The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-08-24

education? In this country II par
ents do not send their children to
school the law compels them to go.
Why? In order that they may de-
velop their characters? No, II is
that they may be better prepared to
earn their living The purpose of
education is to develop character"
PROF. Pearson spoke at this time
OF the many subjects that are taugnt
in the school room, subjects in ma
thematics, or in formal grammer that
are unessential to the development OF
character. yet are taught that they
may assist, perhaps In the earning
of bread" He spoke also Of the
bread earning branches that the pu-
pills, boys and girls alike are COM
PEELED to master.
''The best thing that school can
do is to make folks, not Tread and
butter. The course of study in our
colleges is growing in that direction.
People are beginning to realize that
1t Is not how much of various
branches we have learned but how
well disciplined we are"
"The best things done and thought
in all ages are expressed in litera-
ture and the Lest of these In poetry.
why did Darwin, express such a
wish2 The answer to this is ex-
pressed by the words of Shelly Poe
try Is u record of the best and hap
piest thoughts from the lest and hap
piest minds in the best and happiest
moments. Poetry cannot be written
at all times. 1t is the expression OF
the best and happiest thoughts and
these only come in glimpses and Wis
ions. You and | can well defy the
schools and steal time from the
study of arithmetic or grammer to
read poetry to the children"
What is the business of poetry!
The mission of poetry is 10 reveal
beauty to man. Inc poet sees beauty
everywhere and 1t is his business to
reveal II. 1t is true that reading
poetry brings obligations. A man
cannot read the beautiful figures Of
the poets and remain the same in his
tastes and appreciation of literature"
Not only Is 1t the business of
the poet to reveal beauty but he sees
things in their true relations and per-
spective as they AFFECT the human
hfe You and 1 do not see things
of life in their true relations. we
are misunderstood. buneted, defeated
critized baffled In our most generous
impulse and these disappointments
perplex us because we are unable to
view them in perspective. The poet
Sees these things in their relation to
each other and reveals them In his
verse. Some say that men do not
care for poetry, but they do"
'How are we to teach patriotism
except by poetry. You can't teach
IL by the statute book, or by hang
ing folks or putting them in Jail. 1t
begins in the schools. Citizenship is
taught at home and in the school
room where they sing and are taught
poetry. No one ever offered up his
life for his country because OF sta
tute book.
How are YOU going to teach rcli-
gion? You teach 1t In the hymns.
Hymns that belong to no demonina-
ton, written by great men, with "a
great conception OF God. with great
faith. You can't teach religion by
preaching theological sermons"
""There Is a great mlsappnenslon
abount poetry Many of the schools
and colleges are to blame. We are
Inclined to think that nothing is
poetry except that which we do not
understand. We think that we must
read only the things that are dinicult
10 read. That Is a great mistake
il we cannot understand and enjoy
Milton and those who are classic, we
should take the simpler and then
climb upward. Take the poets whose
Impulses are ours, whose customs and
thoughts are ours and let us read
them.'
Prof. Pearson stated in closing that
II was the business OF the poet to
bring good cheer, and he illustrated
this thought with the work of Tenny-
son in which he leads his PEOPLE from
doubt in the religious world back to
faith. Tne speaker interspersed his
talk throughout with lines from the
best known and best loved poets.
Continued on Page FOur.