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WHAT IS EDUCATION 1

The true end of education, is to unfold and direct aright o ture. Its office is to call forth power of every kind-powe affection, will, and outward action; power to observe, to reas to contrive; power to adopt good ends firmly, and to pursu iently; power to govern ourselves, and to influence other gain and to spread happiness. Reading is but an instrumen is to teach its best use. The intellect was created, not to sively a few words, dates, facts, but to be active for the a truth. Accordingly, education should labor to inspire a p of truth, and to teach the processes of investigation. A so which we mean the science or art which instructs us in the soning and evidence, in the true methods of inquiry, and i of false judgments, is an essential part of a good education how little is done to teach the right use of the intellect, in modes of training either rich or poor. As a general rule, t to be made, as far as possible, their own teachers-the di truth-the interpreters of nature-the framers of science. be helped to help themselves. They should be taught to study the world in which they live, to trace the connections rise from particular facts to general principles, and then to a explaining new phenomena. Such is a rapid outline of the education, which, as far as possib'e, should be given to all hu and with this, moral education should go hand in hand. I as the child gains knowledge, he should be taught how to how to turn it to the good of mankind. He should study God's world, and as the sphere in which he is to form interes tions with his fellow-creatures. A spirit of humanity should into him from all his studies. In teaching geography, the moral condition, the wants, advantages, and striking peculia ferent nations, and the relations of climate, seas, rivers, n their characters and pursuits, should be pointed out, so as t interest in man wherever he dwells. History should be cor to exercise the moral judgment of the young, to call forth sy the fortunes of the human race, and to expose to indignatio rence that selfish ambition, that passion for dominion, which deluged the earth with blood and woe. And not only shoul ment of just moral feeling be proposed in every study, th morals should form an important part of every child's instr branch of ethics should be particularly insisted on by the Every school, established by law, should be specially bound duties of the citizen to the state, to unfold the principles of tions, and to train the young to an enlightened patriotism. W. E. CHANNING. Christian Examiner, i

The object of the science of education is to render the mi

oped, cultivated, and directed, and by which we are prepareu station and employment, for usefulness and happiness, for time eternity. W. C. WOODBRIDO

All intelligent thinkers upon the subject now utterly discard and diate the idea that reading and writing, with a knowledge of acco constitute education. The lowest claim which any intelligent man prefers in its behalf is, that its domain extends over the threefold na of man; over his body, training it by the systematic and intelligen servance of those benign laws which secure health, impart strength prolong life; over his intellect, invigorating the mind, replenishing it knowledge, and cultivating all these tastes, which are allied to vir and over his moral and religious susceptibilities also, dethroning sel ness, enthroning conscience, leading the affections outwardly in good towards man, and upward in gratitude, and reverence to God.

Far above and beyond all special qualifications for special pursuit the importance of forming to usefulness and honor the capacities w are common to all mankind. The endowments that belong to all, a far greater consequences than the peculiarities of any. The prac farmer, the ingenious mechanic, the talented artist, the upright legis or judge, the accomplished teacher, are only modifications or vari of the original man. The man is the trunk; occupations and pr sions are only different qualities of the fruit it yields. The develop of the common nature; the cultivation of the germs of intelligence, rightness, benevolence, truth that belong to all; these are the princ the aim, the end,-while special preparations for the field or the s for the forum or the desk, for the land or the sea, are but incidents.

The great necessities of a race like ours, in a world like ours, ar Body, grown from its elemental beginning, in health; compacted strength and vital with activity in every part; impassive to heat cold, and victorious over the vicissitudes of seasons and zones; not pled by discase nor stricken down by early death; not shrinking bravest effort, but panting, like fleetest runner, less for the prize tha the joy of the race; and rejuvenant amid the frosts of age. A Min strong for the immortal as is the body for the mortal life; alike en ened by the wisdom and beaconed by the errors of the past; thr intelligence of the laws of nature, guiding her elemental forces, directs the limbs of its own body through the nerves of motion, making alliance with the exhaustless forces of nature for its strengt clothing itself with her endless charms for its beauty, and, where goes, carrying a sun in its hand with which to explore the realms ture, and reveal her yet hidden truths. And then a Moral Nature siding like a divinity over the whole, banishing sorrow and pain, g ing in earthly joys and immortal hopes, and transfigured and rapt | Sovereign and sublime aspiration TO KNOW AND DO THE WILL of God

HORACE MA

I. ORIGIN AND HISTORY. PERIOD 1.-1802-1812.

THE influence of the United States Military Academy upon education, as well as its wide reputation as a school of science, render an inquiry into its rise and progress, a subject both of interest and profit. Since it is mind, rather than any system of forms and studies, which gives power to such institutions, a mere statement of dates and facts is insufficient to give us a just view of its character. We must, if possible, trace the spirit of the men who guided, and the principles impressed upon it. To do this, we shall resort, not merely to the record of events, but to our memory of men and acts, with which we were for years familiar.

It was not to be expected, that schools of refined, scientific art should be founded by small colonies in the wilderness of the new world. When even their clergymen must resort to Europe for education, and their lawyers for license, it was in vain to expect their soldiers to be accomplished engineers. When the revolutionary war came on, this fact became a painful experience. No man felt it more than Washington. With a people, whose patriotism was unquenchable; with soldiers, who rivaled the warriors of Leonidas, he found the best and truest of men, with the smallest possible share of military science. He was obliged to depend on European engineers for a skill which his countrymen did not possess; while their European ideas, and artificial habits were displeasing to his American principles.* He felt military instruction to be a primary want in the country. Accordingly, he was the real founder of the Military Academy; that is, he put forth the germinal idea. What the plan of it was to be, and what shape it should ultimately take, he did not state, and probably had not thought of; for Washington in the office of president, seldom meddled with the details of public affairs. What he meant to obtain, however, he distinctly stated,

10 w Do v auIU མ པPPY▪་མ་ study of those branches of the military art which can scard be obtained by practice alone."

In his message of December 7th, 1796, he said: “W argument may be drawn from particular examples, supe viewed, a thorough examination of the subject will evince t art of war is at once comprehensive and complicated; tha mands much previous study, and that the profession of i most improved and perfect state, is always of great momen security of a nation. This, therefore, ought to be a serious every government; and for this purpose an academy, where a course of instruction is given, is an obvious expedient, which ent nations have employed."*

The views, always entertained, and repeatedly expressed eral Washington, were adopted by Mr. Adams, and Mr. M secretary of war, in his administration, made an elaborate re this subject, which was transmitted to congress, on 10th of ber, 1800. It is due to Mr. McHenry, to say that his i what ought to be a course of military instruction, were far vance of what were actually provided, till after the war of 181 proved his ideas to be correct. In 1794, prior to the last of Washington, congress attempted to supply the want of tary academy, by attaching cadets to the corps of art and engineers. This corps consisted of four battalions, to which eight cadets were to be attached. This made the number of cadets thirty-two; and for this corps of artiller gineers and cadets, the secretary of war was directed to books, instruments and apparatus. The term cadet signi French, the youngest brother of a family, and in Spanish, volunteer officer, became naturally applied to young men, w junior, volunteer officers. In England, the cadet of a fami young son, who volunteered for the India service; and in t ted States has been properly applied to the youth, who e military academy.

It seems from the message of Washington, in 1796, tha tempt at military instruction, was a failure. No place, no t no studies, were appointed. It was on the 16th of March,

* It is not meant to say that this subject was not mentioned before. It was by ering, in 1783. But whoever reads the letters and memoirs of Washington, will the early ideas on the subject of military education and military science were de the experience of Washington.

the early administration of Mr. Jefferson, that congress established by that name, the Military Academy. It was still made part of an army corps; the idea of making a separate institution for scientific studies not being yet matured. The artillerists and engineers werd made two distinct corps, of which there were forty cadets of artil lery and ten of engineers. The corps of engineers consisted of a major, two captains, four lieutenants, and ten cadets, making seventeen in all. The corps constituted the military academy, established at West Point, in the State of New York. So little idea was ther entertained of the true objects and mode of scientific instruction that the law required the cadet, as well as officer, to do duty in any part of the United States. In other words, the only idea of the mili tary academy, at that time, was a place appointed where the officers of engineers might give or receive instruction, when not on other duty The actual academy, such as it was, conformed to that idea. The major of engineers was the commander, or superintendent. Th two captains were instructors, and the cadets were pupils. It was as a school, an inchoate existence, without regular teachers, or lim ited studies, or proper discipline. Yet, even in this imperfect con dition, it did, as we shall see, some service which ought to be gratefully remembered.

In the meanwhile, let us turn for a moment, to the place which is so memorable in the annals of this country, and is now so inti mately associated with science. If Dr. Beattie is correct in say ing that the character of the mind is much associated with natura scenery, no place in America could have been more wisely selected as the site of a national institution. World renowned, as Wes Point justly is, there is that in its scenery and associations, more in teresting to a poetic or a patriotic mind, than its famed Academy Its green plain, hidden amidst its mountains; its craggy summits its rocky barriers; its dark evergreens; its darker waters, flowing or forever; that beautiful view of town and country, seen through the frowning brows of Crow Nest and the Beacon; that quiet vale where Washington oft bent his steps; those lonely little mounds where the soldiers of the Revolution repose; these forts and ram parts now indistinctly seen, which once guarded these mountain passes; yon ledge of rocks, where Kosciusko once made his littl garden; all these and other memorable things, call up whatever i sublime in nature, or noble in history. It is impossible to forget

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