The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1868-06-18
For the Tribune
FROM ATTIOA.

Eos TRIBUNE--I wish to address a
few lines to the County Examiners,
teachers and all Interested In the
cause Of education, through the col
ans Of your paper.
Some Of the teachers 10 this vlcin.
ity are trying new method, and a
good one too, In spelling, With the
advanced classes.
The method adopted is this, and
was also recommended by the Teach
ers Institute at Tifin last fall and
the Principle of Tifiin High School,
The class is called up and the pu.
pills are told TO bring their states.
The teacher pronounccs a word, aud
the scholars in the class write IL
down. After tho whole lesson to be
spelled is thus written down, the
teacher then tells them to exchange
slates, which can be done as he wish
es. Commencing at one end of the
class after exchanging states, he tell the
first scholar to spell the word as it is
on the slate before him, and II any
one in the class sees it different on
his or her slate, they speak out and
the teacher then tells which is correct
aud the next spells the same way,
and continuing in like manner until
the lesson is spelled, when each
scholar marks the number Of mis-
spelled words on the slate in their
possession, when the teacher can set
the number down on the pupils REQ.
ord, or as he wishes.
The benefits to be derived from
this manner of spelling in preference
to tho old fashioned way of pronoun-
cling to each scholar, aud saying
next" when mispelled, arc plain to
be seen by any intelligent person of
common sense. First, the scholar
spells every word in the lesson for
himself, and by having trial at
each word, can tell whether they have
tho whole lesson perfect. Second
and main advantage, he torites the
word down when pronounced, aud by
so doing learns to put 10 practice the
spelling, as spelling is seldom used
but in writing. Again by writing the
word. its orthogrnphy is more fully
impressed upon the memory, because
tho word has been spelled correctly,
once in writing, aud will be again.
How many good spoilers there are
that are such when standing in the
class, that can not write letter with
out being full of errors in regard to
the spelling,--but l will not discuss
this any farther at present.
There are some scholars in some
Of the schools near here who object
to this mode Of spelling, and have
gone SO far as to fatty refuse to spell,
aud in same cases have been dismissed
from school for such misconduct.
The question now arises. Are the
directors justi6ablc in thus sustain.
ing the rules of the school by dismiss.
ing those rebellious seholars2 This
question brings up another. Shall
the teacher rule or govern the school,
or shall the soholarsp If the teach
or, then the directors are justifable
in dismissing from school those
who will not comply with any rea.
sonablo rule, but if the scholars, then
tborO is no use Of having any direct
ors or any rules, or for that matter
any school,
There is one other question that
agitates the minds Of some willful
" Young Americans" which is this,
"Cau speaking, deo'aiming, or writ.
ing compositions or essays, be en-
forced in common schools ?" Or, is
there any law that will enforce a
scholar to perform this exercise, or
leave the sehoolP
If the County Examiners, or tho
Principle Of the Tif6n High School
will give their views, or decision
through the columns of your paper,
upon the above subjects, they will
confer great favor upon many teach :
ers aud scholars throughout this vi
cinity,
NJ. A, BELL,
ATTIoA, juno sth.