The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1866-05-16

The Schools OF Tama County.
BLACKBOkRDs.

No. 4.
BLAcKBo9RDs.
That the blackboard is an indispen.
sable appendage 70 every schcolroom is
acknowledged by evsry one at all con-
versant With the best methods OF i'm
parting instruction to our schools.
Some distinguished educator has well
said. that "the blackboard is the greatest
invention Of modern times" and
another has made the sweeping, vet
true, assertion that ii Is in.possi5le 70
teach school ,cithost blackboard. And
yet, how rarely do We find one Of
sufficient size and proper construction
in our school houses.
The general character If the black.
boards in this county is about as bad
~ could be easily conceived. They
may be divided into four classes viz:
FIRST, good, second, poor, third, worth.
less, and fourth not any at all. pro-
pose TO report the condition ofthese in
the order named. The first class
designated as good is found in few of
the best planned houses. They are
generally well made and extend entirely
across the end Of the room, but these,
like angels visits, 'sare few and far
between
There are more Of the second class.
These we're tolerably good at first, bu.
not having been properly made soon
became worn out, 50 that now they are
Of TO ase. They could be easily re
paired, however, end al little expense.
The third class which comprises not
less than three. .fonrths Of the whole
number, are usually made OF pieces of
boards averaging in size from three to
eve feet in length and from two to
three feet in width, generally suspended
! by a cord or nailed to the side Of the
house, and not unfrequently so high as
to be entirely out Of tn, reach Of the
| smaller pupils. OF course they would
only waste the chalk, If the blackboard
should be low enough to be within their
| reach. If any one wishes to study
economy ic. him hold the Office of snb.
director one or two years. These are
cut little if any better than none, and
every one OF them should be elected
from the school room. .
Ofthe fourth class, | can truly report
that there we're not less than score Of
schools Taught or more properly kept
during the last wear in which no black
board of any description could be found
Only think Of paying teacher $50
or $40 per month, and then refuse or
neglect to furnish him good, capacioas
blackboard on which to drill your
children in that which is the most i'm.
portant part Of their edncation, viz:
the principles oftbeir studies As well
might you employ workman on Your
farm to cultivate your corn crop, and
then refuse or neglect 70 furnish him
pillow. This is the kind Of economy
that nccupies the minds of none bn.
school.dlrectcrs.
m, satisfied that much ofthe super.
fetal teaching. which l find in most OF
the schools, arises in part from tie
want Of properly planned school roo.ns.
Il u true a poor teacher will make a
poor school. The one il the accom-
paniment at the other. But ct least
one half of the services Of : good
teacher are loss te the school. in large
majority Of onr school rooms as at pre-.
sent arranged. .,The seats. the recta
tiou bench, the blackboard. should all
he SO consiruc,ed--csch SO adapted 60
the uses Of the o,hers-that the teacher
can sustain the most perfect system aad
order. Without these internal conven.
iences. no TEACHER, however skiIlful, can
properly classify and instruct hir school
and an upclassiied school ia but little il
.ny better than none at all.
hal thought that the day Of hap
nnzard teaching had passed. Away, but
+, my ssronishment have fonnd q
nutnhet e' schools n whics.. when
ealIea for he class in written arithmetic,
~ faaeil~i i AZ obliged to confess tina,
ID ial M S,tth GLASS; and os further
{n1l gp, navs fsuni that the larger
II lars were spending most OF their
time in eiphering--in 'sdoing snma's
which to ,hea,, as welt ~ some others
in the community, was the highth and
i p,h ef education It ia hardly me-
.s>ary - add that such scAolsrs made |
ba, little II any progress 10 the prin
ciples Of the science. @