Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-03-04
educational Department.
or the Tribune.
LEARNING TO READ

sl'ui give lew reasons for making reading the
chlef corner stone upon which the intellectual
structure is to rest 1t will be evident Ia every
thoughtful person that learning to read correetly
should be the fist branch in which children
shouId be thoroughly trained Indeed it must
PFecede All other studies, or else the future adj
Vaneement OF the pupil must be greatly retarded.
tor how can individuals profitably pursue adj
yaneed studies, unless they are good readers
It can never be done.
just rs reasonable would it be, to expect from
an apprentice well finished article, before he
mad LEANED the use of tools as to expect that
scholars can probably pursue advanced studies
before having learned to read correctly.
Yet 1t is a fact, that children are permitted to
commence the higher studies before they can
read correctly, or understand the meaning of
half the words in their lessons We wish not
to be understood to teach that children should
do nothing but read until they understand the
meaning of every word in the English language:
but we do believe, and say, that much more at
tentlon should be given TO this important branch
of learning than now is in all our schools, both
public and select
1t is the opinion of some of the best educators
Of the age that schools should be established
especially for reading, where the teacher would
have sufficient time TO train his pupils in all
that pertains to good reading Could this be
done, the beneficial results would soon appear
IN every community and family But in edu-
eating children, as in other matters, we must do
can, and not as we would.
The question viii Immediately arise in the
mind Of every teacher, at least, how is this de-
sirable object to be accomplished under present
arrangements, with the amount Of labor TO be
performed each d;.y?
In the schools of this place, probably. the
number Of classes heard by all the teachers per
day, VIII average fifteen to each teacher. This
gives only twenty-four minutes to each class,
which is undoubtedly more than can be given.
after delucting the delays which cannot be
avoided. Ia some OF the advanced classes there
are twenty to twenty -four, perhaps thilty pupils
All these must read within half an hour. ii fur
thest- Now, We ask, what can teacher do un-
der such circumstances? \ h -ng more than
correct the most palPable errors. For the time
is limited, and beyond its boundary he dare not
60. The remaining rules, such as meditation If
the voice. punctuation, emphatic words dc, can
only receive a passing notice, If any At all
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nr,itv
These are The, circumstances ,,-7,;,r, s--,,-,.,
the fcacbers with rroi- hot ,,,,,,;I, h, orc
generally al school in season. There IS another
class yet to refer 10, for whose advancement tie
teacher is very solicitous. but whose where.
abouts and what about. to tie teacher i a pre-
found mystery about one half of the time. One
thing, however, Is pretty certain if the g;.essiu
of these truaats hits right, they VIII not be lg
school till the time far some of .lei- ions
has past.
AoJ aUfrei ..erflr the teacher finds Lat the
books ii -aa.e scholars ave iar % advance IF
their ability either Go read correctly Or under
stand. and a. q faithful teacher -aaaid do. puts
them back in their proper places. Bat. s4y-
the scholar. ma asotEcr saws if / can't read in
this book, slant come to school The teacher
Is firm. aud the younsster having great rever-
cnee for the authority Of the Old Folks at
Home" leaves. aad reports progress.
In a few DAYS the young hopefm turns up in
another school. STAYS a few weeks, and graduates
aS before Always tells straight story to the
old people with whom he boards; and AZ a re-
ward for his success at school gets the privilege
of staying at home a week or two, to recruit his
upper story Thus terms and wears pass away.
and the lad has grown to be a man in stature
but n babe In intellect still
At length a mystery springs up in the minds
of the parents. Don't know why John cant
read better; he has been to school ever since
he was little boy 1t must be that the teach
ers We're not good for any thing That's it.
who ~ not lear, .Iobn to raad whom bo ,,os
down on the Picatonica skating. or off five
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