The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-02-22
Educational Department.
Prepared for The Ausghanian. !


schools, as also for such as are usually
styled backward it has been a very
prevalent practice TO select those who,
from lack of qualifications, or from want
of success, or from inexperieuce, are least
worthy of place in the ranks of educa-
tors. Directors have In a great measure
been compelled TO adopt this course from
a necessity caused by constant scarcity
OF competent teachers. During the. few
years just past, this necessity has been
increased, owing to the entrance of MANY
OF the profession into the National SER
vice, and the abandonment of it by others
for some more lucrative employment. At
this time, the schools throughout the
State, and, we may add, throughout the
entire country, are suffering III no iIcon-
siderable degree from being presided over
/ by persons who, whatever they will be by
| experience, are not at present the equals
of their predecessors of five years ago
The presence of adopts at the business of
teaching in many of our more advanced
schools, causes In turn the appointing to
many primary aud backward schools of
persons who are scarcely worthy of certif-
lcates. Such at any rate is the testimony
of our County SuperinteEdents. A few
years OF dilgent application on the part OF
these noyices, and of besiowment of favor
by directors only upon those who show a
desire to improve, will afford much relief
from the existing evil But what we wish
at this time more especially to combat is
not fact, but an idea-the idea that
poor teacher Gone rot apt to teach) or a
person with poor educational qualifications
can be assigned to backward or a pri-
mary school without serious detriment to
such school. The evils resulting from
appointing such persons are too numerous
to be put into the limit Of a single col
umn, and we therefore divide them into.
the following paragraphs:
Lack of ability to teach. The primary
school is sort of halfway house between
the nursery and the school-room in earnest.
In the primary room, the juvenile mind
receives its first bent, is first started in the
way of educational knowledge. The sweets
of study have not been tasted, nor is there
to be supposed any antipathy to it that
may not be overcome. The simplest of
all elementary knowledge is for the first
time to be presented to the little learner;
and whether or not that learner will take
hold of his task with avidity, depends al
most altogether on the teachers e'aptness
to teach" Of all knowledge, that which
is purely elementary is the dryest and
most insipid even to the advanced stu
dent, and if so TO the advanced student,
how much more to the little child. Tho
primary teachers province, then, is to
make that attractive and interesting which,
of itself. is devoid of all interest The
infant scholar has before it the task OF
memorizing letters and words that to it
are completely arbitrary, conveying no
meaning, but whose Specification is yet to
be acquired.
;. That primary teacher, then, is most
successful, who most quickly and thor
oughly wakens up the young mind, aud
causes it to recognize symbols of ;ntelli-
geuce IN characters hitherto meaningless.
But this work requires either an acquired
or an intuitiye knowledge of dealing with
the mind, if there is such a thing as in
, tuitive knowledge. Why, then, should
teach,'' as Page so we'll says, be put into a
) primary school? If ability to impart
: knowledge is required IN teacher of
advanced pupils, then ten times more in
l a teacher Of small children.
" otuO oAA w f'Cl
, But no more in respect to imparting
, knowledge is it essential that primary
, school should have first class teacher,
than with reference to habits Of study and
of department. Some experienced and
nearly, if not quite all, novitiates in teach
ing, are continually prompting the pupil,
or suggesting the required answer, or
pursuing one course or another by which
to relieve the scholar of his own proper
= work. 'They are so young," is perhaps
: the. excuse, "taey are SO young, it can
7 hardly be expected they can get along
without help" Thus "helped," but
3 more properly efeminated, they pass from
: the lower room to higher one, to fall
o below what is required Of them, to become
a discouraged with their studies, perhaps
: ayerse to their new teacher The true
s teacher discerns with quick eye that the
e benefit of the school-room is in the disci
!, pline given to the mind, and every parti
l. Gle of the scholars work that is done by
II another is a direct, positive injury to the
Il scholar. With second or third rate
q primary teacher, the more advanced one
y receives into his hands rotters' clay tha
Las been falsely molded, ,.and that insteat
of recei-ing its true, comely shape, ha
&c been deformed into an image of no beauty
st THE DEPARTMENT of Common School