Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1841-04-10
Number =,

q Number =.
q There is not that distribution of studies among
s the pupils, which philosophical view of the sub
: jsct, would recommend.
q The various intellectual faculties of children,
sacqure vigor ct different periods Of life. The
{ perceptive powers attain strength much sooner
sihan the reflective. The principle which here
sinssi upon s, tina, we should exercise those IA
equities only which sufficiently developed to
recognise their appropriate objects with accuracy.
! Hcnce every study of mechanical nature, such
Gas penmanship, simple utterance of letters and
words; and every thing that needs the aid of me-
Emory only, as the arithmeiicat tables, should be
stnught first Lessons these and similar sub
ecis being perfectly ineligible equire repetition
merely TO impress them upon the mind, and TO
initiate the child into correct habits
4 But AT variance with the foregoing proposition,
we find these primary studies, associated with
Fo,hers which claim depth Of though, for which
! the juvenile mind is wholly incapacitated. Gram
mer ,ooks and dictionaries are put into the hands
gof the little children, as if they capable Of
Ecomprehendng the absruse principles Of philolo-
egy. The introduction ofgrammar and loxcology
into our elementary schools, | consider a grea,
who have left school with their heads full Of rules
and definitions which they never understood, who
speaks with more correctness than those who ne
yer came within the atmosphere Of Webster or
Murray! 1t is no wonder that many parents look
upon grammar as a useless science; and man
schildren feel il to be a very dull one. Rules and
definitions which are not ineligible never
Sbe learned with pleasure. ga passive verb
says Comfy, "signifies that its subject nom
native receives action, and it is formed from
the intranstive active verb, by annexng the per
feet passive particple TO tho auxiliary be-,
through all its changes of mood, tense, number,
land person." One who not acquainted with
THE practice we know TO be common, would sup
pose such language was directed to the same
s radc ofn,ellect TO which Johnson addressed HIM
sell at The time he said: "Whcn a radical idea
branches out into parallel rami6cations, how cam
n consecutive series he formed Of senses in their
mature collateral?'
And then the dictionary tells tho little scholar
that Justify, means, "to al'sove; to defend; TO
vindica,c." And he very naturally thinks, if he
think al all, that for ''absolve" ''vndca,e''
he knows nothing about them; but having per-
haps, learned the Specification of '.defend" from
its practical illustrations, he conceives that when
Iut,atry ;,,,vs
fellow urchiD, he is, according to the dictionary.
justifyins himself. LexicoIogy is 10 a child, moth
ing more than a string Of urmennng words, run
ming in a given connection from the top to the
bottom Of the page. Hence we seldom hear the
Young pupil elevating his diction by words from;
his ESpositor: he does not understand them, and
therefore cannot appropriate them.
The preceding proposition, we'll as the sub !
sequent ones, admits of much greater calculation
than shall a: present give it. My ohjec, now,
is chiefly to offer suggestions to those who ca
pabIe of carrying out the investigation, which, !
on my part resulted in the lotion, that there
is much elementary knowledge omitted tina: should :
be taught in our schools; some studies pursued
that should be abolished, or postponed to a muchs
later period of pupilage; and in word, that the re
should be more skIlful adaptation of lessons To-
The capacity of children.
purpose noticing the second proposition next
week. BREvITY.