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Show EDUCATION. In a recent r.omb-r of llrpti'e IPVf.Wv npr.fired a an-cl? villi "An EJucitional Convention" for a cap tion. Tue writer advanced an excellent excel-lent an ay of idaa in treating on the subject of education, a itw uf which we reproduce: The recent meeting at Washington of various iult lligent and practical educaiors ought to produce some new facU in the history ol tbe art, some mi Kg est cna ol rel advantage to ttie couutry. It sbculd bo followed by he at.eutiuu of ail the parents in tut utitioD, all tba iute ligent. The ca;e of the cniidren is the ouprtme duty ol ibe lamdy, church, Btate. A good pyetem of treatment fjr the chilJreo of iho present generation, au honest tdu.mtiou, a carifu' training in the industrial artB, would do more for tl.-e future prosperity ot tne nation than any other measure that cn be conceived cf. A stringent string-ent educational law is required, that would teach to every child some habits ol eleaniiue-a and good order; that would introduce nearness into toe house, stlf-reepect in tbe retired re-tired Btreet. Tbpra is no doubt th.it the first aim of every educational system ebouid be a mora! one, designed de-signed to fit the child for h;s future duties in tbe community, teach him purity in thought and conduct, ro-gard ro-gard fer the He.lare of others, neat-uess neat-uess iu dress and person, obedience, order, gentleness, politeness, firmness. The ideal aim of a good plan of education edu-cation id to produce industrious, mod e't, intelligent men and women. jo one wno nns visited the public schools has failed to see their immense im-mense value to the community. Even the most ioapeifect are useful to a degree that is iuestimabie. Tbey tiacb the elements of cleaulinesB, decency, decorum, form children into clashes, regulate their conduct. Parents and strangers, cit zsns, sincere friends of progress, cannot visit too olten the pubiio schools. They should make it a part ol tbeir duty as men, citizens. Mothers should watch witb care over the progress of their children, and eee that they are well instructed and cared for. The whole community com-munity Bhould watch over its public schools aud visit them. There can be uo more pleasing spectacle. Tne children, however poor, are prepared for Bchool with some attention to neatness; neat-ness; the more fortunate are perhaps more carefully tended. The classes form with regularity; the animation of youth is excited. The rooms are tilled with their busy throngs, aod an army of 1,500 scholars may sometimes some-times be found gathered in a single school house. More than 100,000 children, about oue-teuth of its population, popu-lation, assemble eery fair morning in the public schools of New York; more than 200,000 are enrolled upn the list of scholars. Many schools are so crowded that they can receive no more. The system is rising in popularity. It is tbe cheapest, the most etlective, for the people. It has grown up with the country; it is the foundation of its republicanism. But what are its defects? Tbey are so great, so uumeroti3, that the labors ol generations of educational reformers reform-ers may be required to correct them. The first is the fact that the pystem is wholly iuefioctive, irregular, disordered; disor-dered; that it fads perfectly to educate edu-cate large masses of children; that its enemies everywhere are permitted to impair ita utility, its friends too often dull and cold in its defense. What is to be done with the uuedu-cated uuedu-cated in all parts of the Union? how can they be brought under tbe influence in-fluence of moral training? are questions ques-tions our educational conventionsmay well labor to answer. In Prussia they would be arrested and sent to school; in England the parent who refuses to educate his child is fined; in tbe United States one-third of tbe children are suCfsred to grow up in barbarous neglect. It is plain tnat this condition condi-tion of things must be Btopped by legislation, and that the welfare of the country will demand Buch are-, form in the educational law as shall make cur system one that is complete in all its parts. It would be easy to suggest many improvements in our mode of instruction; instruc-tion; many or them will follow necessarily neces-sarily tbe growth aud advance of the whole country. A period of prosperity awaits it that will leave ample room for literary progress. Yet it is worthy of a careful study to notice how much of this prosperity rests upon its general gen-eral intelligence and its public schools. |