The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-08-20
Presidential.
educational Department.



The prominent idea in the mind is not in
struc,ion, but order-order as an end and
not as a means. 1t is not so much reading,
writing, and arithmetic, as first, second and
third position; nor so much geography,
grammar. and morals, as, fold" +" hands
behind vou," and " walk on your toes" and
the last three in their independent and sepa-
rate enforcement often cost moro than the
first three.
Order is indispensable in the school room,
and must be secured at all hazard; but the
most disorderly school is that in which
the least work is done. 1t is sometimes said
of a teacher that he fails to keep ORDER
We believe that the reverse proposition is
equally true-that he fails to keep order,
because he fails to teach we'll and the ques-
ton of precedence between the teaching ana
keeping order comes up for sestlement.-
Which shall begin first? Suppose some &C.
complished discipIinarlan, man OF arm ana
nerve, one who thoroughly appreciates the
importance of the momentous /" first posi-
tom should be set at work in strange
school where his only duty would be to keep
order. Let him drill the boys all the march
es and countermarches, up stairs and down
stairs let him practice them in keeping 81
lence, 10 hearing the clock tick-what would
be the result of the experiment, even at the
end of one day? Undoubtedly it would be
the hardest days work he had ever been
called on to perform and, if the boys were
worthy descendants Of their revolutionary
ancestors, the arm and nerve would have
had abundant exercise. This is not wholly
a supposed case. We have known school
master who would not teach until he had as
tahiished his own fantastic ideal OF order.
By the might of story he carried the day ;
but no man was ever more heartily detested
than he was by his scholars.
As We understand it, order should be es-
by teaching-J ust as the Emperor
of France would stand off" rebellion,
BY pa&ing war on foreign power, and thus
giving bis subjects something else to think
about; Just as the captain of ship makes
work for his sailors to keep them from mis-
chief and mutiaY. And this is not matter
Of mere expedienGy: for the pupils go to
school to be taught, and not to be m"rched
and conntcrmar, he'd to learn geography
and grammar, and not to be initiated into
the tremendous mystery o. the " first posi-
tion.' If the teacher deyOte himself earn
cstIy and faithfully to the wora for Which
he is employed and paid; to instrnchug, his
pupils the order of his school will give MN
but little trouble. If he fails to teach he
will fail to keep good order, as q general
rule, because the minds of his scholars will
not be employed and the same Satan that
finds work for idle hands to do" will put
;,f Il /. Tho mad han
come before the good dlseiplinarian is born;
and the latter without the former is a
square circle with straight line drawn
around it.
We haze alluded to the rights Of the schol
ar. His first right is to be instructed ; and
if he is taught that implicit unquestionable
obedience to the teacher. and a strict con-
formity to established rules. are necessary
to enable him to obtain and preserve his
rights that Gisobcdience and violation Of
those rules defeat the purpose Of the school,
rather than damage the dignity of the pets-
would the more readily under
stand and appreciate the rights of the teach.
er.
Mr.. Dogmatc Trainwell is teacher Of
experience. He stands six feet
IN his boots; weighs two hundred pounds,
gross weight: for the business of teaching
Toes not wear upon him. His physique is
decidedly imposing, and he has a fashion
Of curling the skin of his forehead, which is
part Of his capital stock in trade, worth
more than whole bundle of ratans. He
has just been appointed to n school that
has won a reputation for differentiation
a reputation that would have intimidat
a less skilfu man than Mr.. Dogmatic Train
well. On the first day Of the term, he is
uohcrcd into the sphere Of hi, future Iabors,
and civilly introduced by tho prudential
man, who prudently retires as
so on as his is task accomplished.
The new master is 'monarch Of all he
surveys HIS sharp eve, undaunted by the
fires Of rebellion, which he knows are ready
to break forth, wanders over the school
lie hastily estimates the weight of several
burly fellows, and calculates how many guns
they carry. rs yet all is peaceful as Lake
Erie, though the voyager can but think Of
Niagara, which ia before him. Taking ad-
vantage Of this quiet, Mr.. Trainwell proceeds
o deliver his inaugural speech.
"Scholars,' he begins, "the school com
nittee of this town, in their wisdom, have
lone me the honor to appoint me teaehcr
Of this school; and shall endeavor to dis
charge the duties of my resp onsible position
% the satisfaction of those who employ me.
But, scholars | have been accustomed to
obedience tremendous emphasis When
ell you to do this fright hand gesture, you
% do that left hand gesture,l you Will do
t. 1t is my place to command. yours to
obey. (Sensation.l If tell you to lie
Town, you will lie down if tell you to get
Up, you will get up. Brown punches
Jones. If you behave yourselves you will
get along very well; if you attempt to be
lsorderIy, you will repent when it is too
ate. Scraping of feet on the foor.] ST.
ence If you are ready to begin, | shall
not keep you waiting"
Unfortunately the boys are ready to be-
gin, and IA scene ensues-a description of
which would shock the imp. ofessional read
CT and We will leave Mr.. Dogmatic Train
we'll to fight on, his own battle. He has
challenged the unraly spirits in his
presence to break lance with him. With
Il decent regard for the rights Of the schol-
ar, on his part, the battle might have been
avoided, o at least postponed. He assault
ed them with threats which common manli-
ness could not but resent.
Mr.. Teachwell succeeds him at the end Of
week for even six feet of impudence and
:wo hundred pounds of dogmatism could
purchase nothing but failure. He is ply
'ically nothing but Il shadow, compared
with his predecessor and the intell gent,
prudential committee man is sure he will fail
for, if two hundred pounds could not keep
he school, what could one hundred do p
lie is duly introduced by the skep,icai off
,ial, who fingers this time to witness the
overthrow of the puny aspirapt.
"Scholars, am -ery happy to meet you
his morning." he remarks. 'You look in
elligent and well-dlsposed, [Mr. TeachweN
$ near sighted and doubt not we shall get
'lo0g very well together. Now, if you will
AXE your books, will 60 to work at once.
Brown and Jones do not know what to
make of this speech. Expecting to be bull
led, they are disappointed, and are not pre-
Jared to make an offensive demonstration
o they mechanically take their books
Before noon the teacher has produced de-
ided impression without any parade Of
meaningless words. he has made the schol-
RS believe that he is their friend. Proba-
'ly there is some rebellious spirits before
i'm who will require to be disciplined. The
eacher will have the sym, nthy and the NOR
i support of the school in the discharge Of
hi IN m a. CONT 3ptr Ha hos ..o,Jad Tho