HALF EDUCATION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIX, Issue 11131, 17 February 1886, Page 2

HALF EDUCATION.

A Maine correspond em tells a good deal of truth in relation to the fact of too much teac!ii-.g of youth ; ' that is, too much half education. The writer's statements remind us of wha*. Daniel Webster once said, namely, that he learned more the first year after he loft the college than he did the wh'le time he was Ihfri?. Here is what the cozres* pondent s.nys: — " The sickly college* scattered round the land are responsible for the very large number of failures ia life. Boys have been takeu from te plough, plain, and anvil aud sent to the'graat cities to poor lawyers, miserable doctors, and ' wretched ministers, until failing these pursuits they degenerate into lightning* rod pedlars and book agents, to jfinally disappear beneath the earth tbey had enoumbered when above it. Worst of all, it engenders n feeling of public de-> pendencs in the minds of youth, *t takes away the spur to which we ar * debted for moss of our grett ni A thorough eonamon school educifc • is an ample basis f/r good citfzinship." " Why, my dear sir, we hava men in this town (8aco) who think a boy with all the common school education in the world a fool, without; a- emitterin" of Greek, Latin, French, Gernun, "and particularly Botany ; aud these are the - men who would demoralize our country by giving our children a fancy, fashionable education, which nufite at l3a3t mne-tenthg of our young men and maidens to get an honest living. It is plain as the noon-day in this town and Biddiford that the free high school is a curse to the rising general iona. It fits ti.nm only for consumers. Our grammar bc--:-> oh are excellent, aud if it were not for the high school temptations we should have some first rate farmers, mechanics, and fishermen." _ "The result of fchb kiud of edaoation 111 these two towns is fchtt the Yankee is beoouaiag almost helpless in the way of getting an uouest livelihood, while the French and Irish are living; oq what We waste on ornamentation, snd laying up half their wages and becoming possessors of a large amouno ot real estate which formerly belonged to the native citizana. £ distinguished oitiasii re-

marked: Yankees must inevitably bo* come fashionable dudes, educated sharpers, and a diegraoe to their hardworking mothers and fathers. But our most intelligent men and deepest -tbinkers are waking up to the great eril that 3»4s»> fashionable education is a curse, atfk that labour is a honour and not i disgrace to the Christian people."