Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1856-02-02

lei him have quirkness in discerning the
character and capabilities of his pupils
let him have Judgement in cherlshlng
what is ri ght and censurlng Waits wrong;
let him have perseverance in applying The
best modes OF instruction.; and above all
let him be sound in morals and religion,
so tha; he may led The he art TO virtue as
well as the had to knowledge. In al!
the range Of human empIovments there is
not more delicate, difficult or RESPONSE
bic position, nor one that more imperI-
ously demands the exercise OF the best
Qualities of the head and heart, than that
Of teaching children. Their minds are
exceedingly p!iable, and bow crooked and
deformed must they grow when trained
ov one who i3not qualified or his position
withered by talents, knowledge, temper
or manners. The insitention paid to
building Of school-rooms is another evil !;
they are constructed generally without
any reference 10 the comfort of the pupils;
they are badly ventilated and badly fur
nished the seals are hard, narrow and
without backs, and so high that the little
urchn's feet could not reach the floor.
Thus the children become wearIed IN a
very short time, but the conscientious
pedagogue, thinking that the longer ne
teaches the more instruction he lmparts TO
the pupils, keeps Them there as quiet as
possible "from The rising Of the sun TO the
going down thereof" Often have we
heard children with tears in their eyes i'm
pore for one days exemption from this
purgatory, "Ma | don't want 10 90 to
school 10 day. get so tired" Oh il
is cruel in The extreme 10 bride down the
tree and joyous spirit OF youth by such
a,1naiurni confinement. 1t wars against
healthy and symmetrical growth. 1t not
unfrequenlly lays the foundation of dis
ease in early youth, which saPs life Of all
its pleasures. II ruins the clIlId's tenn
per and gives him lasting distaste TO his
books, school-room, and teacher. He
thinks OF home and its amusements, and
the thought rushes 10 his mind that an ed
ucaion is not worth the price of so much
pain. The master may keep his pupils
in their seats and oyer their books, but
for him TO make them apply their minds
for eight hours per day Is impossible, II
is more than feeble nature cali bear. IN
der such circumstances children contract
those very habits, which every nan OF
sense would strive 10 preventative habits
of Iis,lessness and inauenlion. "W hen a
sense Of WEAKNESS or mental langnor takes
place. what follows is not merely loss
time, brt an important iYury d0ne foI
The mental constitution ; aud II appears
To he of the ulmost consequence that mel
Time Of children should % as much as
possible divided between intense a'ien-
lion and active recreation. "By shorter
lime occupied in this manner, not only Isl
more progress made than by a longer
with llstness and imperfect sPpilralon'
but an important part of mental discipline
is secured" We learn further from the
same high authority, DR.. AbercrombIe,
that "0Heaiion is The foundation OF all
Improvement. Hence it is o. jhe very
highest importance 10 cultivate the habit OF
attention in children and this We have
found, by experience, can only be attain
ed by combining them but short pcTod
to their books al one time. There Is a
great diversity of opinion as to the length
of time that children should be confined
in School, but experience has taught Us
that small children can bear from one 10
t,co hours and youth from fre TO StE' by
VARYING their studies. Another fault OF
parents, which obstructs The progress q!
education, is their desire To make men
and women Of their children tei0re Ma
ture intended. The boy is placed al a
scho0l that acts on the race horse prlncl
pie, that he does brst who gets over the
most ground in the shortest time. lie IS
rushed along with astonishing oeierIIy
from study 10 study, is graduated and
.puShed into one Of The learned professions
''ere he yet begin
To show the peeping down upon his chin"
He has a smatleriug knowledge of eve
ry thing, and is sound scholar in moth
ng. We may now be called. with some
propriety, kaowing but not think'ng
people. Every la6or-saving machine that
can be invented is dragged in TO aid the
mind in obtaining knowledge without
thought, and SO the very multiplicity OF
our educational resources is perverted to
our injury. In former days, when the
Latin and Greek authors were studied
without note or commentary, pupils made
real requirements and even crediaale eias-
steal scholars but many Of our modern
graduates could not translate tuently
chapter in Cesar or Anebasis. Though
they went Deer and read every classical
book in The college curriculum, vel they
rode" on such smart ponies" that be-
- IL "a. I'll do III nrn1mlll Lnccn.