu,, r.s an, the Iic>;' he sates "r'hr
...n.t the three : are lie C.. sc of thiN dehamt''
and s,iyS Give tIsger an iHch he II wantan III
understand then that were he running this gov
eminent he would have these three studies also
abolished.
Let the government quickly bury The mule so as to
have the rhyme complete.
say let the roots of the sciences and literature
and history go down deep into the earliest years.
so that the unconscious influence derived thence
shall assist in molding the TASTE will and intellect
during the most plastic period of growth
In our earlier history find that there was only
need for few learned persons to look after our
higher interests; we had to have lawyers who could
attend to the legal work. physicians to attend to
the medical work. and cergymen to attend to the
religious work. But in this day when we are in
close connection with foreign nations we need to
be more Intelligent than we formerly were
would not like to see system of instruction as
was had in those colonial times If we are to have
such a system given to u.s. give it to us in its ex-
panded condition.
Give us those three branches if you must but give
us also the branches which have grown from those
three old limbs Why. our great public educational
tree has grown be of the greatest trees of the
present age.
And under this tree softly reposes our great ma.
tional and local governments At first there were
but three branches this tree, but each grew and
finally each produced an abundance of auxi larry
buds most of which thrived and became branches
of their parent branches. These also produced
set of auxiliary buds which have grown and are
now growing and will some day produce their
branches This is the thriving tree that supplies
our government. gives us our statesmen, lawyers
and other men who are the idols of our country.
1t is the fruit that falls. ripe and rich in inorma-
ton, from this tree that make the United States,
the state of Maryland, and the county of Carroll,
what they are.
And are we now to have this tree trimmed of its
branches and stripped of its fruit, and replaced by
the original tree of the colonial era? Nay for the
sake of our nation and its coming generations.
With all of our great educational facilities find
ignorance everywhere about us. With all of oul
free schools ana universities we find ourselves sur
rounded by ignorance and barbarity.
Then If ignorance is prevalent when we have
great educational resources, it would, indeed, b
more prevalent should we attempt any less facili
ties than we now have.
Let this great tree keep spreading until it shall
have every American citizen beneath its branches
that they may look up with pride upon its beauti
fol foliage and its delicious fruit. For the create
its resources the richer will be its fruit
The mind should have all its windows open tina
are possible, to be opened by the public school
without incumbering the State with debt
First, there should be opened that window whicl
looks out upon the world of quantity and space
that is arithmetic or mastery over number. Thi
gives one power to a certain extent to reeogniz
and fix theoretically all quantity.
Second, that window of the mind geography
through which shines the five lights, from the fiv
great kingdoms, [climate, surface, plants, animal
and man, which, together, form our organic nature
Third, that great window of the mind, gramma
or mastery over word, (which is the key to all tina
is spiritual" 1t is the greatest of all studies
man. With knowledge of grammar there is oper
ed before the student the world of the human rae,
Everything is made plain to him by knowledg
of this important branch.
Fourth, the mastery over time, or history, is tn
fourth great window in the mind of the studen
The man who does not know his history nor tn
history of civilization does not consciously posses
himself Therefore. there is a great need for histo
ical training of pupils
The fifth aud last the least by far is r~st
ing. the master over letters. This is the windo'
through hich >hines the ii.h vi Intelligence.
the needs of the most humble as well as The MOI
noble that public school without all of them
not worthy of the name school
And after we have a school with these as a curr
cuium. we should have teachers who are thorough
ly acquainted with the branches of which thes
five are the basis
The selection of teachers should be such this
would bring the student in contact with the be.
thought of the time. They should be teachers VIII
are capable of giving intelligent lectures on each
the above named subjects. once twice weel
each lecture lasting not more than an hour. Wit
these lectures he would incite interest anon
his pupils for higher knowledge of the branche
on which they are studying.
In the inorganic studies he could touch the mino
points relating to higher mathematics, natura
philosophy and chemistry.
In the organic studies, with geography as a base
he could touch the interesting minor points relat
ing to physical geography, astronomy, botany
physiology. geology and zoology. No teacher cai
teach geography in an intelligent manner withou
knowledge of these subjects
We find many teachers who know nothing o
these sciences, who are teachers in name only
Really good teachers cannot afford to teach Ii
Carroll county, owing to the poor pay given tn
teachers. If the money expended in appropriation
for causes not directly connected with the peopl
in general of this state. and the money expended
for useless Offices. given to the teachers Chat
increase their salaries) in the public schools, and
tie standard for admission a teacher in the pub
lie schools was raised there would be some encour
agement for good teachers to come to Carroll.
An American educator has rightly said "isnot the
highest problem of education how to liberate the
genius of the pupil? If genius cannot be created
or developed tceriainly needs liberation II seems
to me that course OF study which plants first in