Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-10-07
Books for Teachers.

The time has gone by when teaching was merely
make-shift-a stepping-stone to help a needy stu
dent into his profession as lawyer or medical man.
1t has become a we'll recognized and distinct pIo-
fession ITSELF Young men having talent for il
enter upon il as their life business just others go
into law medicine or divinity.
Being thus well-marked profession it needs a
literature of It's own. The teacher, that aims to
win a standing in his calling, must have profess
siona library; and the books for such library are
not altogether far to seek. We purpose to give,
from time to time, detailed notices of such books
and this time it shall be of new that is at
elbow on the table. 9
In the School Room, by John S. Hart, LID
Principal of the New Jersey State Normal School,
is handy volume in limo, of 276 pages, printed
with uncommon neatness and even beauty, on choice
paper. Both the materials and the workmanship
are very creditable to the young and enterprising
Philadelphia house of Eldridge & Brother, who
publish it.
The work contains thirty chapters upon subjects
directly connected with the daily work and expert
ence of the teacher. Some of these are specially
valuable for their immediate applicability to prac-
tice; others for their rich suggestions. We ha We
been particularly struck with the chapters having
the following titles What is Teaching? The Art
of Questioning; The Difference between Teaching
and Training; Teaching Children what they do not
understand; Cultivating the Memory in Youth
and finally and conspicuously, An Argument for
Common Schools. We wish that every intelligent
Tennesseean who is true lover of our State would
read mark and inwardly digest that chapter. 1t is
a treasury of facts, arguments and appeals.
The book, in short, is-one which every teacher
and every friend of education ought to read.
Harper 6 Brothers, of New York, publish The
School and tn Schoolntdster, written by Alonzo
Potter, late-alas that we must say "late of
Pennsylvania, and George B. Emerson, of Massa-
chusetts, both men of the very highest standing as
instructors and trainers of youth. We might pro-
6tably devote a column to giving some account of
their lives and labors but it is the book and not
the writers we are now to talk about
The book is in two distinct divisions The School
DIR. POtters part of the work-opens the volume
and contains 264 pages. 1t treats of four great
subjects, which are every whit as urgently impor-
tant to-day in Tennessee as they were twenty-five
or thirty years ago in New York, viz The Educa-
cation of tho People, The Common School; The
Present State of Common Schools; The Means of
Improvement. Wesad that these great subjects
are as urgently important here with us as in New
York then. In fact they are far more so for our |
Common Schools have not yet got a-going fairly, |
while those of New York, at the time of the writing
of this book had been in full and successful opera
ton at least twenty years, and had become firmly |
rooted in the confidence of the people
I'll 10 t.zc. IL
sections, with such titles as these What is Educa
tiOn2 Prevailing Errors in Regard to the Nature
and End of Education What is the Education
most needed by the American People2 Relation of
Common Schools to other means of Education
How Can Common Schools be Improved and so
forth.
Now, We do not know where to look even to-day
md among the latest issues from the press for any
hing so good upon these topics as these very chap
ers, written nearly thirty years ago by Dr. Potter
Nowhere else can you find such q crowd of facts so
clearly told, skilfully arranged and so earnestly
dressed upon the reason and the understanding as
The reading Of DR.. Potter's division
The Schools an intellectual treat to any intel
gent man or woman that has particle of earnest
less il his or her nature; and ie is wonderful
torehouse of information in all matters relating to
be lettering of the mind and morals of free peo-
le T
The reader having been aroused, convinced and i
7armed by reading these facts, arguments and ap-
eals, passes eargerly TO Mr.. Emsrson's division
ne Sehooln1Gster-for definite directions about b
hat to do and how TO do it and this craving will
e amply satisfied. Mr. Emerson also talks about h
he Teachers qualities studies duties; about school
ouses, what they ought to be, and how to make fl
'em healthful, convenient comfortable and beam fl
full; about the school itself, how il should be or
8nized, how governed, how taught And as to CT
aching, the writer goes into pretty full details fC
owing how to teach those things that belong 20 Of
ommon School-resding, spelling, writing geo. re
Apply, grammar arithmetic, and so forth. K
We wish VIC had time and space to give TO our Ell
aders passages that we have marked for that pur
Sc but we must stay our hand. But we cannot vi
'se without the wish that Tennessee would do in
hat New York did, viz put this book, at public
Peuse, into the hands of every county superip. r
ndeat every clerk Of civil district and every is
unity clerk. And we think that the two book. tn
cei in This article should be the rst two bougb, Sc
The tsaoher as the start Of his professional W
nary. wi
Tho Haen 40 fh