The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-01-25

a GOOD seuOoI..

f4t - f.t
! The difference between the tarious meth.
| DDS OF teaching IL best illustrated, and can
in fact only be correctly seen by one Who
visits the different schools. We were las,
week much pleased 10 visit school con I.
Quoted on the best plan of teaching, by oral
instruction end illustration, as adopted in
the High Schools Of this State, and in The
Common Schools Of New England, where
teachers are tndndfaclufed for almos, the
entire South and West. The school we vis-
lted had been open only 81 days, We be-
lieve and the scholars had been of very
primitive capaciiy--reared among the sinmps
and stones-eight miles from a town. :; aud
certainly with very poor previous advan-
tases. Yet in those 2i days they had not
only mastered the elements of arithmetic.
but were enable 10 work almost any illus
tration on the blackboard. They under.
stood and practiced all that can be taught in
rhetorical reading, about accent, emphasis,
modua,ion and infection OF the voice; in.
deed many things which even the neighbor.
ing teachers do not pretend to understand
In Grammar they had made beginning,
and were doing well.
There was more of the sing.sone reading
in this school, such as is loo common with
an o and all a al the end Of each word 10
connect it with the next one; and not only
was the teacher bu, also the scholars pleased
with TIM Iaeron Moe, of tba ,aaoh;,x l,i
been dore by oral explanations from the
teacher in a familiar style; followed by a
series of answers and replies from the schol.
ars. To learn IN this way is not the drudg.
cry or task of book reciia,iors for scholars
and 10 see scholars learn from his assistance
is pleasure 10 every risht.minded teacher.
Scholars who attend such school as the
one referred to will a, the end OF four months
be further advanced in their education than
their neighbor's children who study without
aguide for four years And the presentcom-
mon school system is capable of furnishing
this best molhod of teaching to every mans
child in the State. Proper and competent
teachers alone are wanting: or perhaps we
should say course of proper instruction to
our present teachers. In a course of three
months instruction next summer nearly ev-
cry teacher in the county can learn to leach
school after the manner of The one we re.
fer TO-; and SO far as our acquaintance goes,
those teachers who need this instruction are
willing TO avail themselves OF it. Indeed
many of them are anxious to obtain instruc-
ton and oul of the 150 teachers in Colum-
bIa county very good Teachers Institute
could be organized. or The present teachers
in the county 40 do not profess 10 understand
the grammar oi their language, and &c are
equally deficient IN knowledge Of Geogra-
ply. And yet in every school there are
children capable of understanding these
studies; and many should do SO, if the
teachers were more advanced. Necessity |
alone has deprived them of their privileges |
this year, and by another term many will
require The instruction TO which they are en-
titled, and which the Safe designs 10 fnrn.
:sh 10 every mans child by the present sys. |
tenn OF public schools.
One of the greatest advantages resulting |
from the iabors of County Superintendent
is that ell the Improvements made in any
one school in the county are Immediately
carried into the others. Every new improve
nenl adopted by any teacher is recommend
ed to all the others, who are thus continual.
y Booked up in the hest methods of teach :!
ing and the scholars in any one school en-
Joy the advantages of the best means Of in
slrnction in the whole county. A proper
spinl OF emulation will manifest itself among
teachers 10 be in the foremost rank, and to
see their teaching carried as model into
other schools. II Will coon become known
who are the best teachers, and these will be
sought for with proper remuneration, while
others must bide the time on smaller sal
ary until their diligence and study shall
make them worthy Of better position and
grade IN the class OF teachers.
There has heretofore been too little dis.
criminal ion in the wages of teachers in this
county. Directors seem 10 have, as gen.
eral rule, gone too much upon the notion
that "teacher is a teacher" without any
reference 10 the grade OF Qualifications
Bloom township this year, and one or two
others, are The exceptions. Generally, the
good teachers of The county are not paid
we'll enough, aud the deficient ones receive
TOO much.
But the SUBJECT admits of many more re-
marks than we have room for, or leisure 10
write out to-day.