The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1869-12-09

When we consider the amount OF time devoted
10 teaching reading, In our Common Schools
tho question might be asked, with great pro-
prIety. What Is the reason we have no better
readers7 About half Of the time In school Is
devoted 10 reading. The highest classes In
reading, generally. reclte twice each day, some
times more, while the lower classes, read, read,
read, all day long, they con over their reading
lessons from the opening Of the school In the
morning, ill itS dismissal at night and from the
beginning OF the term to is ending. You can
h ardlv enter the schooI-roOm at any hour Ofths
dav. but como class IL on the floor reading.
ReadIng seems to be the main branch taught at
school. Great attention TO readiug Is demanded
Of the teachers. by the parents and directors.
Cases arc known where teachers failed 10 give
so many reading lessons when parents com.
planed 10 the directors Of the teacher being care
less. and too Indifferent and the teacher was
or,ered 10 reform or he would be dismissed. In
noticing this an OJerrsr might rejoice al the
result; !; for he would naturally conclude that
the public was bent on having reading Taught
thoroughly In our schools. and he would guaran-
tee good readers ID short time, but how utterly
mortified would he be nt the result After at
tending school for yCars, perhaps, the pupil
elects from between the walls Of the school
house, poor reader and often 1t might be as-
serted no reader at oil.
Amer noticing 90 much attention TO reading on
The part of the parent, teacher aud pupil, and
that they failed In reaching the desired result,
he would naturally ask, Is the knowledge Of
reading hard to acQulreP Of, Ii properly Taught
In our schoOlsl A negative answer TO the last
clause of the question would In most cases solve
the problem. There seems TO be but ono method
Of teaching reading, II that falls the object IL a
failure. Tue method 10 BY syllablAcatlon, BY
dividing q word Into syllables and uniting them
BY the rules OF prOnunc atlon. when that Is done
with ease and celebrity, The object is attained,
This method seems to be grand routine. No
attention, whatever, ls given " the principles
and rules Of reading. How often do We hear
teachers, on opening school making announce
menta similar 20 these "Class 10 the Filth
Reader will take the first Two lessOne for their
hrHt lesson" 'Class 10 the Fourth Reader one
lesson" &c. Then IN a few mlnules the Flnh
Reader Class is called 10 rccite. Then comes
q bustle known and realized snly by the teacher.
Some hunting their readers others their lessons,
and not one OF thom had studied his lesson,
Studying reading lessons IL sonleth lug unknown
10 most schools, specially blythe higher classcS)
Then comes reading. John al the head III the
claes reads the frat verso, aud II james the next
In the class, get ready for tho second verse by
the time John ls through With the hrst, we'll
aud good, II not he may expect . rebuke from
the teacher for the tardlneGs, No attention ls
required 70 the reading, Of the rest VI the class
except when each one reads, and the attention
Of the teacher Every oftenl ls not given 70 Il al
ell unless called, when one OF the scholars meots
with come big word, which he Is not ablo to
pronounce. The teacher pronounces that and
The old routine is resumed. The teachers deem
unnecessary 10 pay any attention 10 the rea ding
| Of the higher classes while they read he Is very
frugal In pushing on some other department In
the school, such as Primary Grammar, Mental
Arithmetic, OF some class OF small children Ia
biography. When the class is through, the
| the teacher announces the amount Of the next
lesson, without max Ing any remaFke on the
reading; without calling the attention OF the
scholars 10 some difficult passage In the a1sOn !;
without paying any attention, whatever, 10 the
different pauses, letting clone emphasis, the n