The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1853-05-18
The Best Mode of Managing District
School.
Prize Essay presented to tie Berkshire
Teachers association at Sheffield,
Mass.
BY MISS IosINA z. WHITMAN.

Not being vain enough to suppose my
mode Of managing District School the
best one, and writing not from theory,
but from practice and experience, am
strongly tempted to lay aside my pen,
without attempting to write an Essay,
upon the proposed subject.
will premise that District Schools
differ exceedingly, as to the number of
pupils, length Of school terms, conve-
nient buildings and furniture, and other
particulars, which might cause the best
mode for one district not to be the best
for every other My experience as
teacher, has been mostly confined to the
rural districts with sparse population,
and the smaller villages. The number
of pupils varying from ten to sixty, their
state OF advancement extremely various,
the amount of school during the year Of
ten not moro than eight months. the
buildings and furniture varying from
good, convenient and comfortable, to
those as bad as none, l have found my.
self obliged to vary according to circum-
stances, yet my usual method is the fol-
lowing one.
Upon entering new school, my OBJ.
ject has been to become acquainted with
my pupils as speedily as possible en-
deavor to ascertain not only their ac-
quirements, but their capacities and dis
positions For day or two l 90 for
ward as the pupils classify themselves
As soon as may be, proceed to make
all nccdful changes in the classes, accor-
ding to my best judgment. Though Of
ten told, Il read with such one last
term, and our former teacher allow ed me
to sit in his seat" proceed gently,
calmly and firmly to make all necessary
changes. would by no means yield
the privilege of seating my pupils accor-
ding to their characters In no place,
moro than in the school-room, is the ad-
age true, that an ounce of prevention is
worth pound of cure Where school
room is so constructed that it can be
done, it is better to have no two pupils
occupy the sane desk. This removes
temptations to idleness, communications
aud unfaithfulness. When find an idle
or vicious pupil, | place him either alone
as much as possible. or sometimes it is
possible to seat him in the vicinity OF
faithful and obcdient ones,
Where there is no village clock or
bell las has often been the CASEY to reg
ulate the time, | allow fifteen minutes
for variation in time, as it discourages
children TO mark them tardy, when they
are in season, and endeavor TO be,
begin school quarter before nine, when
every pupil present comes to his place
and we proceed with the duties of school
At nine the door is opened, all are ad.
mitted, ano the roll called. In villages
where they keep more uniform time. five
minutes has been the time allowed be.
fore marking absentees. Some object
to this method, as calculated to form oil.
atory habits Where pupils are made
to feel that this is provision to encour.
age them not to be tardy, they will be
more uniformly present fifteen minutes
before nine, than at nine, where no such
provision exists 1t is desirable to form
habits of punctuality and promptness, but
not at the expense Of the moral feelings
l would use encouragement and persua-
sion to promote regular and punctual
attendance at school. Where these fail
through the fault Of the pupil, recourse
should be had to more severe measures;
and when through the fault of the parent
or guardian. by kind and conciliatory
reasoning with them. l would strive
to remove their indifference. when this
is done the end is accomplished.
The classes should be reduced TO the
smallest practicable number, 80 as to Sc
cure as much time as possible for each
recitation. Where the number of pupils
will admit, the teacher should ordinarily
attend TO every recitation, without aid
from pupils. When the school is SO
large that recitations must othergise be
neglected, IL is better that the more ad-
vanced pupils assist the teacher, by hear
ing less advanced classes The teacher
must always look after such classes, hear.
ing them recite occasionally.
Morning exercises are, for those pa.
pills sufficiently advaneed,to be read in or