Education : its principles and practice / as developed by George Combe ; collated and edited by William Jolly.

  • Combe, George, 1788-1858.
Date:
1879
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Education : its principles and practice / as developed by George Combe ; collated and edited by William Jolly. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    42/860
    ence. We are surrounded by human beings, and are influenced by the great tide of human affairs ; and without a knowledge of external nature and of the nature of man, his history, laws, and institutions, we shall be no more capable of acting well and wisely our parts through life, than is the mariner of steer- ing successfully without helm, compass or chart, through the ocean.1 IV. THE SUBJECTS RECOMMENDED BY GEORGE COMBE FOR SCHOOLS. The different subjects which George Combe would have taught, in accordance with these principles, are discussed in Part Second, as well as the extent to which they ought to be or can be taught in school, during the limited time at command. The programme there sketched out is broad and liberal, and, how- ever much it may differ from the course pursued in our schools, it is simply a detailed expression of his guiding principle, of furnishing a child for his life work and enabling him to fulfil efficiently and happily the objects of his existence. Of subjects which are still frequently omitted in our educa- tional practice, on which great weight is here laid, and which from their importance deserve special mention, there are the following:— A. THOSE SUBJECTS WHICH GIVE A KNOWLEDGE OF MAN'S CONSTITUTION. 1. The Subjects which treat of Man's Bodily Constitution.— Anatomy and Physiology. Thanks to George Combe and other enlightened workers in this field,2 Physiology has come to be more recognised than when he advocated it, and is now one of the subjects for which Government grants are given. A 1 The ultimate end of education is not a perfection in the accomplishments of the school, but fitness for life.-PestalozZi, in his 21st letter to J. P. Greaves, published, in 1827, as Letters on Early Education. 2 Among the first to recommend the subject for schools were George and Andrew Combe. Among the earliest to teach it were William Loyett, the eminent Chartist (who also wrote the first text-book on it for schools), George Combe, Mr Mattieu Williams, and Professor Hodgson of Edinburgh. (See p. 102, for details as to the history of this subject in schools.)