The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1901-12-11
The Lexington .DiSpaEGh
Wednesday, December II, 1901.
Teachers Meeting.

AZ tuo WSCtlbS OA WV
Association, which was held at Lex
ineton, C. n, S. G., on Saturday,
November 80, 1901, the following
paper was read by Miss Mary WIN,
gard and was requested by the Asso-
citation to be published:
Miss IAns Meetze, Sec.
The Story of Education.
Kind Fliends: There is an Atlantic
ocean Of depth, fullness and beauty
in this subjec and I fear Can only
wade into the wave at the beach.
We all have favorite words express
si7e OF delight or adherence; WORDS
that easily find their way from brain
to lip; words that have in them
morning and midnight, laughter and
tears, thunderbolt and dew drop.
And there are few words that have
more attraction for me than the last
word of my subject.
The story in education largely en-
braces the history of its Institutions
principles and methods by means OF
which children and youth Of both
sexes have been educated from the
earliest period of historic times to
the present.
Il embraces within its scope an
account of the peculiar character
which education has assumed among
the several nations of the globe, OF
the rise and development of the diff
ferent methods of instruction, OF the
systems and labors of prominent
educators, of the divisions and classes
of schools.
The earliest schools which have
any claim to place in history Of
education are met with in Egypt,
China, India and Persia. The claims
to individuality were, at that early
period unknown, and the principle
of blind and slavish submission to
the constituted authorities was the
basis of education. There are how
ever some marked points Of differ
ence.
The classic pations OF the ancient
world Greece and Rome began new
period in the history of education.
While the oriental child was taught
to become docile member of the
family, the caste, and the state and
of religion. Greece and Rome con-
ceived the idea of Individual educa.
tion; man was not merely expected
to fit himself for the place which the
family. the caste, the state, or religion
assigned him, but he was to choose
his own vocation and by aspiring to
the highest place of honor in political
life. in art, or in science advanced be-
yond his ancestors. Mechanical
training failed to satisfy those who
interested themselves in the cause OF
education, the first theories of educa-
ton were developed and the harmo-
NOUS developement Of body and
mind was held up to the young as
the worthiest aim CT the youthful
ambition. Lycurgus and Scion as
law givers, Pythagoras and Socrates
as practical educators and Plato and
Aristotle as writer's on education
propounded and brought into circu-
lation a number of new ideas, with
which not only did the older nations
of the ancient world have nothing to
compare, but which have remained
among the most potent agencies in
the progressive education of man
kind. A beautiful individuality, was
to the Greek the aim of life.
The most famous and Influential
IT modern educators was Pestalczzi,
The eminent position which be occu
MES in the history of education is
not so much due to perfect method
of instruction, to superior talent OF
organization and management or to
the foundation of great educational
;nstitutions, for in all these respects