View source for Nature and Objects of Education

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<p>Perhaps some of my readers, when they see the title  of this chapter, will think only of confinement in school, of books, and of  hard study, and so be inclined to pass over it, as a dry subject, which they  have so much to do with, every day, that they have no wish to think of it in a  moment of relaxation. But I beg them to stop a minute, and not throw me away,  among the old school-books, until they have heard me through. I assure them  that I use the term&nbsp;<em>education&nbsp;</em>in a far different sense. I  think it means much more than going to school and studying books. This is only  a small part of education. Mr.   Walker defines education,&nbsp;<em>&quot;The  formation of manners in youth.&quot;&nbsp;</em>But this is a very imperfect  definition; and I am afraid there may be found some who would even doubt  whether education has anything to do with manners. Mr. Webster gives a better  definition:—&quot;Education comprehends all that series of instruction and  discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the  temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness  in their future stations;&quot;—all, in fact, that is necessary to make a&nbsp;<em>man&nbsp;</em>or  a&nbsp;<em>woman</em>—a&nbsp;<em>gentleman</em>&nbsp;or a&nbsp;<em>lady</em>.<br><br>
  The original root, from which the word&nbsp;<em>education&nbsp;</em>is  derived, means to&nbsp;<em>lead out</em>, to&nbsp;<em>conduct</em>, to&nbsp;<em>form</em>,  to&nbsp;<em>fashion</em>, to&nbsp;<em>beat out</em>, to<em> forge</em>. It was used  with reference to the forging of an instrument out of a piece of metal, or the chiselling  of a statue out of a block of marble. This furnishes a good illustration of my  ideas of&nbsp;<em>education</em>. It is a process by which a character is formed  out of crude or unwrought materials. It is not confined to mere school  learning. A person may be very&nbsp;<em>learned</em>, and yet not half<em>-educated</em>.  There are many steps in the process.<br><br> 
The ore must first be dug up by the miner;  then smelted at the furnace, and the metal separated from the dross; then  wrought into bars at the foundry; afterwards forged by the smith; and then,  finally, polished by the finisher. The marble must first be quarried, or  blasted out of the ledge; then cut into blocks; then transported; then wrought with  the hammer and chisel; and finally, polished. This gives a good idea of  education. It is not merely what is done to form the character in&nbsp;<em>school;</em>&nbsp;but  it comprises all the influences which are exerted upon the young, in training  them up and forming their characters. Education begins in the&nbsp;<em>family</em>.  It is carried forward in the&nbsp;<em>school</em>. It is affected, for good or  for evil, by the influence of public worship, lectures, books, amusements,  scenery, companions, &amp;c. In all places and circumstances, something is  doing towards the formation of character.<br><br>
  Yet there is one important respect in which&nbsp;<em>education</em>,  or the&nbsp;<em>formation of character</em>, differs essentially from the process  described in this illustration. The block of marble, or the piece of metal,  is&nbsp;<em>passive;</em>&nbsp;the whole process is performed upon it by another.  But no person can be educated in this way; everyone that is educated must  be&nbsp;<em>active</em>. You may be drilled through all the schools, and have  every advantage at home and in society; and yet, without your own active  cooperation, you can never be educated. But, if you are determined to be  educated, you will turn everything to some account. Everything will be a school  to you; for you will make contributions to your stock of knowledge from every  object you see; and by seeking to act discreetly, wisely, and correctly, in  every place, you will be constantly forming good habits. Like the little busy  bee, you will suck honey from every flower. <br><br>
  You will commune with your own heart upon your bed,  and exercise your powers of thought in useful meditation. You will converse  with God in your secret place, and seek wisdom of Him who has promised to give  liberally to those that ask. In company, you will be more ready to hear than to  speak; and you will never meet with any so ignorant but you may learn from them  some useful lessons. You will exercise your mind upon every person and object  you meet. You will study philosophy in the fields, by the brooks, on the hills,  in the valleys, and upon the broad canopy of heaven. It has been well observed,  that the difference between a wise man and a fool is, that one goes through the  world with his eyes wide open, while the other keeps them shut.<br><br>
  You will perceive, then, that your education is  continually going on, whether you think of it or not. Your character is  constantly forming. It is your business to keep out of the way of bad  influences, and submit yourself to the moulding of the good. Keep in mind the  great truth that you are forming a character for eternity. Some years ago,  there were found on the banks of the Mississippi River  the tracks of a human being, deeply imprinted in the solid rock. These tracks  were made in the soft clay, which in time became hardened, and formed into  stone;—now, the impression is immovable. You now resemble this soft clay.  Everything with which you come in contact makes an impression. But, as you grow  older, your character acquires solidity, and is less and less affected by these  influences, until at length it will be like the hard stone, and the impressions  made upon you at this season will become confirmed habits.<br>
All  the impressions made upon your character ought to be such as will not need to  be removed. Washington Allston, the great painter, had been a long time at work  on a most magnificent painting. He had nearly completed it, when his keen eye  discovered some defects in a portion of the piece. He hastily drew his rough  brush over that portion of the picture, intending to paint it anew. But in the  midst of his plans, death seized him, and his painting remains, just as he left  it. No other person can carry out the conception that was in his mind. If you  allow wrong impressions to be made upon your forming character, death may meet  you with his stern mandate, and fix them forever, as immovable as it left the  rough print of the coarse brush upon Allston's  canvass.</p>
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