The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-03-24
For the Democrat.
EDUcATTONAL.

Mr.. EDITOR: Will you permit me through
the columns of your paper. to say word
by way of advice to the people; not because
think that I am wiser than other folks,
nor neither do want to show my smart
ness or crave notoriety or distinction; but
simply because it is inherent in my nature
to combat error wherever meet it. What
wish to say is in regard to the Element
airy part of an education; as to my mind it
appears clearly and conclusiyely, that of
all other parts, this is most neglected. We
frequently find, and very often, too. pupils
far advanced in Arithmetic and other
branches SO far as going through a number
of books is concerned, who can neither
spell. read, nor write intelligibly; in fact,
they do not understand the first principles
of either branch. Talk to them abou. marks
or pauses to be observed in reading, and
you astonish them; they do not know the
comma from the period nor the interrogation
from the exclamation point, much less the
intention, meaning and use of those char
acters. Talk to them about stress, accent,
cadence, or infection of the voice, and they
are completely nonplussed and bewildered;
and upon the whole they appear to be
totally ignorant of the ground work or
basis ofa education: of course there are
some exceptions.
Now. how does all this happen whose
fault is it Is it a reckless, careless negli-
gence in the teachers, or is it an ignorant
Indifference on the part of parents! Taking
my own limited experience as a basis l
think parents are in the main to blame, and
for the following reasons: In the first
place if the teacher does not bring on the
pupil with great rapidity, let the capacity
be what it may, the cry is that the children
are learning nothing, simply because they
stay in one book too long; and to obviate
this difficulty, with many others that might
be enumerated on this point, the teacher
has to put the pupil to reading before he
has properly learned the alphabet, and then
to ciphering before he has learned to write
or even to form letters, and when he once
gets slate in his hand, chen farewell to
these minor branches, they are too small
business; this is literal truth corroborated
by every teachers experience in the land.
In tho second place, most parents now-a-
days are little too indulgent, eager to
! make men and women prematurely, easily
believe what their children say as to their
own qualifications, and are rather disposed
than otherwise that their children should
have their own.way in everything, especially
| their studies. Many teachers to conciliate
all parties and keep fair weather, submit to
the fanciful whims of indulgent parents;
and the consequence is if the scholars ever
learn the elementary branches of an educa-
ton they learn them in their private study
when they become men, and the same may
be said of females.
look upon it as an utter impossibility
for the human intellect to comprehend and
to have indellibly impressed upon it all the
preparatory parts of an education in the
short space of time generally allowed. Go
| through with rapid strides whether you are
benefited or not seems to be the idea; this
appears to be the age of abridgements,
AISA SuCo ohO WOoOcu HOG Ouly III
education but in almost everything else.
Though in an humble sphere, have had
some experience in teaching the young idea
how to shoot, and | know that there is
nothing so irksome, vexatious and discour-
aging to a teacher as to have pupils in ad-
vanced studies who have not been thorough
ly drilled in photography, reading. writing,
&c. It is hindrance and an almost in
surmountable difficulty to make an active,
free and easy scholar of one thus galloped
through his elementary course. You may
talk of your eclectic systems, your pouring
in and drawing out processes, but there is
but one way to make an accomplished
scholar, and that is in the first place learn
him to SPELL read and write correctly, with
ease and facility, and then you have a
foundation to build upon, then the mind is
fully or at least partially developed and
developing and susceptible of receiving,
comprehending and retaining the wonders
of science and of nature. Thus you see
that regard good spelling and reading as
sine qua non in an education, an opinion
in which I will be sustained l think by
every man of reflection and observation.
H. NJ. JENNINGS,
Pleasant Valley, McAlpine's Creek.