Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1868-04-02

II I| s.
Harrassing, 13 Impeached L
Misdeed, 4 Sinister, 4
Brazilian, IL Atrecious, 8
Mannerly, 5 Obeisance, Z
Courtesy 5 Etiquette, 5
Insolvency, 3 Sutler, 9
Embezzlement, 6 Disannul, 3
Rescind, 5 Mischievousness4 4
Opiate, 8 Halcyon, IL
Chiseling, 6 Hussars, II
Vacillating, IA Semicentennial, Is
Ribsldry, l Grossness 8
Condoling, Misanthropic, 8
Inimical, 5 Swaggerer, IL
Emblazon, Hydrophobia, Z
We take the above from the CALI
polls Journal. AS the statement
stands, it is suggestive enough, but
it would have been more satisfactory
had the Journal informed us how
many of the twenty applicants for
teachers certificates received them.
We should like to know the ortho
graphical standard of the Gallia Ex-
amining Board Four were unable
to spell naisdeed correctly; nine failed
on the word atrocious; fourteen on
voeillating; nine on sutlsr; and so on
Were certificates denied to all or to
any of these2 We infer from the
table that all of the applicants miss
ed some of the words put out to
them, and that some of the applicants
missed all of them. Ability to spell
correctly used to be regarded fun
damental in education; and this abil-
ity was formerly far more general
than it is now. We do not believe
that the common schools of to-day
turn out as good spoilers as those of
thirty years ago.
The fault in part rests with
the Examiners, and, back of that,
with the Probate Judges who appoint
the Examiners. If they give certif
Gates to those who do not possess
the requisite qualifications, they are
either unfaithful or incompetent, and
are guilty of abusing great public
trust In either case they are unfit
for their place, and should be no long
er allowed to impose on parents and
tax payers.
We could not join in any severe
criticism of these applicants who
failed so miserably in spelling words
in common use. They are the VIC
tins of bad system. They proba-
bly, did the best they could with the
advantages afforded them. But wa
ter will not rise higher than its
scource. If principals and teachers
of public schools can not spell, par
ents must not expect that they will
teach their children to spell. A man
can not teach what he does not know.
And hence many pupils are simply
deceived as to the nature and extent
of their requirements. They have
gone over certain routine-so much
ground-and believe that they have
"got" an education, because they
are told so by instructors that know
no better A bright pupil once said
to US, with evident pride, 81 am
studying Green's Analysis but
little questioning soon showed us
that he had not the first idea of the
relative position of words, and their
proper arrangement in sentences
could not, as the term is, parse. The
sham of declarative and conditional
phrases, few big words, and glitter
ing generalities, concealed his igno-
rance from himself, and deluded him
into the notion that he was an ad-
vanced scholar. And we say that
those trained under such system, if
training 1t can be called, are objects
of pity rather than of censure. They
are not the offenders-they are the
victims of a cruel imposition. They
have capacity enough to learn to
spell all the English words in COM
mon use-to parse-to acquire good
English education; but they have not
the opportunity. The schools do not
do what they profess to do-what the
taxpayers pay them to do. In any
half decent system Of instruction
would young lady who could not
spell misdeed be applying for a
Teachers certificate? Should we
see boys, In blissful ignorance OF or
biography and syntax, put into the
higher Arithmetic, Algebra and His
tory?
The evil noted by the Journal is
not local-it is merely local mani
festation OF q wide spread disease
And we think the time has come for
discussing its nature and its remedy.
We happily have heard nothing ad-
verse to the qualifications OF any one
employed in our public schools, and
therefore we can write freely, with
out the fear of being personal before
our ewes. We would state the case
fairly, if possible without injuring the
!, feelings of any one, but fearlessly ana
impartially in the interests OF 'ne
public. We know that our citizens
are restiye under the present state Oh
their schools-that they are In
natient for their improvement. oir
avn opinien is that the present
Directors have, as a general rule'
managed as well as any that nave
nrsceded them. Whatever faults
NAV attach to the schools are due to
system and not to individuals, and
no Director could do more without q
radical change. Textbooks, the
9 method of teaching, the quallfca-
? tions of teachers, their salaries, the
} character of examining boards. tine
4 mode of appointing them, the kind OF
l directors required-all these topics
t must be made subjects OF full and
: free discussion, and, if need be, oi
: thorough revision. And when oul
citizens will look at these questions
on their own merits, aside from rings
or clioues that has each us OWE
/ private ak to grind, and decide ,, 70 e,e sne
: interests of the schools, we span =, nop'
r fer better things, but not till then.
i Ed. GALLrroLrs JOURNAL
III W. rotr,ru the con,