The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1856-05-21
N0RRISs& WILLIAMS, Publishers and 7

,heFS and PrOprietors.
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ea Hses s ls3 $50 ags e,
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study the nature Of our pupils instead o
supplying its place with the rod. 1t i,
{ true, we may never expect to become fillli
4 acquainted with human nature, but wha
4 of that? arc there not other studies thai
we never bring to perfection Then study
the most useful, whether We acquire per.
lection or not. Another reason with re.
dgafa to school gofeEnnent; and shat is The
lpresent condition of cur common schools
2. compared with their condition few years
lago, when the hickory was predominant.
i However, you must not consider that ]
hotdtthe relinqnishnient Of corporcal pun
tishnlent the only thing that caused the
4 great reform in our school system, but
that it stands out as one of the many
iehaages which have taken place, by adopt
ling this reform system / welhre,nember
twhen L first went to school, that scholars
never thought Of getting farther than the
rule of three, as it was then called; and
Grammar and Geography were hardly
1thonght of by the teacher; and never
! thought of by the scholars; but if we
4 happened to grin we were certain Of a
whipping: We always thoGght ourselves
fortunate if we spent one d.iy 1t school
without whipping, but now in the same
place we have. all The common branches.
land go through with them together Will.
Philosophy, Chemistry ana Algebra, and
Rthe whip has not made its appearance.
What has effected this, I do not pretend
to ssg, leaving it to your candid Judgment
TO decide; but one thing l know, that
reason in place of the rcd has had its
lsbare of the advancement This l have
lno doabt has been nearly the same as the
experience which you have all had in
| Fteaching, as successful teachers.
| But let us pursue our early school days
"a little further. We were not taught, or
Fat least very seldom taught that we were
immortal beings, and that our Crestor had
endowed us with a rational understanding
which. mightbe cultivated and brought to
the highest state of perfection by mental
culture. We were not taught to rely
upon our own reasoning faculties for the
proof of what the teacher said. We wsre
mot made to believe that we had the right
conceptions of right and wrong. sOnr
understanding did not bear the appeals of
the teachsr, if we ehaneed to do anything
wyopg sgs o1r. backs generally felt them.
All these were thought by the teachernots
to belong to the province of school teach- |
ing, and were therefore left for sourparents |
to teach u.s. But at the present day the |
duty of the teacher is extended to morali
training as well as the arts and sciences.
IN order to govern his school with Justice. |
Some may think | Speak d;sgeputably of
my predecessors, but not so.3s Be it farj
from me. i honor those who have been
my teachers, and have great resneet for
those who have preceded me. in the labor. |
! consider that they did their duty inythej
time in which they iised.s. Ionly wish to-
bring to your minds the happy change
that has. taken place by using reason in
place Of the rod, and moi to, degrade nay |
old friends in the cause of ,education,t osa
ArperseaceH After four years expert
ence in teaching in different parts of the /
eonnt!y, ! am fully persuaded thatthe best
metalodlof GoEcrniaga a schoolais by the
law Of l27eig / have tried the rod, and
must confess have used il. freely without
producing the good effect that IreasonI
would have done / hayeused the duueei |,
BLOCK, and what virtue did find Gin it Ri
An excellent method ofiindueing pupils
to hate me. ! have tried other methods
of punishment, and what has been the re-
suit Why nothing has succeeded as well
as an appeal to- conscience-ne nething can
soothe the stubborn .hearteso we'll as gen.
tie words. Ny first experience was afree
use OF the rod, and not "a very pleasant
school, for | did not get along very well;
not as well as if i had used the law of I
love. My last experience has been a /
term of epleasantness to me, and had not /
to punish one scholar for disobedience or
truancy. The main object of the teacher
in governing a school, is to. secure the /
and love of his pupils. geiss..g
l will admit that there may be ex,3
treme cases where corporeal pus ish7 |
ment may be useful, but of such cannot /
say; not having in my. experience had any
pupils whom reason could not reach, chad !
it been applied. But ON this point L for-a,
bear lestiH should say something that fu. |
ture experience would not Warrant ALL
though of the past i am fully satisfied. X
In speaking Sof the best method of goY-.
erning schools,d would not determine any /
definite rule; for asruledapplieable to, one /
age would not belto another; bnt let the
natural disposition ofTthe pupildetermine !
the mannerim which your appeals should !
be made. but Of oneithing be eertainAl
to always make your appeals fo,the nnder-
standing of the pupil. ssi3;9 sd nj osu isl