Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1845-02-20
For the Spectator.
Il ID u G A ITO N .

Ma. EDITOR :-Parents often complain of the
slow progress their children make in their studies
These complaints are sometimes very Justly to BIZ
attributed to want of diligence and attention in
l'eachers,-sometimes to, want Of capacity in
children, TO which the Partially Of the paren.
blinds him entirely But there are some other
causes to which slow progress i'm some pupils of
the very best schools may most properly be attri-
buted. AS one of these causes, would mention
want o. punctualny. have often heard the best
and most faithful teachers complain Of how much
their efforts were oftentimes thwarted by lack
OF cooperation on the part of parents. Some
times boy is kept at home, on some very triainr
pretext, for one or two days, while his class are
going regularly on, and he is thus thrown behind
those, whom, under more favorable circumstances,
he might be prompted to emulate. and perhaps
surpass. Another is permitted to be absent from
school for some very groundless reason-the re-
suit is the same.
Late attendance has similar effect, though in
little less degree. Suppose your son in class.
which recites Immediately after the opening of
school. If he is late in attendance, of course he
is absent when his class is called up. This oc-
ours frequenty-he becomes negligent in prepar-
ing his lessons, because he looks forward with
the expectation and hope, that he will not be at
school in time to rccite. The result is, that he
occupies low place in his class. Perhaps he
may be studying the fundamental principles Of
some branch of education; and his standing in
this one class may Gas is often the easel deter
mine his standing in every subsequent part of the
study to which the attention of the class is d.
rected. Thus his progress in one branch is re-
,arded-he acquires dis,asie for the despars
OF success, and his mind at length loaths that on
which its own vigorous growth is In great mea-
sure dependent
Want OF discipline is often q cause Of COM
paint. On this subject, we will be satisfied TO
quote from the circular of an experienced teacher
in village of our own Stale. He says:
"The causes of defective discipline in South
ern schools are doubtless known, in part, to the
intelligent portion of the community they must,
however, be more evident to one who has wit
messed, and himself partaken of. the stricter sys-
tenn OF the North--the fruits of which, with all
Difference to the acknowledged ability of many
Southern teachers, are more solid, if less snowy
education
"Ihese causes may be briefly enumerated.-
they are-laxity of domestic discipline, and al
most uniform indulgence towards youth. Of the
male sex especially, whereby they are equally re-
moved from fear of punishment or hope of re-
ward.
1.-The natural consequences, as might be ex-
pected, are, that Southern youth will not submit
to the drudgery of elementary instruction. and,
that teachers-even those of high attanmepts-
among youth who are generally anxious at least
to appear learned, if not really to be so, advance
them with too much Notwithstanding to po-
lish externally an edfce, the defective foundation.
loose interior structure and lettering Joints of
which, are but too evident on inspection. Home
" English is put under ban, and with false am
bition, youth unable 10 spell in their mother
tongue must plunge into the study of dead Lam
guages; and even in them, from the weak com
pllance of some teachers, they are advanced be-
yond the range Of school classics before they can
construct grammatical sentence either in them
or their vernacular' H. l.. Nj.