Year: 1874

When we consider this question we
ought to take into consideration the OBJ
Ject OF the common course, and its extent
at the present time This, | think, is
very seldom done by those who do most
of the writing and talking on this subject.


Our common school system was estab-
lished for the special purpose of placing
course OF intellectual training within
the reach of every one, and the branches
taught IN our common schools are. or
should be, those that are of the most SER
vice to practical people in common life.
When the course embraces more than
this, it is simply compelling the masses to
support that which is for the advantage
of the few. When it embraces less. then
it fails to meet the want for which it was
established. l am very we'll aware that
some would take exception to my asser-
tion that the course may contain too
much as there is an opinion among GER
tain enthusiasts that our common school
course should be extended, simply because
learning is a good thing and is of itself
valuable. That learning is a good thing,
and that it is valuable, are propositions
that can't be denied but itmust be borne
in mind that our people have more to do
with practice than theory and life is so
short and its claims upon us are so ur
gent that people, as general thing. will
not take time to obtain ether education
than that which is Of direct and practical
benefit to them in life The student may
seek after learning for its own sake, but
the business man will follow the goddess
only so far as she aids him in obtaining
living or accumulatirg wealth


was recently listening to a lecture on
astronomy It was an able lecture and
the lecturer was unquestionably a man of
liberal culture AS he was closing his
lecture, placing in the nicely finished sen
tences of his eloquent peroration, he said
that Astronomy should at once be placed
in the catalogue of studies in our common
schools" Here was one, vino in his zeal
for his favorite study, would have that
abstuse science, involving, as it does, the
most subtle principles of the higher
mathematics-that science which can be
investigated proftably only by mature
and well trained minds,-placed among
those studies; to be pursued by boys and
girls OF our common schools. Even if we
leave out the important consideration of
the benefit which the masses would de-
rive from knowledge of astronomy, it
would not be practical to teach it in our
common schools.


Others, with still greater incongruity,
and Influenced only by a bigoted zeal, or
monomaniac passion, claim a place for
phrenology in our common school cata-
logue. Physiology is now taught in the
common schools of most of States; and
in some of them chemistry botany, zoolo-
gy, geology are also taught This n,ay be
all right, but it is questionable. Would
it not be better, in this democratic coun-
try of ours-this land of freedom of
which we are SO proud-this land in
which man is at once king and sub
ject-to teach the elementary principles
OF the philosophy of government? Would
it not be better for the farmers, trades
men, and merchants, who compose more
than nine-tenths of our population, to un-
derstand political economy than chemis-
try or geology.


shall not discuss this subject further,
but if this should happen to reach the
eye of one who has some favorite science
which he wishes to be taught in the COM
mon schools, would ask him if it would
be of direct and immediate benefit to the
majority of those who attend the common
schools to understand it. and if SO, would
they have the time TO learn it together
with the other branches prescribed? LII
he can answer 1yes," let him go. if not,
let him desist, for he is only asking the
public to sustain that which is nos for the
public interest. K. Y.A