The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1860-03-14

case! Reproach him! For whats Ii he
does not understand you, may il not be your
fault. not hiss DO YOU not rebuke yourself
when you reproach the child :
once saw a teacher engaged in hearing a
brilliant recitation, where all was prompt
and successful. The class was in high spr-
its. the teacher in fine temper; but when il
came the turn Of an honest looking boy at
the foot. with large, heavy eyes, and trou.
bled look, ! saw the smile Of satisfaction
leave the teachers face before he had finish
ed putting the question | saw the class
sneer in anticipation Of thr blunder; and |
saw too the poor boy. flinchins from the gaze
Of the school. and the impatient look Of his
teacher. lie failed, Of course. The teacher
tarned away with an expression Of fsigna-
h0n, which was a more severe blow To the
boy than If he had been struck. R.tder !
have you never done this thing: Never be
impatient with duilness IN schugl DO not
merely refrain from contempiuoa, epithrts.
dor who woul! be so brutal /. but asud eve
ry shrug OF the shoulder, every gesture If
llnpatlenee, every sigh Of disappointment.
Il is modification enough to tie scholar, to
know that he is not so bright a. hi, compau.
"
injustice.
Children are often considered dali, who
have, IN fact, superior intelligence. All ex-
cessIve dlfidence, stammerlng utterance,
or slowness Of speech. may so embarrass a
scholar, as to ensure his defeat by some quick
and fluent lad who had not half his mind.
Hence, quickness of thought and facility Of
expression are. too often. the only qualities
that receive marked approval from the
teacher. Let these have their due; but re-
member, that sound understanding is not
always accompanied By an acute perception,
and that mind may be large, without being
brilliant. Moreover there are superior gial-
tiles of the mind, which may not be called
into acton IN school, so that buy # fine
intellect may be past for dlliard, while he
j.. 10 fact. superior to his complnions. A
child may be quick 70 grasp principles. yet
slow IN learning facts; be may be deficient
in mathematical ability. and possess much
poetic feeling. and an earnest, ardent lave
Of the beautiful. A bad memory, or some
other defect will keep him back III recitation,
though his mind may be iuil OF precoctoa,
thoughts, which lind no utterance ia the bus
tie and hurry Of the school-room.
Ihad a case Of this kind, in my first school !;
it was ponr little felnw who always seemed
puzzled; he was slow to take an idea, and
appeared Ia have no power whateser to ex.
press his mind. His companions thought
him stupid. aud shared the general impress
sion. In the couse of the term. introduced
exercises ia composition "a thing hitherto
unknown in the school. To our astoHish-
ment, his FIRST effort exhibited 40 orisinaiity
OF thought aud facility ofexpression, which
no other boy could equal. On one oceasTOn
he wished to introduce lew s;anzas OF poe.
try into his composition. and mt remember.
ing the exact form OF the original, substitut-
ed his own expressions; they were all cor
rect. poetic. aud metrieal. On conversing
with him about his pursuits, found him
altogether superior to hi. companions, in all
the more mature aud valuable properties ui
the mind.
| learned wisdom By that experience. AMI
have SINCE found many similar cases: indeed.
50 many, that | am sometimes inclined tp
think that a sl0w manner Ul thought, IA d
child, is sign Of goOi intellect. There.
fore, !. ! find that a boy Is unsuccessful IN
ordinary school studies, lonk round TO .re
what | can do for him. and to see what be
Can do for himself. Ii he has pnnr meme
~, often lind that lie can grasp tlnpsIt
il he cannot read we'll, he may nevertheless
understand Thoroughly what he is rralius
about; il clumsy IN speech he nay be- sktlt-
fol IN expressing his thoughts 10 writing
IL he is deficient ia mathematical ability, lie
perhaps has talent for drawing. fnr mrehta.
ics. music, or the languages; though hating
arithmetic and geography, he mai have i
love Of poetry aud art. that may b. turned
to account. Thus find the law 81 cnmpen.
sation exhibited even in the school rpou.
Many a man or woman has developed a sym.
metricaI mind and character il after life,
Sho IN childhood seemed only " lla'I maize
up"
Therefore, o teacher. be nat hasiy IN Your
judgments remember that the scope oi your
i limited that there are ehamJtfs
Of the Young mind. which. with all your pa
rade Ui school .bouks. YOU have never entcf-
I'd remember that the heavy eyed lad whom
you deem 50 obtuse may yet grow 10 be
nan whom yon will delight 10 honor. BE
patient. RI Sssooiaa.t,,.
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