Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1858-11-23

world - which even matare scholars cam
not fully comprehend - should begin Just
after shower, with the rills and minia-
ture lakes, bays, capes, islands, etc,
found IN the nearest field. The rills
should be traced TO the nearest stream.
and the whole valley of the latter studied
from lis source IN some spring to its Juno
uon with larger stream, ana as far as
the range Of the child's observation ex-
tends. The child should be made 10 Oh
serve IN It's incipiency the washing of
earth, which, so insignificant within the
range Of limited observation, in the ag-
gregate produces such mighty effects in
the structure of tho earlh's surface. The
study of Geography should proceed no
faster than the pupil can draw the maps
illustrating the subjects. These may be-
gin with the school-room. plan of which,
showing the. arrangement of the furni-
ture, may be the first lesson. II NAV
then extend 10 the whole house and school
grounds, then the street and adjacent lots,
and 50 on, embracing by gradual ex-
tension, the whole neighborhood, with its
fields or lots, streets or roads, hills, hol-
lows, springs, streams and their rainy
day branches, mines, cliffs, houses, and
whatever Of interest may exist in the dis
trict. This thoroughly understood, the
Geography of books may be studied with
vastly greater success.
l need not speak of physical education
generally ; its wants are pretty we'll m
derstood, though, [ regret to say, very lit.
tie attended to. Bu; would call atten-
ton to one branch of the subject = the
cultivation of the vocal powers How ma
ny persons suffer through life for want of
power to speak 50 as to be heard dis
tnctly across street. How many are
deficient IN the physical ability to produce
those musical sounds that go so far tow
ards making up our enjoyment of life
How many, indeed, go down to ali early
grave, the victims of pulmonary com
plants brought on by neglecting to give
early and efficient training to the lungs
and vocal organs. The child should be
taught to keep his lungs expanded, 10 ex-
erclse his voice ty gradual, but not too
great, exertion in producing sounds soft
or strong, grave or acuta, harsh or mel
low, from the depths Of his chest or from
the top Of his throat, and to exercise that
firm and nice control of ii, so indiSpena-
bic to good singing. Words alone are IN
sufficient to describe the process necessa-
ry. The teacAer must instruct by exam
pie. | fear very few teachers are Guali-
lfed TO instruct in this branch as it should
be taught, but they should make il their
study, as much as they should mathemat-
les, or any other subject Il would be
we'll, perhaps, for every large town 10
employ a special teacher for cIocution and
music, including, Of course, the proper
physical training of the vocal powers and
a clear articulation of all the elementary
sounds. l do not mean by elocution that
clap-trap and stage effect so much prac-
ticed by public speakers, but simply the
natural powers of speech.
l once heard a young man reci,e from
the tower Of public building, the cele-
brated speech put by WEBSTER into the
mouth Of JoHN ADAMS, in the Continental
Congress, every word of which was dis
tinctly audible to myself, standing at the
distance Of three-fourths of mile He
had studied elocu,ion. Perhaps every
one has not the natural structure that
would enable him to acquire quite equal
power # speech; yet, there is no doubt
that every one may greatly improve the
quality and distinctness, and enlarge the
power of his voice, and at the same time
improve his health, by a proper early at
leniion to vocal gymnastics.
An important element in this system Of
education is q cabinet of Natural History
and of various objects of Art. This cabi-
net need not be an expensive one, for the
teacher, aided by the pupils, who will be
found TO engage IN making collections
with su cess and enthusiasm quite as
tonishing TO one who has never observed
it, may gradually gather together a yaIu-
bic cabinet Of specimens illustrating each
cf the three Kingdoms Of nature. An
herbarium OF dried plants, specimens of
different kinds Of wood and bark, NUS
and other inperishable fruits and seeds.
from the vegetable kingdom - stuffed
birds and quadrupeds, insects, shells,
horns, skeletons, feathers, etc, from the
animal kingdom -the ores, fossils, and
specimens Of the different rocks of the