Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-09-02
EDUCATIONAL.
BY ID. ID. l.ikB.


means Tor the education of IFS people than
the United States. In il education is uni
versal and every one. whether rich or
poor, has the opportunity TO receive AT
least common school education. Rut
while we piide ourselves with our schools
we too often neglect their primary object.
We frequently view them ms we would n
massive marble building. We 90 by the
building behollins its magnificence and
its greatness but think little OF its contents
or trouble ourselves about what is done
within its walls. We do not think ofopen
ing ire door 10 m Ike ourselves fumiliar
with lie conduct Of its inmates, but take
for granted all is wei. that looks well. So
with our schools too little attention is
given them by all concerned, since the
system looks good 1t is taken
for granted that all is well. Thus
schools always continue To move as
il were in groove, never passing
out of il 10 see whether they are up with
the times or whether they are really ac-
comprising any good for The community.
OF the many REQUISITES necessary to make
them what they should be the text
books used Constitute a very importan.
element There are N my school books 10y
different authors all Of which claim support
and among SO many some are bet
ter than others and worthy of patronage.
But where there Is one good text book
upon a particular subject there is rs a
general thing ten Indifferent ones there
fore To- get the best should be our
aim and, great care taken 10 have uni
thorough scholars with inferior text books.
n man building for himself a fine mansion
will never use an inferior quality of stone
for the foundation but will get the very
best. The first steps of education is
the foundation and the material us ed in
laying that should be Of the best, else the
superstructure will be of no service,
and 10 make it scrviccable will re-
qlire double labor. Thus many must go
out Of our schools with very imperfect
education since they will not have The
time to commence anew.
We frequently hear parents say that :'icir
children are getting along so slowly; tina.
they have been going to school for five or
six years snd have not learned To read as
they should; that in their estimation the
teacher is not worth cent But while
there is occasionally a teacher not ''worth
cent" they are not always to blame, as
the true cause of their chiIdren's poor
reading is in the kind of text books from
which they are compelled to read. Our
literature is constantly advancing and text
books 10 supply our wants must be Of the
highest Standard Hence il is that children
taught to read from books Of inferior litera>
ture cannot read in any Other of a higher
grade. For instance pupil who can
read with ease from McGufYy's third or
fourtl, reader cannot read at al from the
corresponding grades Of Wilson's or Ed>
ward 5. McGuffy's series has been re-
vised ut different times and each time The
literature Of the books has been reduced
tn lower standard and at present of all
the different readers published McGuhy,s
stand the lowest in style and literature.
That the McGaify rea,ler has had its time
is evidenced by the reaction of our best
schools, which results 10. throwing 1t
out and adopting better hook. Another
is that pupils taught to read from IL
with ease canhot read ut all from any thing
else. 80 300 %.
One Of the main causes which keeps
these books in our schtols Is that pupils
read them without any effort upon their
part or that of the teacher. Teachers are
relieved from the herculcan task of assist
Ing their pupils 10 master difficulties; hence
they recommend them as number one
reading books not because they think that
the books possess great merits, but because
they supply the demand of their lsziness
We would like 10 see better reading
book in onr schools, and if we are to
make good readers Of our pupils there
must be a change. In this the majority
of our ablest PREACHERS will concur.
There are many reading books far SUI
periorto those Of McGuffy and In making a
selection from the many we cannot posi-
bly, worse the condition of our schools in
this particular. Hence would urge
parents, teachers and school officers
10 consider the matter seriously
with view to change and to establish
uniformity, and thus assist us to make
our schools worthy Of their name, be they