Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-04-02
ceMAUkIcATED.
EducatinnaI

Why are not our common schools in a
bette. condition. The above question is Of
ten asked and as often answered by the pat
rons of our common schools, yet if the rea-
sons, Why, our common schools are not in a
better condition, are known by them, the
ameliorstion is suggests ed, it is not adapted.
And as regards the common school literature
Ut our own State. we are little better than
in stGtu quo. But although this subject bears
much attention with the intelligent and is an
object of much consideration with our Leg
~islature, which has devised and put into force
many excellent Improvements on the old sys-
TEN and management of schoeisi has.made
provisions in law that enables US to build suit
able school houses. and furnish apparatus
anJ libraries and everything necessary for
the pupils good; thus furnishing an improve
ment Of much Importance over the old sys-
tenn. Again we pay better wages to teach
ers and they are generally better educated
Than formerly, and our text books are better
and everything indicates an improvement--
Now where is the fault, and why the i'll sue
cess of our comma schools! We are now
going to attribute three facts, as reasons,
why our common schools are not as prosper
Gus as we could wish. First a disinierested-
ness is too plainly visible in the parents of
the pupils in regard to their being properly
instructed. Second, teachers manifest d
! lack of interest in behalf OF their pupils
Third, as a general thing school officers EN-
pioy transient persons, who have no particu-
lar interest in the school they are about to
teach and teach more in consideration Ct pay,
than for the benefit OF their pupils. These
are reasons why on common schools do not
succeed better, and they may be remedied in
the following manner In the first place
parents should Yisit schools and keep a watch
fnl eye on the progress of their children in
their studies. There is nothing perhaps
more encouraging to the pupil than tliepssis.
lance and zeal of their parents enlisted in
his behalf, pursuing his routine OF studies
Many parents are indeed SO negligent and
uuconcerned as to their children's welfare,
while educating at school, that they seldom
examine, much less enquire how they are
progressing in their studies; whether they
are not passing away their time TO poor ad-
vantage. Parents, You should look to this,
as it is a matter of no small Importance,
which demands your attention. Keep in
mud shat at the present day, your children
are under ten-fold more temptation to wrong
and to do those things which may Ultimate
" lead to their ruin, than were the youth of
the past century. Then how much depends
upon yourselves, whether your children shall
become useful and respectable members of
society; or whether they turn out the objects
OF neglected parental care in youth, now
uneducated and in a ready way to associate
with the low aud goveiing, and bring dis
grace and misery upon their parents. Again
teachers manifest a lack of interest in be-
half of their pupils. This is generally ow-
ing 10 their being strangers TO their pupils,
and they cannot of course be expected to
take that interest which they otherwise would
were they acquainted with their ways and
habits. We shall speak more fully of this
however in our closing remarks. Lastly
school officers employ, generally speaking,
transient teachers, who have no particular in
terest in the schools they are about to teach
more than pay. They are generally teachers
ad ti6itum and do not nuke teaching their
habitual occupation. They will teach for a
season to replenish their pockets. and "teach
cheap and on this latter account they are
often employed. Now this is all wrong
We should have teachers of good reputation
as such and having once found, by experince,
u good teacher we should endeavor to keep
him or her as long as the school prospers ua-
der his or her management. Nothing is
much more detrimental! than these frequent
organizations in cur schools consequent in
u change of teachers. Here comes a new
system of rules and regulations which sue
ceeding teachers almost always introdnce.--
This is a bad arrangement and is calculated
to produce unsteady habits in the pupils. Ii
these three thing were noticed and acted up
on, we believe our common schools would
be greatly improved.
J. s. ATKINSON.