THE BATTALION.
ii
given us by our Creator buried deep in the dark cavity of the
skull.
A Literary Training.
LITERARY training consists in one being able to think
and to express Ids views in public. This ought
to be striven for by everyone. Its usefulness is not limited to
the teacher or politician only, but it is an advantage to anyone
possessed of it. The ancient Romans considered it indispen
sable in the education of their children who were to become
citizens as they grew up. How much more, then, ought we,
who boast of a government by the people, to strive for the
ability to express ourselves before an audience?
Were you to ask me, “How is this ability to be acquired?”
I would say in some of the following ways: First, by studying
the language and its literature; second, by reading the best
books at your command, and third, by associating with people
who have a good literary training. Practice, such as debating,
will help you in either of the above-named ways, but much of
your success will depend on whether or not you are naturally
gifted in this line.
The time for acquiring a literary training may extend
through life, but very few attain it after they are twenty-five or
thirty years old. Let me, therefore, impress upon you to make
good use of your opportunity now, if you ever expect to follow
a public life of any kind. I dare say, that if you do not acquire
a literary training during your school days you never will.
Some one may ask where is this best attained. While some
places offer better inducements than others, yet we know of no
place where, a good literary training may be acquired without
effort on the part of the learner. This school, for instance,
pays more attention to science than to literature. But still,
those who wish to may acquire a fair literary training here, by