The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-12-01
From the Country Gentleman
READING IN SCHOOLS AND AT The FIREspE

From the Country Gentleman
READING IN SCHOOLS AND AT The FIREspE
The thought must have occurred 10 one Ia
the least degree familiar with the mechanical
hum-drum method Of teaching reading in oUr
common schools and academies that 4 reform,
il imperatiyely called for. IL is the Office ~
the school not only TO teach the meaning al
punctuation marks, the proper infections and
intonatons, tho distinct enunciation and cor.
rect emphasis of words. and the blending of al
these into a clear, forcible style Of reading BIZ
10 form. in some manner, a literary taste to-
turn the attention of the scholar 10 the beaui,
of thought as well ~ 10 lis outward form and
TO mpant in the young mind right priucpic.
These two purposes Of reading should never b..
separated in the mind of the teacher, and class
| books should be arranged with this in view
While this is true in the earliest stages of the
childs progress in the art OF reading, il il man
fold more important "a the mind advances in
culture and maturity. IL the reading exercise
is dull and monotonOus. if it does not cal out
some thoughts and awaken some interest in the
scholar, it soon becomes lormality to be gone
through with, task to be performed aud fails
to educate the mind or even to cultivate the vocal
organs. When mind is thoroughly imbucd
with a thought, when it catches the inspira-
ton of truth there is no hesitation as 90 hoe
the thought should be expressed Ii iciH ex
press itself trutbiully and well. We regard II
as selfevdent that when the scholar has been
reused to activity-been made to feel that hc
has a direct individual interest in the subject.
matter OF his reading--an immediate benefit 10
| derive from 1.-THE great point in good reading
has been gained We do not intend TO say thar
| M hat al mia. 49, L..
that knowledge of these alone will never make
one an effective polished reader.
Another consideration ~ hero worthy of no
tice Before the scholar leaves the school for
the active duties of life, literary taste must
as a general rule be formed, and his character
determined If the teaching has been such a.
to lead the mind to appreciate the beauties OF
sound thinking and good writing it will hero
| after seek for ompanionship with the best au-
thOrs and will go on to educate itself II, o.
the contrary, no correct taste has been acquired
| books are thrown aside rs WEAKNESS and
with the close Of school days terminates all in
tellectual effort-all literary spirit Physolo-
| glsts tell us that o0oring matter mixed with
| the food of an animal will diuse itself through
out the whole system, AMI give ts tint even IT,
| the bones. so with readng-the mental al
ment lt gives color to the very constitution
OF mnd-hue and complexion to thought, AMI
leaves its traces 10 the intellectual, moral. and
social life. What the scholar reads in school
and else where, and how he reads, are matters
which involve weiehty consequences.
| Two serious difficulties are in the way OF the
proper elevation of the standard of reading in
our schools. The first s the incapacity-tbe
want of refined taste and that culture which
an extensive and thorough reading of the best
authors can alone give--of the great mass o.
teachers the second the imperfection Of the
Readers made use Of Like instructors ike
pupils. The pcdagogue whose thoughts never
range beyond the oovcrs Of his textbook
whose clumsy hands nescr remove the husk
which covers the living germ Of truth, who's"
eye cannot See and whose mind cannot appTc
} cate the principles which underle all scicnce,
cannot teach anything rightly, much less can
} ne form the young mind to correct hab;ts OF
thought, and lead it 10 the pleasant wales AMI
mountain heights OF literature. Again -
teacher of cultivation and taste can do com
paratively little, unless he can place in tho
hands Of his scholars such reading ~ is calcu
lated to elevate and refine, and, placing him self
on level with them, discover for them the
beauties of thought and hold them up to ad
miration.
| uUneIUO ll"Ie HAS uOI Dten, tt our KNOW
edge, Reading Book for advanced scholars
which Appropriated in any considerable dc
gree 10 this standard But we bring tdngs &C
emancipation from the old ink stained, thumb
marked, twentietb-time rcad-ovcr School Reut
or. The title of the book TO which We refer ,
given bellows 1t ia composed of selection
from the moro prominent English authors -
The nineteenth century, comprising extract
| ho Y,,li hoo r.
and literary productions of more than ono bun
dred men and women of celebrity The authcf
prefaces each selection with brief bic
graphical sketch of the writer; aud, TO use his
own language says have endeavorcd e.
represent the views and feelings of every au
thor inserted, fairly and honestly and where
any one has shown that his heart was partcu.
lnrly and deeply interested in any one great
subject, have felt it my duty, without fear or
favor, to let his views on that subject appear
by this method We are made familiar with the
peculiar characteristics of the individuals and
the scope and tendency of their writings and
the reader will be induced by the perusal It
these extracts to extend his researches further
and to make himself more intimately acquaint
cd with the authors thus properly introduced
TO his notice
To many of the authors quoted from in tho
| volume before us, we were before stranger
but judging from the discrimination add taste
manifested in tho selections from those who's,
entire productions we have read we do no;
hesitate to say that the labor Of editing has
been judiciously performed; that it, tendency
will be healChful, and it's influence in promo.
ting sound learning and pure, elevated lite
rary taste, will be immensely great. You may
find food for thought in the elaborate essay
Of Blair, Beattie, Paey, Knox, Erskinc, Mack
intosh, Foster, Sidney Smith, Lord Brougham
Francis jeffrey, Dick, Carlyle, Macaulay, and
n score Of others, who have written for all time.
You may spend IN hour with the feeling critic,
William Hazlitt laugh ut the humorous touch.
Cd, or weep at the touching pathos Of Macken-
zie; charm yourself by the beautiful poetry
md more beautiful prose Of Walter Scott; lin.
ger awhile 10 admire the profound thoughts
ard the melodious verse Of Coleridge; take the
hand Of kind, sympathetic, jocose Charles Lamb
amuse yourself with the puns and wit OF Thom.
IN Hood commune with such poets as Bloom
field, Byron, Pollok, Mrs. Hemans, Campbell
Elliott, Moir Moore, Montgomery, Tenn ,son,
Mrs Browning, Mackay, Topper, and Mary
Hewitt. The effect of tho perusal Of such
authors az these would be beneficial beyond
comparison, and elevate the standard of lite
rary taste more rapidly and generally than
any other method we can conceive Of IL would
be impossible TO turn from these authors ~
writer's of the lower grade Of novels. The same
reasons which make it desirable to Introduce
reading OF this character into our schools NAV
be urged with equal proprety in favor Of sub
s,ituting it for the kind of reading most com
mon ut tho freside
We commend the volume Of selections to tn
notice OF every ono who is interested in pro
noting intellectual aud social culture, believing
that its influence will be most happy.
English Literature Of the Nineteenth Century
designed for Colleges snd Advanced Glasses in Schools
ss wcll ss for Private Reading. BY Charles d cleyo