Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1863-09-17
G0ufational.
From the Press.
ESSAY ON EDUCATION.
BY DIR ]. q. HOAG.

In this essay we propose to consider tn
studies that should be pursued in common
schools. and the best method of teaching
them successfully. We will begin will
READING.
This is an important accomplishment
and one that is woefully neglected. 1t ii
no small acquisition to become a goot
reader. neither is it triAing affair to teacl
pupils to read we'll. No matter what 9th
er accomplishments one may be in posses
sion Of, how learned in other respects they
may be, If they are poor readers, they will
always pass for poor scholars. AS g gen
eral thing, this is not regarded q study.
and one in reference to which especial at
tention should be paid. but rather as O
part Of the routine Of the school duties
which must be gone through with. with.
out any reference to the rules which ought
to govern the exercises. We ask in the
first rla-e e. "What is reading?" The best
answer that we can give is. the science oi
intelligiLly communicating written
thought. This is ,rhot we understand
reading to be. In the next place hoH
should this he done? The first thing re-
onisite is distinct articulation. This on
the part Of many teachers is entirely neg
lected. Without something near pcrfcc-
tion in this particular, one can never be-
come a good reader. In order to acquire
halit of distinct articulation. it is neces-
sary that the pupil should be frequently
exercised in il. In many schools this is
never done, and the consequence is the
scholars acquire habits that will be a
life long letriment to them. and ever mil
tatc against their becoming good readers
We think that any teacher who neglect 6
to train his pupils. who are commencing
TO learn to read. part Of each day in this
exercise, is guilty Of fragrant omission oi
duty
Correct pronunciation is another thing
which should demand particular attention
at each repetition of the exercise of read
ing. Accent, pauses. infection and style,
should all each be paid particular attention
TO. Too many teachers. as we'll as learn
crs, Judge Of the progress made in reading
by tie amount gone over. rather than the
proficiency attained in the rules that gov.
ern good reading. We have seen teach
ers call out a class to read. aud without
paying any attention 80 them. allow them
to rnn over their lesson helter- -skelter
pell- nell, regardless of articulation, pau
ses. pronunciation. infection or any Other
rule Of good reading. and then boast, al
the close of their school. how many times
their classes had "gone through" the read
T, ing books. For our part. we unhcsita
tinply say that we had much rather that o
child of ours would not be taught to read
at ell, than TO be taught in this way, fol
the simple reason that il is easier to teAcf
a child to read correctly. who has never
learned to read, than to undo the error'
which are imbibed by such erroneous. sb
surd. and we had liked to have said. hor
rid practices. on the part OF teachers.--
When class is called upon to 60 throngt
the exercises of reading. no sentence ough
to be passed until it is read correctly. and
the entire class told the reason rhy It'll
thus read. We have seen classes drilled
for the space of week. on . single sen
tence, and the teacher who seeks to have
erery sentence read correctly. instead ol
having . certain amount read in . certain
length Of time. 10 acting the part OF WIS.,
dom in references to this branch OF science
The pupils should be made to under
stand the sense of what they read. and th'
meaning which the writer intended to cen
vey. There is often good field for thu
teacher TO benefit his pupils BY giving
them such explanations as will enable
them to perfectly understand the meaning
intended in connection with the subject Q
reading.
Learning the sounds ofletters. is Of the ut
most importance, and should be part o
the exercises Of each day until all the schoi
- are perfectly familiar with them. w
have to record it a. our opinion, that it II
melancholy fact that no. few WHIT
leave school with - they suppose their ed
ucatioD complete, are unable to tell how
many primary sounds there are in the En-
glish language. or the various sounds tina
belong to each letter in the alphabet. sas
] we know Of some who arc occupying th'
station Of teachers who are deqlorably dc
icient in this respect. ~.
Particular attsntion should Be paid q
orthogrsphy. Without something nea
perfection in this particular, no edusstio'
! l. couplsts Or evsa tolershle. We h.v''