The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1826-10-25
For the Massachusetts, Spy.]
DIVISTOM OF J.4ROR


Every person has heard that there are doz
en- or fifteen trades in making pin, aad about
twenty in making a gilt button. 1t is from
this division Of labor that pins and buttons are
made so cheap and so well. A similar diyis-
ION OF labor IS necessary for the greatest sue
cess ard perfection 10 any art. There is no
business in which the want of this division is
more apparent or more dcplorable, than in the
most important of all arts, that Of forming the
minds of the rising generation. No one but a
teacher is aware how much a teachers atten-
lion is distracted by multiplicity Of objects.
No one else is aware Of the evil OF this dis
traction. But a moments reflection will be
sufficient 10 convince any person, that the evil,
as it necessarily exists under the present state
Ct our schools, must, in many cases, be wholly
fatal TO improvement, in all it must greatly re-
tard it. No words are necessary TO shew, that
teacher cannot give instruction in elocution
and algebra, or arithmetic, at the same time,
and do both well and yet this is attempted
by thousands Of teachers every day. No one
will pretend that the most skiliul and efficient
person in the world can attend to City different
objects in the course of three hours, and do JUS
tice to all and yet the state of our schools re-
quires this Of the majority of our teachers.
From this divided attention Of teachers, it is
spicuous, thorough, or systematic; and, OF
course, that none of the pupils can be well
taught, and many, very many, not taught at
ALL and hence we end that children who are
either idle or dull attend school, from year 10
year, with scarcely perceptible Improvement.
But it may be said, ii is one thing TO find fault,
and another to correct it; and that il is much
easier 10 detect evils, than provide remedies.
Granted.-Still faults may be corrected, and
evils may, in some measure, at least, be RENEE
died. In a few schools this evil has been rem
eded. 1t is not only evident TO common sense,
it has been proved by experiment, that if pu-
pills and their teacher direct their undivided
and undiverted attention to one point, 20 a sim
gle principle, for example, ia the philosophy Of
language, to a'principe in mathematics or nat
ural philosophy, or to point in elocution, en-
phasis for example, or infection Of voice, that
point can be rendered more clear, more inter-
esting, and consequently more deeply impress
ed. This very desirable Object has been effect
ed in few instances, and may be effected in
others, by giving children an opportunity to
recite, at proper times, from the common
school-room, to teacher, who can, without
interruption or diversion, direct his own and
his pupils attention exclusively TO one subject,
and that in regular and systematic order. Un-
der such circumstances, points that are not
clearly understood he can elucidate; defects
! in rea aiding or speaking he can point out, and
very soon remove a dull scholar he can quick
en-; needless one be can bring TO his work
and, in that way, render his instructions more
clear, more thorough, and, of course, more in
terestiug and useful. A FRIEND.