American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-12-21
Educational Department.
From The Pennsylvania school Journal.
Work for Institutes.
GOOD RECITATIoNs.

that efficient recitattons are the chief tests
of every school; and yet there are many
who scarcely apprized of the means requi-
site for securing them.
Should avisitor enter school room,
and fix his attention on any class called
out to perform, and should the exercise
be characterized by striking inattention,
rapid or slurring articulation or an evi.
dent display Of deficiency of knowledge,
as to the facts to be memorized, there will
be no difficulty in the inference, that the
pupils have not done their duty. But
this conclusion embraces only limited
portion Of the subject; and, a more dis
eliminating judgment would prompt
him to inquire, whether the proper means
had been employed to ensure a different
performance.
Let us inquire for moment:-lIas
the teacher employed systematic means
to obtain good articulation in his classes,
50 that a visitor may appreciate every part
of the recitation? Has he impaired to
all habit Of attention, so that from the
moment the lesson begins, every one is
expected to be ready to tell all that he
knows about it?
As to the facts, a familiarity with them
prcsupposes, that the pupil is capable Of
delivering them in his own language. If
this ability be attained, it will obyiate
many deficiencies, by giving to the per-
formera confidence in his efforts, that no
more memorizing can afford
The qualifications, here supposed to be
obtained by the pupil, prcsupposed much
labor on the part Of the teacher, which
we have, in some degree indicated but,
the means to be employed by him are Of
sufficient importance to claim SPECIAL no.
tice.
I would say, then, Whatever the lesson
to be performed by the class, the teacher
should always come prepared for the task, ,
by an entire familiarity with the whole
subject matter, SO that no reference by
him to text books shall be needed And.
if long practice have not secured this, it
Is the duty Of The teacher so to acquaint
himself with the lesson, that he will not
have occasion to apply to the book for
correction Such should he his position
with primary reading class, as well as
with one advanced in Bellies Letters or
Philosophy. lie should be SO posted on
the immediate matter of the lesson. as
not only to be'promptto to correct blunders,
both Of thought aud manner,-but to
bring to the exercise a mind stored with
materials for Illustration, drawn both from
books and observation.
These are few of the attainments of
which the progressive teacher must be
in possession. But it will never answer
the demands Of the age, for him to re-
main satisfied with the performance of
predecessors, either as to their scholastic
learning, or their modes of teaching.
New occasions teach duties--t makes ancient
Ut0ic2 unC0uth.
He must upward still and onward who would keen
abreast Of truth"
The teacher who desires to leave his
impress on the age, must be a daily stu
dent Of science, as we'll az devoted to
professional investigation. The founda-
ton Of knowledge must be laid in books.
This must be brought to the test of real
life; and the observation of what passes
every day around him, may furnish many
occasions for establishing the principles
of philosophy, on which many of our
most useful mechanical operations. de-
pend.
Suppose the teacher has class in Phil
osophy, to whom he is desirous of illus
trating the pressure of the atmosphere,
as constituting the principle on which
our common pump is constructed. He
need not go far for most conclusive ex-
hibition of the same power, by which the
water of the brook is elevated above the
level of the stream. The horse or COW,
as it stands in the water and partakes of
the refreshing fluid, is, at the same mo-
ment explaining to the observer the prin-
ciple Of Pneumatics, by which the water
is drawn from the surface of the well,
and made to facilitate the purposes of do
mestic economy. Again, the application
of the common principle in Hydrostatics.
by which fluids MAINTAIN their Eevel. IL
all situations, receives, great value, and
imparts corresponding interest to the pu-
pill, when he is shown what purpose of
utility it may be made to subserve; as.
when the teacher may explain to him how
the water of river, when lifted up by
machinery may be distributed over large
city, for all the purposes of utility and