The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-05-11
EDUCATI

should know the how and the why of
other things and processes termed
schemes, for in this day of joint stock
concerns or, might say, watered stock
undertakings, nearly every man above
the day laborer is capitalist to some
extent in some other occupation than
his own; and as thus interested his
profits or losses often depend on his
knowledge of the science bearing on
the other occupation. Not many years
ago one million dollars was lost in the
prosecution of scheme for collecting
the alcohol that distills from bread in
baking, all of which would have been
saved to the subscribers, had they
known that less than a hundredth part
of the flour is changed IN fermentation.
We are not all endowed with like
talents, nor was the distribution equal,
for nature seems to have endowed
with special talents the poets and
artists of every class. Herbert Spen-
Ger tells us that science will not make
an artist. That not only the poet but
also the artist of every type is born
and not made. However true this
may be all must be subjected to regu-
lar course of scientific training in
order to bring out the latent faculties,
for innate faculty alone will not suffice,
but must be aided by organized knowl-
edge. In the poet and artist, we have
genius married to science.
We are beginning to realize that the
first requisite to success in life is to be
good animal, for the best brain is
of little service if there is not suffi-
cient vital energy to work it, and to
obtain the one by sacrificing the source
of the other, is now considered a
folly.
The first three or four years of my
school life are spent IN attending the
country school, where everything was
learned by rote, and to repeat the
words correctly was everything; to un.
derstand their meaning, nothing. This
system, am glad to state, has served
its usefulness, and in its place we have
the normal system, where the course Is
chiefly oral and illustrated as much az
possible by appeals to nature. One
authority states that in education VIZ
should proceed from the simple to tht
complex, and this is plan which has
always, to some extent, been acte(
upon. The mind gradually grows, lik'
: all things that grow. 1t progresse
from the homogeneous to the hetro
geneous; i. e., from the one kind as {
class to many kinds, and the system a
taught today is fit application ant
tends to lead the student step by ste]
!. to higher knowledge. By this plan W
. are taught to make, as far as possible
s our own Investigations and draw ou
: own conclusions. One author state
s that a student should be told a
}. little as possible, but induced to dis
s cover as much as possible. Humanit
Q has progressed solely by self-instrut
Q ton, and to achieve the best result
g each mind must progress somewha
: after the same fashion, and this
proven by the marked success of th
t self-made man.
Q In conclusion, let us seek that know
}. edge which will give to us health ur
9 impaired and bodies physically strong
/, education that will aid us to success
d fully compete with our fellow mel
|, that will teach us to grasp and realiz
s the opportunities which OCCASIONAL
+ come within our reach. Thus we wi
d have obtained to some degree th
n knowledge of right living and to m
It it seems knowledge most valuable.
l. F. w. B.