The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-12-06

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mental power. We regard this study As
second in imp lance to perhaps but one
, other-reading Il exciles and strength
ems the young mind. develops its faculties
nd.gives valuable discip iue for a more
vigorous pursuit of other studies. We
have in yisE three things-prompt-
ness Of woIk, accuracy OF statement, and
logical, straight forward reasoning How
can these ends be attained? The first by
vigorous, earnest work on the part of the
teaeher--he must always lead the class
Accuracy of Stat meat may be secured
oy requiring The pupil to repeat, quickly
ana without error, the problem read. and
give The solution. L ,gical reasoning may
| De secured by questioning the pupil 10
such manner as 10 lead him to ses the
faIlacy of bis statements when they are
wrong; By rapidly writing upon the board
before the class any erroneous statements
and calling Tor criticism. Very s5on tbs
old meaning 'ess forms and expressions
are dropped, The pupil feels strong in his
position, is able 10 give conclusions end
tell why he knows them 10 be true. No
books, crayons, pencils or other artificial
helpsto memory are allowed in this Glass
In the Second Grade no text books have
been used. Addition aud subtraction
methods Of representing numbers by fig
ures-tte multiplication table, and eie-
mentary work in fractions. have been
laugh; orally and by the use Of the slale
aud blackboard, Frequent and thorough
reviews by topics are had in all the Glasses.
WRITING.-The methods by which this
= 10 70 hT IL IL
ments, first principles, should fret be
come familiar and afterwards combined
into more complex forms The work is
made uniform, the entire class doing the
same thing at one time. The pupils prac
tice 10 their books, on the blackboard and
on paper, with and without copies. anc
under the careful supervision of The
teacher.
MUaIc.-Instructio in vocal music
has been given by Prof Norton to the
extent of Two lessons per week. The in
s'ructiou thus far has included drill in
the more simple and essential elements oil
musical notauon; the constant practice oil
vocal exercises tending to improve the
volume and quality of the voice; reading
The simpler c.ass of tunes; and learning
the more difficult ones by roe. No at
tempt has yet been made at the trauspo-
siIIon of the scale, beyond arbitrary
teaching what key-uotes are indicated by
the different signatures. So far as the
. experiment has besn extended, il is faiIy
demonstrated that children from ten 10
sixteen years of age can learn TO read
music at sight with scarcely less accuracy
and readiness than pupils of larger
T.. ole
percentage of children can learn to sing
than the proportion OF advanced pupils;
which shows the Importance of voca! cuI-
'ure at this fex bic, juvenile stage Geo.
+. Roots Coroner" is the text book now
in use, aud seems TO be we'll adapted TO
the use OF common schools.
SPELLING. Correct spelling we hold 10
be one OF the strongest evidences Of thor
ough scholarship. We teach i. constant
~, and 10 connection with almost every
study. Il pupil pronouocss a word
with hesitation or Incorrectly, he is i'm
medialely told to spell it. The practice
of requiring pupils to stand in a row,
and spell list OF words as they are eGun
ciated by the teacher, macy OF them mean
iugIess TO the pupil, We think TO be pro.
, ductive Of little good. I'm practical life
/ we sTelI only as We write" .aud in oul
# system of written spelling, each pupils
I work is measured, not by What others car
90, but by what he ought TO have done
y The lessons consist OF list of eight o
q ten words, selected from various source.
). and arranged by the teacher. These
/ are written upon the board, copied anC
studied oy the class, and written next day
e as dictated, 10 books prepared for the pur
Is poe. These books are Afterwards cor
% rected. If one word is misspelled tn
pupil who does 1t Is required TO re write
. he whole lessor, at the teachers dicta
ton. Words 10 common use are chosen
J, words frequently Inexperienced and of
! ten misspelled. No word is passed Owe
o of which The pupil does not know th
}. meaning. In the Second Grade, spellini
,e is taught in similar way. More ora
|, work Is done, and slates are used ipsteat
II of books. Simple words a'e often select
! ed aud the class required TO frame defni
tons OF their own, and print them o.
b their states for inspection. thus learning
l. spelling, printing, punctuation and com
5 position. The exercises are varied from
day to day. ,-s
IS GEEERAL EXERCISES These are spe
l. cial features of our school work. OF thes
P there have been.thrse varieties interspers
b ed with the regular daily work; drawing
y gymnastics and MISCELLANEOUS exercises
/. Drawing has been confined to plain fg
/ uFes, lines aud simple landscape pictures
q BIZ the assistance of Goes Drawing Cards
e The progress made. has been satisfactory
! and in some instances. highly commenda
d able. This. exercise has occupied frol
+ twenty to twenty Eve minutes three daJ
g of each week.
a. GYMNAsr1c3-A daily drill 10 Dr.. D
le Lewis Free Gymnastics, regulated b
81 eounting. is held in the freely ventiIate
= central hall The pupils have acquire
le considerable proficiency IN accuracy an
= grace Of movement. This exercise b.
y proved conducive to health and vigor;
i is valuable as an aid 10 discipline, an
3 adds new life and vitality to school worl
ie The miscellaneous exercises. are yarie
ID in their character; object lessons on e
miliaF things whose designs is 10 .dra'
30 out the ideas 10 The minds OF the It'll
IS thinkers and thus strengthen them I
~ thick more clearly; drill 10 rapid combl
g r /. l.1rrr