The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-07-13
EDUCATION.

The proper education of the child is
perennial theme to which the Star
has lately addressed itself with train
ed intelligence. We do not take serious
issue with any of the Stars conclu-
sions; they seem in the main to be just
and reasonable-though perhaps the
Advertiser would not go so far as its
contemporary does in condemning the
expenditure of time in 'isms and olo-
gies and cepts" for the benefit of a
child who can make no use of them as
such in the struggles of after life.
We often hear said something like
this: II studied chemistry and Greek
at school and have forgotten all about
them. Even if l remembered them
what use would they be TO me as a
lawyer" But what matters it if our
friend the lawyer cannot remember the
formulas and declensions with which he
wrestled? Education is not mere book
learning; it is the training of the pow
ers of the mind so that they may per-
form difficult feats in no way connect
or dead languages. The brain at first
is a mass Of undeveloped muscles which
must be seasoned by diverse studies to
DIVOuNt tue III III lhNtAActb JhSN as ar ihN
muscles of the body must be exercised
to achieve the perfect physical form.
There stands the ideal physical man,
made so by intricate calisthenics and
by athletic pastimes, the character of
which he may have long since forgot
ten. He could not stand up and do
again the prolonged and systematic
gyrations he was taught in the gym
nasium, yet the good effect of those
early exercises appear in his every mo-
ton, in his gait and breathing, in his
endurance and vitality. What matters
IL he is no longer quite UP to the back
somersault, for he can do three times
as much hard work in day as can his
neighbor who took no stock in gym
nastics' but was content to grow up in
. the ordinary fashion.
To return to our lawyer. We hold
that chemistry and Greek, If faithfully
undertaken, did as much towards max
! ing him a good counselor or pleadcr as
rope-skipping and jumping did towards
/ making the athlete who raises the iron
spheres in the circus handy man al
weights. Those studies helped to teach
our lawyer concentration; they made
his mind more comprehensive and elias
tic; they added to his knack. No mat
ter what he forgot in after time; he
never lost the benefit of the early intel
lectual exercises. He could argue g
case more strongly for his training il
studies that had no visible bearing up.
on the argument in hand.
The chief objection TO the "isms and
ologies and cepts" is that they otter
raise the self-esteem of a pupil so tina
he despises the occupations for which
he Is fitted for the more conspicuous
ones that but keep the word of promis'
TO his ear to break II to his hope. Man,
is fitted for the more conspicuous one
that but keep the word of promise L
his ear to break 1t to his hope. Man!
a fine mechanical mind has been turned
towards professions by the "ologies'
only TO find disappointment and bitter
ness there-the young man getting tn
sheepskin, perhaps. but not the ellen
or the patient. Still as a general rul
we believe that the more exercise tn
mind gets in early youth the better 70
it-that Is, providing tire exercise doe
not continue to the point If brain-fae
Nothing that adds to intellectual eri,
and keenness Is a bad thing to have
irrespective of the pursuits which tn