The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-01-26
Literary Education a Basis for
Special Education.

b<tbCIHTN H<stuC<tttOu ~ A1SSiS IOf
Special Education.
Editor Colax Chronicle:
Please allow space in yonr column,
for the following article. which ma,
be of value and interest to the educu
tional supporters of our parish.
There is IA strong tendency prevail
ing among some Of our people t.
neglect tie literary education OF Their
children, for special education
They seem to consider literary learn
ing incidental to the special, when it
should be the basis. While / believe
in practical education as much as
my one, yet the literary foundation
will enable the boy or girl to achieve
greater success in their practical pur-
suits. In other words, it serves as II
motor power, directing properly every
impulse of their being, mental. moral
and physical. 1t gives several nd
vantages in their special line of work.
First-It enables the young man
or young lady to acquire a broader
field Of knowledge of facts and theo-
ries and how to apply them. This il
accomplished through the triple co.
operation of reasoning, experiment,
observation. TO use these properly
requires tedious and constant study
and application OF the mind. The
aim of education is to develop the
whole individual so that he can have
immediate command and control OF
his knowledge under all conditions,
and through all circumstances. To
have this command over ones prac
teal pursuits and avocations of life.
makes it explicitly needfuI for him to
have a literary foundation.
Second-There is an economical ad-
vantage to be considered. When
child has received a good literary
knowledge, he il then in a better POI
sitiOn to complete his special educa-
tion at less expense and in less time.
A great many students, and parents,
too, think when the seventh or eighth
grade in ourpublic schools iscomplet-
Ell, they are thoroughly compe-
tent to specialize in bookkeeping, law,
medicine, or some other business or
profession. BY specializing SO imma-
turely they are obliged to incur great
er expense, ndsacrificea longer peri
cd of time, in order to accomplish
their aim. Their minds have not de-
veloped sufficiently to comprehend
business terms, law terms aud medi-
cal terms. Hence a greater length OF
time is needed. and, this being true,
it necessitates II greater expense.
Third-The literary equipment
places the youths in "a better position
to demand higher salaries. 1t is ul-
most universally acknowledged that
che more scholarly and skillful, and
the better educationally equipped the
youth is, the more demand there is
for his service; and. as wages and
salaries are governed largely by sup
ply and demand, it is evident that he
will receive higher pay. One reason
why SO many salaried people are con-
tented with the same little salary
they have been receiving for the last
ten or fifteen yours, is because their
educat ional qualities do not demand
higher pay, and they know it.
Now, in conclusion, l wish to say,
that, to neglect this literary trimming
is an error some of our citizens are
prone tn make. At present, We have
splendid educational advantages near
our doors. We have a good public
school system, besides, We are facili-
tated with several high schools in
our parish. All these are calculated
To place our youths on the safe side
Ut life. When one has Il literary foun-
he is fortified against failure,
errors, and mistakes, to which the
man often falls u victim. !
He may falter. under certain condi-
tions, in one business, but he is able |
to exalt himself in another. He is
not like the man who bnilt his house
ON the sand, but like the one who
built his house ona rock. The floods
came, the winds blew and beat upon
the house and it fell not, for it was