The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1858-02-25

The Association next listened to the
essays prepared by Misses Sarah II. Ly-
man and Ellen l.. Bird.
[For Miss Lyman's Essay sec . Original Po-
ry."-EoToR or JOURNAL.
The following is Miss Birds Essay:
AN ESSAY read Jej6rc tie P5aey C0un-
u TcacheyS' dissolution, al Le,eisvjHs,
FrHay Jan. %, 1858, by Miss Ell
len /. BIRD.
Perhaps there never was time when
she subject of Education, especially Of
Common Schools, was receiving more at
tention than at the present. Our most
talented and able men are devisihg new
means Of Improvement in our schools !;
and also for the Teachers, Institutes have
been organized; Normal Schools for the
benefit Of Teachers are sustained; Asso-
Citations and various educational meetings
are being held, where the great object is
to instruct and benefit the Teachers Of
our Common Schools. The most approv-
ed methods Of conducting schools, and
teaching the different branches have been
recommended to us, and we have been
assisted by the advice and experience of
older and successful teachers in the diff
cult task Of government.
But these advantages will not make
our schools what they Should be unless
we enter into the work OF improvement
ourselves-pnless we see our faults and
endeavor to correct them. We have lis
tened to fine theories, and the mountains
of trials and difficulties we ever expect to
meet, have apparently been rolled away
like the morning mist, until it seemed an
easy task 10 be good teacher But are
we not all conscious that ter if u,ty of
US yet merit that title? Methinks fore
most amoug the errors in teaching at the
present time, we may mention superfcjoi
teachi4g, This is rightly styled a super
fetal age; but, in this age, does not the
superficial scholar appear with little ox-
cuse? AL, who have ever taught well,
know such are to be found in every school
We have those who have been Through
the Arithmetic" yet fail, if requested, to
demonstrate any of the elementary prin-
ciples. IS they advance, they are sur
prised to find there is somuch to be learn
cd Of Decimal Fractions" or that the per
cent" Of anything but money is ever tax
en-. SO with Grammar; many scholars
go through again and again, learning the
''coarse print" and with much zeal can
parse all nouns IN the third person, sin
gular number, neuter gender, nominative
case yet know no more Of the real gram
mar of our language than one Who has
never studied. How many Do we find Of
tolerable excellence IN other branches,
who are almost entirely ignorant Of the
principles Of O'thogroPhy. They know
almost nothing Of the relations, arrange
ments and properties Of letters, and have
no reasons or philosophical ideas for the
existing regulations or rules which gov
ern their use, and can correctly spell but
a small part of the words in common use.
Letters or other written productions, show
ing much skill in penmanshi5 and com
position, are sadly detaoed by mis-spellcd
words. which more than counterbalance
the beautiful properties which recon-
mend them Again, let us look at the
subject Of Reading. Few, indeed, mer-
it the title Of good readers. The labored
and unmeaning tones of the child taking
his first lesson, powerfully indicate the
cause. Scholars are not taught to read
undcrstandingly. They are allowed to
skim over the surface, imagining they
are good readers, if they know all the
words. But the extent Of superficial ed
ucation is too well known to need further
Illustration.
We may add, the evils of this result
not entirely from the deficiency Of COM
mon schools, but from that Of higher In
stitutions. We meet with those who
have received their education at our high
er schools that are sadly deficient in the
common branches, (as they are considered
their education being mostly smattering
Of accomplishments" and who would be
confounded by the mathematical reason
ing of some of our thoroughly educated
tyros.
The sad effects of this manner of edu-
cation, both upon individuals and commu-
mites cannot we'll be estimated-but