The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-10-21
LOCAL DEPARTMENT,

ADDRESS BEFORE THE TEACHERS INsrI-
dress was delivered Before the TeacherF In-
dermsn z. Richards, last Saturday forenoon.
umns:
FKLLow.TEAcHEns: About twenty four
hours ago ! received kind Invitation from
lecture upon the subjects Of School Disci-
pline, and Physical Cuiture.'n To give a
good lecture In hfteen minutes would require
prepare an Indifferent lecture which would
require an hour to deliver. As have had no
time or opportunity to study out and prepare
topics, l shall just now content myself with
synoptical view Of some of the results to
which have arrived in meditating and talk.
Ing upon these topics heretofore.
And hrst, as the result Of my experience and
Investigation upon the frat Of the topics
named, ! have come to the conclusion that
success IN school discipline depends upon the
ability Of the teacher to keep all his pupils in
terestingly and uscfully cmplo ed while under
his care. lin what have to say now shall
take II for granted that very nearly the same
meaning 10 attached by you to school disci.
pine which Is usually given to school govern.
ment.l school laws, school punishments and
school government are only necessary to make
the pupils do all the good they can for them
selves and hsiittle inJuTyHs possible to others.
satan 10 sure to hnd mischief for the minds
and the hands OF those children who have
nothius ussJu to busy their minds and hands
about.
No teacher can be properly called a good di.-
riplirdridH who depends upon force, or poUCr,
or the rod, In OrdeI 10 keep his school under
proper control. These instFumentalities OF
control are to be used In subduing and con-
trolling brutes, or such of the human race AZ
are under the control OF british dispositions.
This last condition believe to be chiefly the
school or at home. The spirit Of the man
tends upward, and the spirit OF the beast
downward; There is higher and Pobler
principle In the former than In the latter.
The teachRfiA huAincRa ia To VnTk that
nobler principle, which Is In, and can be de.
yeloped In every human being. That teacher
Is weak and unreliable, In moral and mental
power, who feels that he must always resort
to force or the rod 10 order TO control even
disorderly and williully disobedient scholars.
The mightiest power in a human being is mora
ciscd.
While will not say that physical force and
my opinion that the teacher, be he man or
woman, who says or feels that he cannot con-
troll school OF children, gathered from CIV
ilized and Chr stiAn community, without
continual resort, or even q habitual resort to
the rod, should come to the conclusion at once
that the sehoolroom 10 not the place for hi IN.
depend for their success upon their physical
power and skill, and their capability of en-
durance. They base their calculations for sue
cess upon the fact that they know how, when
and where to use the strength OF their long
and weil-trained muscles. So say that the
teasher who wishes or expects to keep
badly trained children under wholesome and
profitable control, must have such training
OF his morsl and mental powers as that he CAP
beforehand salsulato upon just how, when and
where to bring those powers into operation.
his work, far more than book knowledge.
nothing Jet OF the second topic, because / in
tond to dispose OF that In giving you the prac-
tieal part OF my lecture. The Old saying is
that practice is better than precept or theoryi
aud 1t should be borne in mind that It takes
more time to give practical demonstration
than II does to enmnGitte theory. THOSE OF
Therefore am afraid that II attempt to con.
dense clear and practical Demonstration o.
my theory into the remaining part OF my mr.
teen minutes, shall either fall OF stop 10 the
midst ofmy demonstration.
Now, my theory Is, that ir order to secure
feep ali bis pnpils interestinriy employed
while under his care.
First. To do this successfully the scholars OF
same grade Of scholarship.
Second. Every member OF the class must be
punctual TO the minute. The reason 10 OBJ
vious.
Third. They must be regular In attendance,
The reason for this also must be obvious.
Fourth. The undivided attention OF every
member OF the class must be secured! not by
constantly calling for stteRiioni not by scOld.
ins or complaining; not by whippingi but by
so preventing the subject or lesson to the at
teution OF The child that he cannot help being
interested. II you should take hoy or girl
TO the menageris or the circus, would you tnd
II necessary to eDtreAt or scOld at him to make
him give hls attention TO the exhibition Not
bit of II. Whyi Because everything Is so
presented as to attract his attention. In such
. case you need not tell him to be careful and
remember what he secs, for his thoughts will
be so intent that he canDot forget what he sees
or hears.
Fifth. To do this the teacher must have
speci and previous training
l. In making himself perfectly familiar with
what he wishes to teach, and with every
necessary illustration,
2. He must have the details OF every lesson
or exercise so fresh and ready In mind, that he
san master both himself and his subject, for In
doing this he masters his pupils.
.. IIa must not rely on books or printed
forms. Everything taught and every illustrA.
ton uGEt Do ready III his mind, and at his
tongues eud.
1. lie must be able to run his eyes over every
member OF the class, aud look AT each one
right IN his eyo-nOt angrily or impa1ienty,
but lovingly aud earnestly.
Now, We Will suppose that as teachers we
are 10 our schools for the day.
The frat exercise after roll call should be
the reading Of n portion OF the Bible, II the
pupils are able. to read, In concert, teacher and
pupils alternating, and then repeating the
Lords prayer In concert.
81 Singing, in which all should join. Give
song with beautiful march by ALL or some
1oof movement.
Sd. A reading lessen and drill exercise IN
reading, u you please.) Time viii fail for
me to tell how would dfill the class, OF
course, we must govern ourselves by the stage
must be interested In one and the same
thought at the same time, Every ohild's
mind must DO kept upon the stretch to Its