The Xenia sentinel. [volume] (Xenia [Ohio]) 1863-186?, 1864-05-17
School Report.
EDrron srzTrsrL:


accompanied the report of our TOWNSHIP
Superintendent of schools; and as tn
Beard to whom the report was made, judg
ed it might do some good by giving
greater publicity, they directed it to
sent to the Sentinel for publca ton:
"From the foregoing brief report, yor
may learn that I visited all the schools
under your control, and in justice to th'
several teachers I will remark, that eacl
one seemed to cordially and kindly reoeiv,
my visits, and I thought the schools
generally iu a pretty prosperous condition
and that they bad made considerable i'm,
prOvement in some respects; and a general
advancement in others. I think however
that there ars several little matters that
the Board Of Education ought to continu-
ally urge upon teachers attention. I say
little matters, for they do seem small, and
Of but little importance in the minds Of
learned teachers of the present day. Yet
they cannot be omitted or disregarded with
out marring the beauty, the harmony and
the general usefulness of the educational
structure we wish to establish over all the
land Common observation teaches Us that
if we wish to erect an edifce-a house for
instance that may be permanently useful,
(aud It may be beautiful also,) we must
lay the foundation deep and strong, and Of
proper material, to secure these results,
and thenwe may add to It the Ornamental,
the beautiful, the grand, and count pretty
surely on its durability aud usefulness.
Yes deep in the earth out of the reach of
common observation rests that sure foun-
dation; without which, however magnif-
Gently we may have built thereon; our Ia
bOrs must ere long prove abOrtiVe; our
great expenditure in vain. Amongst these
simple little things that I think eOnsti-
tutes a part, at least, of the foundation, for
practical usefulness IN after life, as well to
the accomplished scholar as the more or
binary one, I will name Orthography,
Readingan and Writing, g,and with these should
be taught a clear and distinct articulation
of each, and every constituent sound of
our language. Then should follow /
knowledge of the points, or Punetuations
n reading, the roman numerals, the gb-
oreviatious; and even what used to be cal
ed in oldeu times grammar. These tits
rue, are to be found in the spelling book,
nd may be easily learned BY child eight |
ears Of age; yet in these days Of fast
eaehers and precocious children, they are
,retty generally neglected in early life,
nd very probably never learned at later
.eriod. think there is now to much Of
n inclination to pass too hastily from the
be rudimentaI and intrinsically useful, to
he more ornamental and advanced scien-
os. The chill is now taught the science
f language, Or grammar, almost before
e can write his name, or tell the time Of
ay by the clock; he must leave the arith-
letic and pass to algebra, before he can
llculate th3 number of square inches 10
is dads barn Hoor; thus coward and up
ard he climbs, next into the higher math-
naties, then into the dead languages, and
rten too, Leforc he is master of his native
ugue. He soals amongst the suns and
Iannets, and revels in the majestic grand
lr and beauty and harmony that pervade
lie great immensity of space; and yet
srhaps may be grossly ignorant of the
,Ography of his own native sphere. This
urse I think is all wrong, yet I wish to
st no eensure. upon the most accomplish t
savant; if he have the Meditation, and Z
e time and means at command, he may '
lsh bis researches to the utmost limits !,
human comprehension and possibly be :
~ promote good by it; and equally pos /
Die it may be that all the benefit derived !,
~ be the selfish satisfaction of knowing O
at owing to propitiOus circumstances he c
lows a little more than his neighbor. / 0
not wish to be understood as being op- C
sed to useful and applicable knowl- o
ge. But in my little observation of +.
N, and their requirements 1 have come :,
tue conclusion that there is a great deal = :;
precious time wasted by many persons, Il
acquiring a useless and superabundant f.
1cation, that is not available either TO Ct
,mselves. or others. I think the great d
dge Hale of England, towards the close el
his useful and eyentful life, expressed
regret, that he had thus misspent NJ
many precious moments. But We will nj
S from this part of the subject to one -
t more particularly concerns US as pat. q
S and directors Of schools. / believe It -,
aid be greatly beneficial if We could pre-. tb
on our teachers TO take more care vi
b regard to the morals, manners and Sc
lmon gentility and oivilty of their pu- th
outside of the school house, during ov
ir recesses and Moons, and also 10 their ~
hing to school, aud returning therefrom. = 9
v harshly it CRATES upon the car, where -
drcn are permitted to rush out Of n,
pol house US noisy and indecorous as a N,
Of sheep from the shearing pen; and ae,
! set up their shouting and following;
ckiDg Of hats, jerking bOnnets, throws sp'
each other in the mud pulling, haul. ha
tearing clothes, and all such Ike misg py
luot. Such demeanor doss not bespeak O.
,h for a refined aud snlightened COM ps'
lity, or for a liberal education; It as.
latos moro uith barbsrism. This does
bespeak much for the credit Of teach. ~
however learned AMI however skillFul bls
nay be in the sOhOolrOom in imparting old
Wedge Again how uneivil, how an,
nd, how impolito it is for them enc
.luto the traveller on his way, with an bic
icaiion Of stone or olod to the rear act
is vehicle. As often as I SEQ such eau