The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-01-07
EDUCATION.

= I
ped out some time ago by the Southern
Educational Association The purpose OF
this Association is to awaken interest IN
public education in the Southern States.
and we are. sratified TO know that AIR.
Harry St Ge-ge Tucker, dean OF the
Law Faculty of Washington and Lee
& University. is to lend his valuable aid
to this movement, indeed, to take lead
ing part in the work in Virginia MI.
Tucker is n sch-lar. a statesman and an
orator, and he will do a great public scr
vice in Identifying himself with this
movement.
The terra education is a very broad
term broader than ever before in the his
tory OF the world. It means training,
training Of the head and OF the heart as
well as of the mind. The question has
been raised in the South as to whether
or not education is always n moral
agency. It is quite true that "a little
learning is dangerous thing" but it
cannot be disputed that the right sort OF
education is always q moral agency. IN
deed. character is largely matter OF
training. There is a great deal in in
heritance both of good and of bad, but
the children of bad parents car be liade
good men and women b. proper train
ing, whereas, the children of good pa
rents often go wrong for the lack Of
proper training.
One Of the best articles OH this sub
~
John Graham: Brooks. which was read
before the recent meeting of the South
eln Conference for Education. Mr..
Brooks spoke particularly of the REFORM
atories of Massachusetts and New York,
saying that the youth who were CON-
nitted long enough at Concord and FL
mira to bring to bear on them the steady
discipline of moral and Industrial train
ing For at least one year showed results
at both these reformatories that are new
and hopeful in the history of procedure.
I5e declared that under Mr. l3rockTay's
management, the reforn1atory at rllnira
was a great and busy mandatory Of
habits. FROM the morning bath ana the
gymnasium" he continued, through. the
days systemati: WORK at some one OF
thirty crafts under the eye Of trained
Instructor to the closing scene OF the
military drill the hours were as crowd
ed as the work OF the German army of
g model factory. II is not simply routine
labor like SO much OF the toll of modern
industry; it was throughout preliminary
education. The feeble viii and lack Of
self-control, the easy yielding to the play
of every impulse, the hatred of persistent
and consecutive activity are the common
est weaknesses of this class. The whole
scheme of training was guarded rigidiF
10 the end of Strengthening the weakest
links of character. 1t is seen at last
that no preaching or praying, no giving
of good advice, no reading of improving
books can make what these delinquenls
lack, namely, hsbits-habits of continuous
thinking and doing-habits of controlling
the muscles and the will.
Mr. Brooks thinks that this is the sort
of education that the youth of the Land
should hayt, not merely those who ar
confined in reforrnatories, but those VIII,
are not. ut Is proved, says he, that
when society fills its next educational
duty by organizing in every, school and
10. cry youth Until the siNtccath year,
thorough compulsory courses IN art and
manual training. many OF the most dan
Serious sources or youthful lawlessness
will DO closed He asked the manual
teachc. at Eimira what effect, in his:
oriaion, this instruction would have
Upon the reformatory IL it were brought
to every child in the country and con-
unued, with other studies, until the six
tenth year. and the reply was that ii
would practically close every reforma-
tory. Another warden of long experience
in Massachusetts, said that we should
perhaps have one prisoner, where We now
have ten. Mr.. Brockway who has had
fifty years experience. said that if all
the boys in the reforrnatory could have
had, besides the necessary book work.
three years systematic manual training,
very few of the fifteen hundred would
have been there or in any other penal
institution.
The Times does not believe IN compul-
sorry education, but we do sincerely be-
liere in this sort Of training. this training
of the head, this training OF the will,
this making OF good habits. Thomas
Jefferson. who was great philosopher
as wei! as a great politician. believed
that work was che surest preventive OF.
r-sne. as he believed that idleness was {.
eu,e source Of evil. The great purpose
OF all education should be to give the
pupil complete inastery over himself. We
believe that this sort OF education is
particularly needful FOR the colored chill
dren OF the land, We said the other day,
1 in discussing, this subject. that in the
days of SLAVERY the colored children were
under discipline and were taught the
great lesson OF obedience, were taught
to control themselves We're taught les