Rensselaer Republican, Volume 12, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 May 1880 — Accuracy of Observation. [ARTICLE]

Accuracy of Observation.

u^ssissA great error* common to us aIL We may pass up mud down through a certain street day after day, absorbed in oar own thoughts, or careless of any though t, and be anable to say what are the baildings, or for what they are used, which we have passed and repassed; what the numbers on the doors, or the fashion of the booses, etc., or we may spend oar summer vacation amid the green fields and beautiful woodlands, and yet be enable to distinguish grass from grain, or one kind of tree or Arab from another. We are constantly “ seeing, and yet eee not*’ the beautiful world by which we are surrounded. Tim lesson of accurate observation should be learned in childhood. Far greater importance should be attached to this idea of accuracy than it has ever received. Suppose a boy is taught to observe everything he sees on his army to school, passing down on one side of the street, noting the form, size and number of buildings, their general appearance and the material of which they are composed, going home upon the other side and carefully observing in the same way. If he notices but one block each day, he soon becomes perfectly familiar with the whole route, and has acquire d a habit of seeing that which comes within his vision. Suppose, next, that the teacher calls upon him to tell what he has seen; to give in detail an account of his observations, what is the life-lesson which that boy has acquired? In the first place, as an employe, he could be trusted to do errands in any part of the city, for where he has once been he can go again; and not only that, he will know also precisely what he is to find when he gets there; and when questioned by him employor, he can give such straight forward and correct answers that he inspires confidence at once and goon becomes indispensible to his employer. This is not all- That person who has acquired the habit of exact observation, not only giving accurate descriptions of what he has Been, thence naturally falling into a habit of perfect truthfulness m his narrations; but the whole action of the mind becomes imbued with the spirit of correctness, and the tendency of words, thoughts and actions all easily drift into the channel of truthfulness. Henee, when a child is tanght to observe details, to see and describe carefully whatever comes within the range of his vision, he is having a foundation laid tor great wealth of information, great reliability of expression, and honesty of thought and purpose. It is far more important than the multiplicity of text-books, or the long and tedious lessons which must be memorized to answer the requirements of many teachers.

In fact, all knowledge gained from books becomes a hundred, yea, a thousand fold more significant and useful, when preceded by this one carefullytrained habit, for by this, other knowledge is rendered practical. A thing once seen is retained. A habit of association and classifying faots follows as a natural consequence, and the mind becomes like a house in order, everything is in its place and always available. —Phrenological Journal. —The gluten of wheat, which contains in it most nutritions and nitrogenous constituents, can be obtained by making the Hoar into dough with water, and then washing oat the starch cells by means of a continuous stream of water. Gluten is a grayish yellow, tough and elastic mass.—Dr, Footes Health Monthly for May. Good nourishing food, and wholesome plain cooking, if introduced in thoasands of family circles which are now unhappy without knowing why, would result in improved health, happier tempers, more ability and disposition to work, better incomes and higher and nobler lives.