Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1870-09-03
For the Register,
To Teachers,

vice, Fsstina ienie, (has'en slowly
should be engrsven over the door oil eve
~ school room. Pupils mus, have time
20 accu.lon themselves 10 the require.
mep,s of The school room and to form
habits of study. Little By liltle and
line upon Iiae," mus. the teacher prac-
tice in orde5 TO make the seed sown take
roo, and grow. The soil is often so bar.
rem that i. takes gres, labor 10 make it
productive. We nigh. as well expect an
unbroken colt TO be useful as TO expect
children to learn and progress rapidly in
their studies unul they have acquired
habits of application and thought. The
body, voice, memory and mind have all
to be educated 10 some degree, before
any great things can be accomplished.
Teachers can not follow the loose con-
slruc,ion OF the declaration, "All mel are
created Tree and equal" as children DIFF
fer widely in their ability and sp,ness 10
learn, and must be kept under restrain,
in order TO check the untutored spirit OF
youth and ",rsn the child in tho way he
should GO" As The "twig is ben, the
trees Inclined" and If pupils are not
started RICH, their whole educational
course will be one of STUN bling. and they
will find the truth in the reply Of the
Grscian philosopher, tina, "'he mos, diff
cult Thing 10 learn is, TO unlesrn what has
been badly learned" Let pupils be we'll
grounded in rudimentary branches before
before they are advanced TO more difficult
ones and the road to science will be less
rugged.
Many have been the opinions express.
ed as to the amount Of confinement, young
children should be subjected TO, but the
most experienced judges declare three
hours as much as children between The
ares OF 6 and 10 years can stand without
injury, and whenever they become list
less and languld they should, at once, be
dismissed. How have teachers had their
patience tried in their efforts 10 keep The
lntle. tired ones STILL who were exerling
themselves 10 relieve their WEAKNESS. A
tired mind faigues the body, and d's-
tineuished meiaphyslclsn and physlolo'
pisl has stated tina, t,C0 hours Of brain
work wearies The body more than four
hours Of manual lsbor. and men, who
have tried i, can testify Of lis truth.
After The children have learned 10 read
with ease and pleasure TO themselves and
can divide words readily in.o syIlabIes,
thew should be gradually advanced in
Their studies II sufficiently physically
developed to handle pen with facility
they should be put 10 writing. with pen
and ink Oh paper and no, with pencil on
a slate, as this lss, retards their progress
and causes them to learn VIVA, they have
10 "uLl1arn" with the pen. The success
IN writing will depend upon the practice,
attention and aplness for Initiating, and
the character Of the copies. The more
uniform the copies are the sooner fair
hand wriHHg will be acquired.
Pupils al this slage Of advancement.
and even later, should, in our opinion,
never be given tasks out OF school, though
we cannot always have our preference,
because their minds are taxed enough dur
ing the day and they should feel, when
school is dismissed, that they ere free 10
enjoy their youthful sports unuI next
dsv. The thought that a task has TO be
learned takes away all enjoymen, from
child who has been trained 10 obedience
and duty.
In order 10 cultivate The memory and
form the habit If memorizlng end put
tina, faculty 10 practical use, easy lessons
in geography may be COMMENCED. bn, in
this,as in other things. the teachers should
select books that are not too cumbersome
and filled with things hard 10 be under
STOOD even by Older heads. 1t is difficult
at best, to impair, to children knowledge
of geography, IS the form, motion and
products Of the earth, seem TO con-
lrsdict their own experience Of things but
when The suhjec, matter is arranged, IS
mos, primary biographies have it. the
chiG has TO grope his way in utter darkness
unless the teacher has the time and talent
to make the lessons easy" We have
tried many biographies bot those Of Com.
modore NJ. +. Maury, "lhe pathfinder
! Of the sea-" as The sailors call him, re-
Gently published, as part Of the UniveHl'
ty Series. are the most practical, simple
and bcs, arranged biographies tina, have
ever been given 10 the public, In the
FRS, Lessons" he lskes the pupil on an
imaginary voyage around the world and
on journey through it's diferen, coun-
tries. giving the work all the inieres. and
variety Of book Of uavel and adventure,
and riveinq the attention OF the pupil by
describing countries and scenes which
the ,uthor has himself visited. The
children readily comprehend all tina. is
said and are as much interested as they
would be in some "lsry story" told a.
round The Preside on a winters evening.
1.-The " orld We live in.' is more en-
Iar1ed view of the same countries and is
prepared upon The same principle oil pro-
gressive development and fitness TO the
pupils capacity, avoiding, as fsr as posi-
bic. all dry details and isolated facts. de-
scrrbing in groups countries having stint
lar climates. features and products, in
steal Of taking each one separately, thus.
by correct Classification aiding The mem.
oty. In this way the pupil Is lead on
and prepared for the more extended en-.
Qniry and analysis which is found in the
"Msnusl OF Geography"
| II The pupils nowadays had the same
confidence in their teachers tia, the dsci-