Year: 1873




the importance of a good system of
common schools, as the means of equal
izing the chances.of the poor and the rich
for the after development of mind and
the acquisition of useful knowledge
Scholastic training is but the founda-
ton for the subsequent education i'm
parted by contact with the world, and
with the foundation laid in the well
conducted common school, it is the
fault of every youth of ordinary capaci-
ty, if he fail to build upon it a super
structure of knowledge that will fit
him for most of the pursuits of life
to 90 higher, he must have the natural
capacity, firm will and untiring ener-
gy. Thatit is the duty of the State to
provide such a system of common
schools, no one denies; but the Difficult
ty is to devise, and put it in operation
in such form as will meet the views,
and come within the means ofthe peo-
pie who will have the burden to bear.
We do notpropose to attempt a solution
of this difficult problem, but to invite
attention to one feature in general ed
ucation, so universally overlooked, or
not appreciated at its fall value. We
mean home education of character,
and our meaning will be better un-
derstood when we declare our belief
that the evils which curse the country
spring, not from want of intelligence
but from the want of that moral integ-
rity without which intelligence ceases
to be blessing, it be not curse.
Honest ignorance is, at most, mega
tive condition, but knavish intelligence
is positive evil-a truth made man
ifest, not only by the mal-administra-
ton of our government, but in the
reckless Indifference to vice and crime,
now so characteristic of public senti
ment. Neither common nor high
schools can be made reliable agencies
for the correction of those evils. No
where, but at home, can the seeds of
virtue be planted deep enough to de-
fly the uprooting force of vicious asso-
citation and evil example Nor can it
be done at home by precept, alone.
Children of tender age, are initiative
rather than reasoning beings; and
whilst precept, from want ofunderstand
ing, may fail to make its impress upon
the mind, example never does, and
simply because it addresses itself di-
rectly to the organs ofse~e andvery in
directly to the mental faculties. To the
child everything is model for imita-
tion-the pleasant smile, the angry
word, the rude GESTURE, the habitual
frown, the querulous tone-all bias his
Future for good or evil, and as the
earliest impressions are the most last
ing, how important are the lessons
taught, daily and hourly, by its parents,
at an age when they are its only teach
ers. But the salutary influence of
home education, during infancy, will
not suffice to form noble character, in
manhood, unless it be continued, from
year to year, until virtue becomes both
a habit and conviction. To do this,
children must be induced, by its sur
roundings, to love home-this point
gained, home influences may be
brought to bear indefinitely So soon
however, as children are allowed to
seek amusements, and choose associates
elsewhere, there is an end to the in
valuable influences of home, their
moral training is transferred from pa
rents to associates and evil examples,
followed by vicious habits, lead to
manhood without integrity-perhaps
blackened by habitual crime. How
often are we reminded of such a be-
ginning and such an end, by seeing lit
tie children lettering about the streets,
orphaned by neglect.