The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1864-10-01

echcol, than in grammar or high school.
This will be evident from the following
facts:
l. Much oftbe child's future success in
study. will depend upon the habits and
tastes formed in the primary school. Child
hood is full of viyacity, but the tedious
and uninteresting methods usually employed
even in teaching the alphabet, often render
the child stupid. Who has not in the
school room heard the long drawing list
less A-er, Der, Ger, and so on through
the alphabet down and backwards, without
feeling at least that there was little of the
blockhead in both teacher and pupil. The
perceptions Of child, such as they are,
are usually quick and bright, and the teach
er should have the acuteness and vivacity
as well as the patience and perseverance to
lead these early efforts of mind into the paths
of knowledge and science without Jlunder-
ing them.
From the want Of viyacity on the part
of the teacher. many child forms a dis
like to books and cannot afterward be in
duced to lend his energies to study.
| Though there is natural difference in re-
spect to fondness for books and study, yet
that decided aversion for study, stupidity,
we often see, may be attributed 10 a great
degree to the bad management of iucompe-
tent teachers. At all events, different
kind Of teacher would have greatly modified
this indifference to learning.
O. The time of the pupil IN the primary
schools just as important and valuable as
it ia in the grammar or high school. with
this addition, the more vigorous the habits
formed in early childhood. the greater the
progress all through the course. Under
the care Of good instructor, pupil will
accomplish more By the time he is twelve
years old, than with poor teacher he would
when fifteen. Like plant the pupil needs
a rigorous start at tie beginning. The indi-
vidual that commences course of study
late in life, can never become the proficient
he otherwise would have been, his percep-
tons as well as conceptions, will be less
clear and vigorous, his. mind less flexible.
Time aceH employed IN childhood IS time
saved all through lite.
3. Great skill and wisdom are .heedfol in
the discipline of the primary school. What
teacher has not been put to his or her wits
ends to know what to do in a crowded
room Of uneasy, mischieyous children, full
of life, with a no small sprinkling of rouges
loving anything better than quietness,
some of whom their mothers sent because
they could do nothing with them at home.
What teacher has not felt that they needed
Eiitle more wisdom than they possessed.
The truth is the primary school teacher s
vocation is greatly undervalued. The diff
fculties. attendant upon such a situation are
rarely appreciated. 1t would seem that in
order to do this work we'll, one would need
the wisdom of Solomon, the patience Of
Job, the meekuess of Moses, the firmness
Of a giant and the tenderness of a fonC
mother. 1t certainly does require rare
combination OF elements to make a good
primary school teacher. An individual
may be a good teacher in grammar Of
high school AMI utterly fail in the primary
It is an encouraging fact that our educators
are awake to the importance of this depart
ment of our common school system, anl
every facility is being furnished to thos
desiring to fit themselves for this specia
work, or part of their work in teaching our
district school. G. c. NJ.