New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-07-27
Common school Education.

We adverted ia ate number OF me IrtOhRe
the bungling system of instruction that prevails
in the Schools generally Of this City, and we have
good reason to believe, throughout the Union
| Our remarks have had the effect of flooding US
with communications. some from teachers who
think the members of their profession rough
IL handled than they deserve to be, and others from
patrons Of the Common Schools, who think We did
only what tho facts Of the case warranted doing
But no who has written TO on the subject has
invited Us to 20 or send well qualified gentleman to
his school for the purpose OF taking The classes into hr
0cn hands, to what they actually DO We ques
ton very much whether many OF them would be
pleased with iair public criticism the proficiency OF
their scholars Two or three OF these communications
we inserted In yesterdays Tribune but they were 50
long we could then afford space to comment upon
them they deserve.
We have long been aware Of tho necessity of thor
oughy re0r ganzing the internal machinery ofthe school
room. The examination At the Free Academy merely
confirmed in opinion. based upon our ledge
of the teachers the schools and OF the qualifications Of
the scholars who have been educated In them Il Is not
necessary should imagine, to remind well qualified
instructors that whatever there Is OF depreciation In
our remarks does not apply to them. They ought to
bear in mind that the most ehectus step they take
to make their patrons and rank them among the
hungers alluded 10, would be tor them 10 make a
ridiculous attempt defend nperfections and abuses
that every good teacher knows to exist and Is as snx
ious 10 do away with 30 detective indeed
the present system OF education that who un der
efficient right working system wosld be very good
inst uctors, are now comparatively use ess We hold
the whole machinery for mental training to be- III
adapted tie purpose and we not able TO perceive
that Teachers Associations Academies OF Education
or Conventions Of County Superin,en dens have
done much more than to lay sui more bare the mag
ntude OF the evil and TO convince the public Of their
ncompetency to bring about, or even to propose de-
.irabe and at the time practicable change
They have certainly talked great deal and sometimes
written, but nothing more We speak OF course gen
orally
We will now proceed to point out what consider
TO be Of the radical evils Of the system, and their
cure Among them stands foremost to mind, that
Of not making the practical knowledge Of art by the
pupil keep pace with HE theoretical knowledge Of it
that Of teaching him far is practicable. 20 do
what he Is taught caa be done. For example, scholar
does not earn to spell words aloud and heart because
he j.. ever going have occasion for oral display
Of his knowledge OF orihogrsphy Men DO not go about
spelling their words orally, neither mans knOwl
edge OF photography be ascerained by his speech lie
will never have occasion 10 IT, except IN writing
yet strange 10 say photography is not taught by writ
inc-it IS not taught in me gily ray rbch rW neT
b. ~ practical serg,e 20 erery day bfs We know
from positive experience that there scholars in
most Of the schools In this city who spell through
the language orally scarcely missing word, but who
cannot write ten lines without making gross errors
Take their writing from them and ask them to spell
orally the words they have mis- written and they will
do so correctly ard without hesitation, wondering how
they could have committed such blunders in writing
We 90 not wonder At it. It would be indeed strange
were it otherwise How could they expect u learn the
art Of writing correctly doiag thing without
daily practice until familiar with IT, Now deem Il
ind .pensible that child. 10 become good peler be
taught 10 make letter or word the that he
Is tsught to read it-that he be in ike made
familiar, SUCCESSFULLY, with AL the photographed per
plexiues Of our language The result ot the present
syste OF teaching may be every day That there
arc but few good spoilers has passed into com
mon place IL Is singular fact that srhoOlmssters
make more buuders OF this than other class
professional publishing house in this city that
ha- extensive correspondence with teachers 10 all parts
of the Union informs that the spelled and al
together the greenest letters they receive from
that class OF persons This after all Ia be expected
They have not learned they do practice neither DO
,hev teach the art Ia the night way The French have
that the word ey,isr Is seldom used French.
mar never asks another how he sp1il. MS name but
how he rrrifes IL These remarks are susceptble Of
! stf further illustration and may other
time speak OF the siil more stupid way ct teaching
the art Of speaking and writing the EagAsh langusss
1 with