The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1906-06-01
THE PRESS AND EDUCATION.

My subject includes the two great
sources of modern power and achieve
ment, the press and education.
Progress on all lines of mental, NOR
al and material improvement is de-
pendent upon them and they are in
terdependent upon each other.
Without the press, education would
accomplish little towards instructing
mind; without education, the press
would be as feeble singer discours-
ing music to the deaf. Without both,
science, art, literature, invention and
knowledge would remain in their in
fantile stage, because each successive
generation would have to start from
the initiatory state of beginning of
investigation, experiment and knowl-
edge. With them, all the wealth of
knowledge, discovery, invention and
experience of past ages is transmitted
to the approaching generation simply
to be added to and transmitted. The
press and educationi their full share
in human development through the
centuries no one can realize without
comparing the present with the dis
tant past.
The press today holds an important
and powerful part in civilization. 1t is
a lubricant oiling the wheels of enter
prise; a subtle force that porpels the
machionery of progress; the trumpe-
ter who calls to battle the armies of
industry and invention, and incites
to greatest effort genius, talent and
ambition. 1t reaches all classes of
people. The president in the White
House feels its impulse, and the hum
BILE tiller of the soil in his cottage
listens to it's message. The child
thumbing its a. b. c. book and the fee
BILE old patriarch deciphering- with
fading vision for the last time some
holy text to cheer him as he crosses
the river of death claims its help. The
multi millionaire in palaces of luxury
and ease, and the hungry tramp as he
scans the scrap of newspaper which
wrapped the lunch received from the
hand of charity listen to the cadences
of it's soundless voice.
What the forum and the rostrum
were in the past the press is in the
present. Orotary acknowledges its
mightier voice and eloquence looks &c
it for wings and audience.
The press enters every section of
the country, reaches every, mind and
affects every heart. Like the atmos-
phere, it fills all space in the intel
lectual universe, bearing on its vibra-
tons the sounds of peace and war;
the chatter of industry and action, the
music of joy and merriment, the signs
of the sorrowiHg and the walls of de-
spair- from the center to the circum-
ference of the mental globe.
The press is barred out from no
walk of life, is forbidden to discuss
no question of public moment 1t is the
chronicler of all incident and accident,
human triumph and disaster Through
its operations publicity is complete
The man of action and achievement
looks to it for support and fame. and
the criminal fears its exposures as he
once did the guillotine and the gal
AO"S' ASo POOlA(ANy hOA AACh ~
roic effort and restraints them from the
commission of crime.
Recognize its almost universal domi
nation over the minds, morals and ac-
tions Of mankind, and you recognize
at once its Importance as an aid to ed
ucation. Upon it in great part we place
the responsibility for the education of
the young, both directly and indirect
ly. The country weekly, the city daily
and the more or less literary monthly
contributes each to the education of
the masses.
to be found, and you cannot afford it.
The press educates directly. After
child has mastered the rudiments of
learning sufficiently TO read, the direct
influence of the press begins and never
ends until the age of activity and life
| is passed. The child reads his PRIMER
in the school and spells out the local
items of the country weekly at home
AS the ability of the mind to read and
comprehend is increased in school it's
consumption of the contents of the
press-is increased out of school The
| text book and the newspaper Jointly
cultivate, draw out, widen, deepen,
broaden, strengthen and stimulate the
powers of the mental faculties, year
after year, until the embryo mind be-
comes d giant intellect or reaches the
natural limitations of it's growth The
text book ceases and the schoolmaster
becomes silent, when the student
emerges from the cIoisters of learn
ing and plunges into the busy whirl
of mature life. But the press contin-
ues to instruct. to warn, to incite, and
the voice of the editor is heard and
needed above the turmoil of business,
ambition, aspiration and religion until
the erstwhile school boy clasps hands
with eternity and is lifted to higher
world of existence. where the school
house and the press room are forbid
den building sites
Indirectly the press contributes
largely to the education of the youth