Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-11-30


EDroR DsxocRAr Your article upon
this subject in Saturdays issue 10 too true
for burlesqus. Nor was it, think, writ
ten in that vein, for, however strange it
may appear 10 the public, candor cempsls
the admission that these meetings are such
a. you have 80 humoreusly skstched.
How, whea or where these rsun sns''
originated, is unimportant but it is perth
nent to ask why they are continued under
their present management, or in what they
benefit those who attend, 1t will net bs
argued they are necessary fer the teachers
to receive their salariss-that business can
be. and is, dispatched in ten minutes. The
solemn formalitiss Of organization, Scrip
ture reading, hymn singing and extsnpo-
raneous praying, are in most instances, sn>
titled 10 profound respect. But when time
and place are disrsgardsd, and these sxsrcis.
- become mechanically stsrsotyped and mo.
notensus, they cease TO be source Of sdi6ea-
tion. 1t may gratify lthe ambition Of .
small mind to summon, once . month, the
teachers Of the city and entertain them for
an hour with such dsvotious and then en-
gage their attention for another hour in
dsscantiDg upon the moral and radical util.
ity Of paradoxes that affront common sense
and barren facts that generate no conclu-
sion. 1t may swell mans sslf-impertanes,
and enlarge his own conceptions Of him.
self to preside On those occasions, and,
Like Cate, give bis little SENATE laws,
And sit attentive 70 his own spp!ause,''
though il may b qusetioned in what this
exhibition Of human weakness viii benefit
either teachers or pupils. Waving, hew-
ever. the discussion Of th1 question from
this stand -psint, il 10 Undesirable that ma
jority Of the teachers are heartily sick Of
these msstings, ewisg y the isoIcid an je-
june character Of the proceedings.
The "gsnsral lessons, very esnsral"-
brought forth with such fseusditv are. ler
tho msst part. like the wisdom sf 0od,-
they surpass oil understanding. This 10
evidenced BY the fact that Il the last meet
ING esly "six teachers tosk notes" Of them.
And Of these six not more than I've will
bsther their brains to make their pupils ap-
preciate the abstruss learning supposed to
bs contained in these general lsesons."-
The reason for this action on the paIt Of The
teachers 10 obvious. These genera, lsseene''
are too ismy and utspian for an aes like
this. They are based upon modified form
81 What is known to sdSaneed philosophers
- the "dsvslopment theory"
The writer Of this has no wish = spssk
sught against this theory in " plsos. He
would % sson be guilty Of . libsl On the
s'Nor.h Pole" No man who lsvss bic kind,
and feslinely remembers his increasing pen.
derosity from childhood 70 yeutb, from
youth to manhood, will rashly disputs the
truth Of the dsvelop0spt theory. Bat
granting this, and cepse ding that . "Sunday
School newspaper picture Of Jshn Aliens
recent dsvslspsmsnts" may b edifyisg,
and sstn svanssllieally amusing. such sub.
jscts are mot exactly In place in : schssl-
room. II that room be public enc. Again
A great mind may exhibit its powers in ~
saying to prove dsmsnstratiou before .
class Of six ysar>olds that the Law
Of gravitation 10 hunbug bseauss tie =
pillary attrastioo. 1sxor muscles, whio
humsr. Or innate "cusssdnsss" sf . rat ter
risr's tail makes il curl upward frea the
esntre oft earth With On cir Of iudepsnd
ent Vengeance su0lcisnt to life the little
fellows hind legs ID the ground.
Such 10 IN outline Of the exercises and
general lsssens-vsry gsnsral'' Of the
Aud. now, in all seriousness,
will the city Sopsrintssdsnt, whe 10 ssspsp.
sible fsr these things. infsrm % Why 50
mueh time 10 wasted, and Why % much par>
ade. and Turvsy drop formality upoa these
occasions. Dses he really consider swcA
things important sr believe himself either
morally or legally justified. 10 forcing their
discussion ad nsuseans. uopn sorps Of an
bilious teachers willing to learn ali that 10
valuable in their profession
1n another communication will appear
some susgsstisns - 70 hew tsAehess nset-
|nRo oheuld b oooduotsd.
DoveDpoft, New. %. looo. +. ".