Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-01-08
AMERICAN ORGAN.
Smithsonian Lectures. sts
. REPORTED FOR THE AMERICAN ORGAN.
LECTURES BEFORE THE EDUCATIONAL
III CONVENTION. i
SCHOOL DISCIPLINE.

4 tolnOOL nlpSlI llN ~.
BY Professor s. NJ HAMMIL, Of N. j.
The derivation Of the word discipline is from
disco and pnias to learn the young to train
sprout This opens the whole field Of educational
training. But the lecturer only proposed to con-
| slider school government, its Importance, and the
best means Of carrying 1t out.
| There Is little advancement made IN school
where there Is no good government There may
be number Of learned, agreeable, and popular
teachers but II they have not the art Of maintain
ing proper dccorum In the school, but little will
be learned by the pupils. Where there Is but one
| teacher, the matter is likely TO bo still worse.
There Is no qualification Of q teacher more diff
cult to attain than the art Of governing well.
The essential part Of good government is authori
! " properly maintained. Authority is not merely
| that which may be obtained from board of trus-
| tees, school committee, or superintendent 1t Is
not the fcrule, or birch though all these may be
desirable and necessary II is not mere legal FORM
nor the application Of that form. It Is the power
in the teacher himself independent Of all circum-
stances, and rising above all conventionalities. 1t
enlghtens, II warns, it WHITES MS it radiates from
the teacher, while he quietly holds his seat in the
schooroom. 1t exists in the teacher demanding
| and securing cheerful obedience.
This can be brought about by a suitable school
room arrangement, by frequent appeals to the
OF honor and shame, by judicious use of corporeal
punishment, and by the cultivation of the heart.
The schoolroom should be SO arranged as to have
the pupils sit with their backs to the teacher. In
that case, their attention will not be attracted by
his occupation, and he viii have better opportu-
nifty to observe them without being observed by
them. They will not know when he secs them,
and if they turn to in what direction he is look
ing, the motion win attract his attention. Thus
they cannot expect to cludc his notice.
| BY appealing and trusting TO their honor in
many cases, much good win result. II viii cult
vate that high regard for trustworthness which is
SO often lacking in them, and by appealing to their
sense Of shame, the contrast is plainly presented to
| their notice.
Corporeal punishment may be rcsorted to in
some cases with good effect, but it should always
/ be the deruier resort yet the teacher should not
so bind himself as to have his scholars know that
he cannot, If occasion require, infct such punish
mcnt in any reasonable way he may select.
The heart can be highly cultivated by reading
the Scriptures, opening by prayer, and by incul-
eating moral precepts at all suitable occasions, and
its effects will be visible in the behavior of the
pupils.
| He concluded by saying that, with well regulated
common schools, supplied by efficient teachers,
who have in themselves authority for the execution
Of their work, and earnest longings for its accom-
/ plishment, we have powerful engincry that can
scatter all apprchensons of danger from the influx
| Of foreign words TO our language Providence has
created here n vast reservoir, and the streams
flowing into IL. Let them flow from every nation,
tongue, and name let every dialect send in Its
tribute to swell the mighty aggregation This sea
OF words has the meaus OF its own publication.
The high conservative power Of general education
is the means Of its healthy diffusion; and truth is
the tower of its strength, 1t beams out in every
days recitation, and stands In demonstration on
every blackboard; but most Of all, truth as it
looms up from tho sacred page
A system of education thus frciehted with the
TRUTH systematized by discipline enforced
by able teachers, and sustained by an enlightened
| public sentiment may well become the grand re-
ceptacle every tongue Then will there exist a
| great American language, which will make the
world its debtor and by some beautiful electrotyp
ing process transfer It's own impression to every
land on the face of the Garth