The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1837-03-31

Inc absence OF one would render him less compe.
tent to proceed with his class the NEXT day, which
Would be new perpleIily TO the instructor. But
perhaps ought 10 be more charitable, aud sup.
Pose thai he had 40 classical arrangement heard
some Of the pupils read and fron thtir manner Of
reading was disposed to believe they did not learn
Gnyhing-they seemed 10 read m. s.hsnically with
Out at all Selling the meaning Of the piece, and
from Their low mumbling Of words and indisinct
nasal hali-stranged sing song utlefance, II was
evident that there was but little mental activity.
me principle reason of the, was. the subiec;
was entirely too abstract for the juvenile capacity
hea:d them read some poetry, aud the teacher
observed thai be dispised TO hear them read poetry
aud wished there none IN The book, for they
I (hs puPIls) spoiled it--and no Wonderland what
would not be spoiled under such circumstances,
Their minds being uncultlsaied-the poetry was ex-
traeled from the best English Poets--the thoughts
Of iull grown men. THERE'S something extreme.
~ wrong IN all Tins. and is attended win tie most
rulbous consequences 10 the advancement Of So
eIety. IOr, 1t the Instructor does not secct
books suited TO their mental capabilities, and ask
them SONG plain questions after recitation rela.
tise 10 their lesson IN order 10 elicit thought and
Tx taeir attention 10 the subject oil The narrative
they viii turn away from their books 10 disgust as
tasieess and oaibsome exercise. Scholars
oughtto te led by interesting them In their lesson
rather than drtuen. Difficulties musbe explained
Questions must be answered, the path must be
smoolhed and the way pointed oui, BY one that
has travelled II, and The mind brought into active
exercise. not such as mule periofshs ON a tread.
wheel by fatal necessity without Apwing wiser,
but such as will interest the mind and induce
The pupil To search the meaning Of BIS lesson. In.
StfneiSrs ought % assist or teach Their pupils N
Saeh Uay as TO lead them soon as possible 10 DO
tcHAeHi htr assistance. For, in a short Time they
viii be iseued forth upon the stage Of active lie
and unless they have been taught 10 understand
hooks themselves, they will necessarily stop short
~ improvement as soon a. they leave their tutors
care. Owing TO this effectiveness ial2nnary 10.
sfuetion, the dlsaste ior reading is so great that
but lew OF our ciuzens read Newspaper, remain
asignorant OF The gteat political Transaction OF our
government, whose destiny rests upon their shout.
ders, and Their hearts \, Ised against the calls TO
2fohlo'e any scheme OF public enterprize. litholr
Anosledge OF reading is so imperfect that il re.
CURES much difficulty on their part u compre.
h,nd The meaning Of the author. there will BE- no
reading. aud bat little value will be sci upon aa
education, tor men estimate the value OF every
thing according TO rs practical Utility. icuce ii
is sometimes ditieuh to distinguish The one v ho
one Who has never entered lts lhreshhold hence
many gro~ up totally ignorant OF cur political H.
s'Iuiions, the me1e d1p,s OF political demagogues.
Without any sPift Of mental improvement aud are
Nhoi.y engfossed IN money making. saw
'neiehani IA extensive business, once 80 ignorant
Of Biography that be located Muxieo 10 South a.
merica, and have heard another we'll auihenti-
Gated story whieh rivals Miss Edgeworth's boy
Who located IHkey in the yard win the poultry.
a MERCHANT o: fesptciabllty met one oi my friends
supposed 10 bc acquainted With Charts, With the re-
msfk, he had heard that his sou was IN the STATE
81 tsausissetHee and b,ggcd 10 be Informed IL
"bst tsaft Of The World II vas. - | am thorough
y convinced That many are employ 90 Instruct i
vfs whose Schools ate nuisance 10 society Tor |,
they suck ~ the farincl 8 money like leech does
blood without 5en,atiug the chlidten committed
10 their cara Fcmsintd ~ the school Gnul the
exercise of>PC ling cane The Teacher grant
ID them about half al hour to prepare then lesson,
Guri which fhsre VAS continuc1 noise aud /
conieslpn thIcuA Tic ahoie house, occasionally 4
gattuapt,d b Tie Teacher ballug out 70 some
h's Oh Acrulinl OF too lpud siucytag each secui.
10 70 sts NEtp each other with r. gard 10 how OIL
ton ihrj could ron over Their lesson "a rapld sue.
ees.tan, totally negloclns the proper prouunoiA-
t,ua ti Inc aotts. Amer TINS they were called o.
ga Clrfaar I'it IN true old feld s,ylc. and II one
haPlsued 10 IT the right orthogfaphy Of one o.
IhuSS long raft!s 10 cite OF those long ha.s be
went up t. the evident satisfaction both Of Teach.
,r aud pupil, Shle II VAS PLAIN he was as igno-
faui Of ats orthogtophy as those who missed II IN
Thar random ,if,ds. An exercise in the North
American mental Arithmetic succeeded that Of
spelling. hons, shlch IT properly studied. would
ID much to dcvelopc the juvenile mind. The
questions proposed passed round the class, and IN
.his, Is N spc.,tnE, there was gong" give
re ia4owin. instance o. tie teachers man.
rcr ct teaching mental Arithmetic lie asks ore
VI The class how many are ; and 9, aid as the pa.
1. failed 10 answering It he passed Il from one 10
anolhcf--srd 0lth gulcS motions and odd position
a h,s head Hh ich words cannot easy describe, be
caused Il To 70 tie rounds several times IN rapid
succession. silhout giving tie least tune to think
which produced much contuslUu, and at Last one
solved the Gotdeon knot by lucky guess, aud the
symptoms ct Joy beamcd ~ his conulcnauce as II
io had obtained victory, while It was evident be
~as as unprCpated as Ia, classmates. Under such
discipline tins, the faculties Of the mind canuut
be properly developed and the iaheren, capaJili-
hes 1t bought worked up to energetic action. ~
great = the defect 10 our primary Schools tina,
foreigner IN solving the question.
now u happens lndt ttfmanE rcafS up so many
men while the United States so few,
sad that the principle cause lay al the very
Threshold of our Education, for as the Mic is
rent. 50 the tree is ,uclined, 1t Is plain TO every
,nc who has had the least experience IN waking
up the sluggshness OF the mind, that their Us
much truth in that observation and that one dis
,lpIinarian may stupiiy and damp the ardor of the
youthful mind IA three months more than can be
emodicd in siy. With regard to this Teachers
mode Of oiiectin. order add obedience among has
,upils-oi exciting their ambition and eons,rain
NJ them to study their lessons, could learn but
Itle--bu, from his slapplng the pupils heads and
hrowlng the rule, the impression lei( on my mind
a a. that uhai hr cnnld mi .fl,.ci hr di.fnr.lnn