The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1865-12-01
For the Bedford Gazette.
SCHEOOI. REFOEM---NO. 4.

CLAssUFICATION-A \ WORD TO TEA /
CHERs.-Our common schools can new
er reach their full measure of useful
ness, without thorough classification. /
Nothing is so necessary totheirsuccess
vet. nothing has been sOmuch neglect /
ed. This neglect, up to the present /
time, has been mainly the fault of di- !
rectOrs. Teachers were pOWerless. The I
variety of books used made classified /
ton impossible. Now, however, Os- !
goods Spoilers and Readers, Brooks
Arithmetics, Mitchell's Geographys,
and Browns Grammars, are adopted in
nearly all our districts, and their eXclu-
sive use will be enforced as soon as the
schools begin. The schools Except in
few districts where directors, in def
ance of law, still refuse to establish uni
formity) can now be classified, and, if
they are not, it will be mainly the fault
of the teachers.
The classification Of a school requires
skill and tirmness. The task is both
delicate and difficult and many fail in
its performance If the teacher lacks
Judgment and knowledge Of human
nature, we can say but little here, that
will aid him. lie must read works on
teaching, and study the subject a. he
finds it in the practical details of the
school-room. Even when he knows
what should be done, and how he should
proceed, his task viii not be without
difficulties. Parents viii refuse or neg
! Iect to get books for their children; or
they will buy without consulting the
| teacher, and thus frequently get the
wrong kind. In this way books by the
wrong author, OF of too high a grade,
! have been put into the schools. 1t is
/ true they have sometimes been bought
/ by the stupid adviceof the teacher HIM
self; but they have generally come in
| to the school without his knowledge,
and contrary to his wishes. Once in
1 troduced, they can not be got rid OF.
! Glasses are multiplied and the teachers
time is wasted. Pupils can not get a.
long because they are using books too
| difficult for their compensation, and the
| school is interfered with and injured in
every way, for many years, perhaps,
bywhat at first seemeda tritiing and un-
important event.
Three fourths of the pupils i'll the
county are using higher readers than
they require. They use the Second in
stead of the First, the Third instead of
the Second, the Fourth instead Of the
Third, and the Fifth instead of the
Fourth. Nearly all are step too high
for their app and capacity. Nur are All
content with being one step too high.
/ Some are two and even three steps: that
is, some who are only capable Of using
the Second reader, actually use the
Fourth or Fifth A upilwhois using
>, the proper reader, can hardly be found.
Almost every school has a class in the
Fifth Reader; when, in truth, there
should not be dozen such classes in
in the county. We have no use for
them, and they should never be formed
unless there are too manyin the Fourth
Reader for one class. The Fourth, if
properly used, contains enough t0make
first rate readers, and far more than our
pupils will ever learn in the common
schools.
What has been said of Reading, is al
so true of other branches. There seems
to be kind of mania for big books.
Pupils begin the study Of Mental ~
rithmetic with the advanced work in
steadof heprimary. Dozens are study
wing Greenleaf's ''NationaIn who will
never comprehend half that is in his
common school" Pupils begin Gram
mar with the biggest book they can
buy. MitchelPs Geographys are used
and nearly all have his large Geogra-
phyand Atlas-the largest and most
comprehensive work, probably, that
has ever been used as textbook, in
this country. There should not be one
of them i'll the county. No one ever
learns half that it contains.
1t is time that we puta stop to these
evils; and the present is probably the
/ most favorable time to do this, that we
shall have for several years to come
New books are being introduced, and
care should be taken that each pupil
gets such as are exactly suited to his
age and capacity. OF the new readers
: introduced, very few, indeed, require
. anything higher than the Fourth. OF
the Ge0graphys, the Primary" and
"Intermediate" are all that we need.
: OF the Grammars, few require more
than the First Lines. The Institutes
should be introduced, only where there
are good classes, and thereare at present,
few really good Grammar classes in the
county. OF the ArithmeticS, few
will need the intellectual and the Com
mon School, but far the greater number
+, will do better to study the Primary
Mental and the Primary Written.
j. w. DICkERSON,
Co. Sup't.
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