Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-07-08
Spelling.
BY B. C. NoRrHKoP.%

j Spelling should be made very much
more prominent study with the younger
I pupils in our schools, 1t Is often The
last exercise of the session, and not un-
! frequently is deferred till after the
proper "school- .time,n when, in the
WEAKNESS of the pupils and their eager
ness Tor the expected and yet delayed
"dlsmlssion, and the consequent haste
OF the teacher, a lesson which, in antici-
patton OF such a contingency, has been
poorly prepared, is still worse conduct
ed. Instead of being thus crowded to
the last hurried moments of the session,
spelling should hold the front rank,
the post OF honor, certainly IN the lower
grade OF schools. No lesson deserves to
he more thoroughly studied aud care
fully heard. The aim OF the recitation
should not be, as it so commonly is in
practice, to cultivate the Yankee
| shrewdness of the scholar in guessing,
with the privilege OF trying Oh each
word as in riddle or conundrum, till
.he gives it up" One trial is better
than score OF guessses, both TO decide
whether the pupil has mastered the les
son, and TO insure its study i'll future
With beginners, spelling should be the
cE ief exercise, commenced before they
have completed the alphabet, by print
ing every word learned, ON the slate and
blackboard, a useful and pleasant exer-
else even for abecedarIans. ] find how
ever, many primary schools not furnish
ed with states, and some without black
boards. r -"ff- ..'1 R.
Alike for spelling and drawing, print
ing words, and cultivating both the eve
and the hand, the slate, and best of all
the drawing slate" with appropriate
copies and pictures on the frame, should
be furnished to all, especially the young.
est scholars. The Drawing Slate"
costs but two or three cents more than
the common slate. Its use ought to be
universal with little children, alike in
the family and the school. Many
school visitors and teachers in my State
have been easily persuaded during the
last year to supply the primary schools
under their charge with both States and
blackboards. -ar
Instead of being monotonous and me-
chanical drill, spelling by great
variety of methods, should be made an |
and intellectual exercise; pur-
sued not merely to learn the literal ele- h
ments of words, but for the higher aim |
of cultivating the eye and coneeptivel
faculty, acquiring the power to bring
before the minds eye theforn OF q eOord
as q unit, as it looks en- the printed page,
jGatas one would SO carefully examine
: robin, dog, rose, ora picture, as to
be able vivid1yi to recall the image of the
ubject. II is a great and most important
art t. see SO accurately, that ones con-
ceptiOn of visible objects may ever be as
clear and distinct as were the original
This process early devel-
)ped in spelling may be repeated at will
in reference to any objects of perception
and descriptions .and thus the child
gains a new and, invaluable power
which enters into alIfthe graver opera
lions of the mind id natural science,
history, poetry, and the fine arts.
The rules for spelling derivatives are
lot very commonly learned in our
schools, or if memOrized they are not
,omprrhended and practically applied
Certainly a large share of the bad SPELL
ng which have witnessed is chargea-
Die to a neglect of these rules.
Increasing observation confirms my
'elief that the art of spelling may be es-
completed under twelve years
If age. In early life memory is circum-
tantial, and naturally and easily grasps
TENS, details, words, and their forms.
n later years, @hile the memory
rows more tenacious of principles,
facts, and general truths,
retains such minuti@ with difficulty.
secretary offhe State Board of Education, Con- !
necticut. .'r.--ri -..f-.