Louisville messenger. (Louisville, Miss.) 1842-1843, 1843-01-07
COMMON SCHOOLS.
TO ne EdiiOue|Ms Tsnnsssss stat

mat "mothoIs afe the best teacher,
for their young children" II there
not much truth Ia this assertioni Are
there not many children started
TO school when they arc entirely toe
youngi | know there are many
strong reasons 10 induce parents 10
send their children, while young, to
scholl such as, wo get them out Of
the way"--'to keep them out ofmiS-
chief" &c.--what shame that met
must be employed and paid "to keep
children out Of mischiefp In n word,
men become nurses. There are 9TH
er reasons Of more importance, that
Of sending them while young, before
they are able TO work; and another,
that their minds may be exercised &
grow with their bodies. But let us
consider some Of the objections to
sending small children 3 school, say
4, S, and even 6 years Of age. AL this
early age some children are sure to
contract idle habits, miscall their let
tiers and words, Stammer over their
reading, and assume disagreeable
tones 10 reading, which will require
years to correct, underline most watch
full teachers. Their tender minds are
easily depressed and discouraged.
They are the greatest burden to the
teacher, and enough to wear out his
patience, before he can learn them,
A, b, G.. They arc taken from their
play grounds and amusements, and
crammed into the school room, and
confined over unintellgible columns
OF the spelling-book, which are far
less calculated to develop their minds
and give strength to their bodies than
their toys. Is it not enough to wear
out the energies of a child to plod over
the spelling-book day after day and
month after month without ever ).
ceiving single idea? Is it not enough
to implant distaste for booksin their
minds instead of storing them with
useful ideas? Twill only offer one
more argument against sending small
children to school, which is not theo-
ry, but the result Of experience. Chill
drcn that start at 8 years of age will
soon overtake those that commenced
at 4 and S. Now here are three years
of toll and misery saved to the child!
The school bills, a dozen spelling
books and primers, and 8 years of an
xiety saved TO the parents! Thetroub-
lie and patience saved to the teacher
incalculable!
Now If the parents, who are the
proper teachers of their children, will
not, or cannot give them that atten-
ton they need, and they must be sent
to school, let the teacher show them
pictures, learn them to count their
fingers, tell them little stories, read
them simple tales from primers, let
them feel want Of knowing how TO
read, excite their curiosities, COM
mand their attention and endeavor to
improve their minds before he ever
thinks of teaching them A B G; and
bla, BILE, bli &C., which convey no
idea to their minds than so much latin.
Yet it is argued that this is the way
TO learn children 10 read. That they
must go through the spelling book a.
half dozen times, before they are put
10 reading. For months, their daily
task is to get "reading lessons" In
this way they are dragged through
book after book, and when they have
got through they cannot tell you
halfdozen things about them. See the
subjects of some lessons; "Relative
Duties, ""Morality;" "Contentment."
How can children understand subjects
like theses Are such books as contain
them, fit for children to read! They
will do to learn them words without
ideas. Here is another: "The Nor
ti6cations Of vice greater than those
of virtue" Here is the first para.
graph on this subject;
"T'hough no condition of human
life is free fromuneasiness, yet it must
be allowed, that the uneasiness belon-
ging to a sinful course, is far greater
than what attends a course Of well
doing. If we are weary ofthe labors
of virtue, we may eassured, that the
world, whenever we trythe exchange,
will lay upon us much heavier load.
1t is the outside, only Of a licentuous
life, which is gay and smiling. With
| in, il couceals toll, and trouble, and
deadly snrow, For vice poisons hu-