Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1937-10-21
WHAT Is EDUCATION?

From the Democrat files of Jan.
/, 1884, we reprint an article writ
ten by H. H. Drake, then Of Dea-
vertown, and later for many years,
resident of Malta. He was one of
the most prominent educators in
Tom Drake, inventor of the tele
phone ''selector system" which was
the forerunner of the present dial
system used in many of the larger
cities. The subject of Mr.. brakes
article written about 54 years ago,
is What is EducatiOn?" Read it
and see how it compares with def
milton of education now. The ar
ticle follows:
The answer to this question will
depend largely upon the standpoint
from which it is viewed. / have read
this definition somewhere: Educa-
tion is the harmonious development
of our physical, intellectual powers.
So far as the practical purposes Of
our educational system are concern
ed, this definition will be sufficient
noble being-man-is possessed Of
three classes of faculties, the ply
sical, intellectual and moral. Now,
it is the business of education to
take charge of these faculties and
lead them up to the highest posi-
BILE degree of development. That
system of education, which neglects
any one of the three departments of
our nature, is unsatisfactory and
vicious. AS the strength of a chain
is due to the weakest link, so is the
strength of an individual due to the
weakest of his essential elements
If the three elements of our or
ganization are in proper trim and
harmoniously adjusted, the journey
of life will be safe, pleasant and
prosperous; otherwise, trouble, dis
aSter and misery are inevitable.
From these principles it is percep~
tible that we need common schools,
whose curriculums are arranged
with reference to all the require
ments of our threefold nature That
course of instruction which fails to
regard and provide for the wants of
the body, the mind, or the heart, is
not worthy of public patronage. The
education of the body and heart, as
well as the education of the head,
should be present in school training.
and not until this idea is realized
and recognized, will the institutions
of learning be placed upon a basis
conducive to the best interest of so
ciety. The fact must be accepted,
that our pupils have Hearts as well
as minds, and that the former can
HOI ne Will i6SS iCIIllilent
than the latter, for the true object
OF education is to prepare men and
women for usefulness and happi-
ness.
| have found by experience and
by visiting schools, that physical
and moral training has been Won
derfully neglected. 1t seems that
many teachers have not learned that
Gods laws are so perfectly balanced,
bat II ioh Of nj ic
connected with the highest good of
the body We cannot secure the
best development of the mind at
the expense of the body, and it is
lamentable to see the evils that have
insidiously crept upon us as a re-
suit of this error,-evils, which /
shall now particularize. Improper
tion and carriage of the body, bad
habits of breathing, weak voice and
poor health.
Teachers and pupils should have
in their minds a true ideal of per-
feet human form, and they should
try to bring their own forms as near
this ideal as possible
The commonest faults in the
forms Of pupils are one.sidedness;
the shoulder blade, crooking Of the
collar bone, dropping of the head.
etc. These peculiarities are neither
healthful nor beautiful, and only an
ignorant mind, or perverted taste,
would ever regard them as such.
Ease, dignity and grace should be
carefully cultivated in regard to sit
ting, walking, standing, and the
movements of the body generally.
service for their pupils than by
leading them to see that a benefi
cent Creator has framed them ac-