Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 August 1879 — EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT [ARTICLE]

EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT

v t r >1 ny R.« riorcc. Thin lirjwfcli of education h» nh.uuefitlly W'gU <ri<*d in oni public ncltooth. (Vliy il mlmhilil bo is imt easily explained. lYrlmpN Wcaii'v ife influence and importance arc not generally understood. lVuyinnshii> in it a plain and irimpta forma, non Mimics within I'the yery cradle of art. The elements of p 'lim\lishin :iM,Tn'tßewiiioTvea,"The"greatvat iiisirwnKMits of art culture, which ic one ofpriuiciiiiportiince ton great nation like ours; and yet its begirt* wing point is neglected and, in consequence, its end is never reached. Owing to this fact we »ru to day paying tribute to European art. Tnis tribute consists not only in open acknowledgement on our part «lSneompotency in art, but it is so 'of a' nolfliiKMoiiii n a litre. MflUons of dollars of tributo money yearly cross llie Atlantic. 'We pay the tribute, r.ot because we do not pos sess genius or the elements of sue cess, but because we are content IS be the world’s Hercules, leaving it to foreign nations to do our fine mechanical and artistic work, instead of utilising our own powers of Invention, our own unawakened genius. A reform in this particular is needed, and is already manifest. We have found Our neglect of art culture is dwarfing Uui vAloand skill of our people; that -the most successful financial nations are those who have fortified Ifiems*.lves by a knowledge and an aji-. preeialtou of .art culture and its results. Why* can we find a nitre appropriate jdace th an in our schools to begin acrusadcjif’this important matter? The risirig generation will set the matter right if given the start. What branch is more calculated to bring out the qualities ol the mind necessary io true art and correct taste than the one of Penmanship ? Clearly none; for Penmanship not only contains within itseifail the elements of art, but i t has a broad field in which to show its influence and make its power known. General education in this branch will be general education in art, and we will never, never be an artistic or an art-loving people until its elements and its practice are successfully inculcated in our schools. .•'■/ i •Iu another article I will attempt to contrast the different erroneous ideas in regard to this branch with the truth, and will give my idea of what constitutes practical, sucesesful work in this 4 important depa tment of education. It is perfeatly appalling when we consider that th'iß free and eniiglitened country ol ours consumes fifty million gallons of whiskey, ten million kegs of beer and two thousand mil Li on cigars within the short period of a twelvemonth. These things are the life of polities, a “drink” too frequently being the piUf'ui price paid lor a poor inebriate’s vote, and two often furnishing employment Loom: criminal lawye is, judges, sheriffs and jailers, llut notice, every dollar spent on these things means so many less tor education; refinement ami culture. Let a man determine to drink, and the expenditure in that direction-wjil remove it from another. No wonder this country cannot afford to pay more money for teachers’ saTa ries when it puts £.300,000,G00 per annum into the tills of liquor sellers. That would he just about §2OO a piece more to each teacher. lienee teachers you see this matter interests you pecuniarily. Then impress upon the minds of the children the fearful growing out of .these evils, not only by ypecept but by a pure, noble, courageous example, and it will put money into your pockets and a crown upon your souls.

A horse from America has won in the English races! Wonderful news! Ji is on the bulletin boards; U is flashing over the wires from one end et the continent to the the other, over deep and rapt! rivers, up steep mountains, across the wind-swept prairies and the v ast plains of the West. It is discussed in the street, shop and station. Let us see. Why, this was an educated horse. lie has been through the Ilorse Kindergarten, the Horse Primary, the Ilor.-e Secondary, the IlOrse High School, and the Horse College. Mr. Loriiliard didn’t pay any mean schoolmaster prices to the teachers and trainers of Master Parole; not he. JJe got the best, paid prices like a man. lie had a good deal ot culture bestowed upon that horse, lie didn’t spare anything that would make a horse out oi him. In fact be'had him educated -du the most approved style, and when Governor Robinson called in and suggested that he should only teach him *o he could draw a coal cart, ho replied “Governor, you don’t understand this business j onlyr. cd nested horses can pay .for their bringing up.* 1 Wonder if Mr. Loriliiard grumbles about bis sciiooltuxf Wonder*bow mncliMlfey pay a teacher in that school house near Ida place on Long Island ? Roger Ascham, who was laid in his English grave over three hundred years ago, wrote-with his pen: “It is a pity that cemmoHly more care is had, yea, and that among very wise men, to find out ralh'fey a cun-, iirngrra;i fa their horse? t]ian # & euilnlng'Sn'an for their children. God that sittclh in heaveij,*Li»gh; j-fbrhe fciiflitrelli them to, have well ordered !ibrsee, \ but wild and .uufptluiiiiU' u-hildrcu.”