Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1842-12-08
wG01 aTOCN:
THURSDAY, DEC. s, l942.


"The .Ncw H'orM Nnnuoz for 1S4s."
The advertisement for this $ Maenifi-
cent Christmas and New Years Gift" will
be found in another column. 1t will be
seen that .'most beautiful picture of Her
Majesty the Queen of England, and the
Prince Of Wales,' and other "numerous
splendid cngraviEgs,' will be given in it,.
Read Tie advertisement.
A gentleman who feels a deep soici-
tailc in the general diffusion Of the bene-
fits Of education. has sent us the follow
ing pertinent remarks for publication:
SCHOOLS AND sCHooL-MAsTERs.
A very prumi,ser,t reason why common
schools are not more useful, is the imper-
icct qualifications OF instructors.
n writer in the Journal of Education
uses the following language:
The ultimate and fiiaHfnl source of
all these evils, is ltund in tie rejection
of correct principles iii the science Of ed
ucatIon. I he artisan adopts with eager
ness any new principles in mechanics:
men of the highest .attanments and skill
IN every department. of professional life :,
are alone employed and literally reward
ed: and long course of studies thought
necessary in every science. Not 50 in
the science which is to lay the foundation
of every other. Every stripping who has
passed four years within the walls of a
college. every dissatisfied clerk. who has
not ability enous III to manage the trlline
concerns Of retail shop, every young
farmer who obtains in the winter short
vacation frcm the tolls of the sumner-
III short, every person who is conscious
Of his imbeciIity in Other business, es-
teens himself fully competent to train
the ignorance and weakness Of infancy.
into all the virtue. power and wisdom OF
maturer years-to form a creature, the
frailest and feeblest that heaven has
made, to the intelligent aud fearless SOY,
ereign Of the whole animated creation
the interpreter and adorer, and almos;
the representative OF Divinity"
A portion Of those who engage in
teaching are such as have received no in
struction, except what they derived from
common schools. Having pursued the
usual studies in the school, and having
become so far advanced as TO derive but
little benefit from attending longer. the,
are DESTROYS ofateachlng. The employ
ment is :. little more respectable, in theil
estimation, and they inquire ton, and u
sually fiiid, backward school. i suf
ficient success attends their FIRST engage
ment, to enable them to keep the schoo
the specified time, it is usual for them t.
continue the employment. Such may per
haps have studied the branches required b,
law. but have not a thorough knowIedg
of any. They have gone through arith
metic,' while PROBABLY scarcely rule i
understood. Scarcely one ina thousan'
of this class, have been found able to ex
plain the principles on which.the simpl
rules are founded. OF English grammar
their knowledge is equally superficial. =
The nature OF language the philosoph
of grammar'-h claimed as little atten
ton as the most abstruce branches of phi
sizes. The more common rules Of syn
tax they may be able to apply, but othe
parts of grammar have been almost O
entirely neglected. Other branches hav
been attended to in a superficial manner
Now, how is it possible for an instructo
TO benefit schooi extensively. wher
there is SO great deficiency in his ow
qualifications There may be foun
some exceptions totbe truth of these re
marks, but so far as nv acquaintance ha
extended, these are very few.
Another class of teachers, are those
who, in addition to the benefits of th
district school. lave icsorted to an acac
envy for single season. Some, after al
tending but few weeks, and others, al
ter a few months, engage in the capacit
of instructors. Some are instruments
in raising the character Of their school:
while others do more harm tran gooG -
But none have .receis ed the least instrul
ton in those things which regard the bl
siness of teaching.
Deah Of Hon. Robert Smith. I'll
baltihoic papers ebhouhee 'tht uedt
Of the Hon. Robert Smith. lie was
soldier Of the Revolution. repeatedly
member Of the Maryland Legislator,
Secretary eflhe Navy under Mr.. Jeffel
son, and Secretary Of State under NJ
Madison, Tie died in his '85th yea
"cool. collected, and resigned. .rejoein
in the promises SO dear to Christian.
Religious vd.--The Bridseto
West Jersey Chronicle, Of Satur,la,
says that in the country round abo,
U,;Iyatop within a mOnih or two mas