Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1870-03-24
TRENTON. March l2th. 1870


Mr. EDiroR:-
We Weld Ia the wishes oil our people,
in SO far. rs TO send YOU the supplement
tary portion of our Common School
report: dccming the whole too long
perhaps. for YOUR columns.
Yours &c.
Committee.
As proper classification of scholars.
according to their attachments in knowl-
edge. is "A necessary means of efficiency
in all schools. Your Committee have
attended 10 that duty "A, far n practical
BILE scholars have heretofore. cla>scd
themselves. Teachers too. are some
time. guilty in advancing scholars from
class 10 class. far in advance of their
attainments. to please parents with the
idea that they are rapidly advancing.
They are indeed advancing: but in I'll.
wrong dircction-Too many Of our
teachers were advanced in thi, way, and
have no clear perception of what they
propose TO teach: and are, in fact. igno-
rant of the very rudimcnt~. In regard
Ia elias -itication. we found Your schools
in "A bad condition. when scholars are in
classes beyond their capacities. with
which they must keep pace. the efEcc,
j.. 10 give them imperfect ideas al what
they have been over: making their
schooling really ot no value: for what n
boy impcricctly knows he does not
know at all. and cannot in after wears
reduce Ia practice.
Again, our population i perfect
index ot our schools. and our schools Of
our populaiion--ln other words; what
We are made there. we shall mentally
continue la be. II there we form habits
of hastv. and imperfect investigations.
we shall in after life TORN hastv, and
imperfect judgments. where dclibcrt-
lion aud cNaclnes>. are OF the most
vital Importance. Ii j. much easier to
keep scholars well Chased. when once
well done. than il j. - put them back,
when injniicipu>ly advanced. II >chol-
ar, understand they can advance in
classes, only a. they advance in hnowl
edge. il will operate "A. n spur Ia cxcr-
tion, to attain the position they coyct.
Your Committee have been careful in
the examination Of &c lchcr>, thus, Civ
ing our schools the benefit Of more
/ ,chplary attainmcnts. There j. dis
position in all communities. to listen too
much To the tales of children. ana act
ing upon them. 10 the serious detrinent
OF schools. ri. the Com uittee'- duty
TO correct all abuses. to whom com
| plant should be- made. Again. We talk
| disparagiugIy OF teachers before -chnl-
arr. Nothing. hardly i more fatal to
\ the best interest, of our school. children
/ always carry into The school room feel
| ing and rcjudicr.. engendered nj
| home making schools a success, or other
wise. a their predictions are good or
bad. The frequent change OF teachers
is an evil. when YOU get good teachers.
retain them itpu>>ible. II takes precious
| time every term for scholar, 10 become
acquainted with the habits oil new
teacher. and for teachers to understand
/ the habits and wants of scholars. Your
| Committee submit 10 YOUR judgement,
the propricty oi employing competent
female teachers, III some oi our winter
/ al
vantage of greater length of term; re-
Numbering the while, that u short term
with a competent teacher, is far better
| than a long term with an incompetent
one. Economy, as practiccd in the en-
| ployment of teachers. l. often the most
prodigal expenditure. Agents should
not be chosen out of courtesy, or on the
principle OF rotation; but because Of
their fitness, we shall then have teachers
to whom we can cn;rust our children,
to receive their early and most lasting
impressions. Children learn much
more from teacher than is taught from
books, every habit, look and tone. is a
teacher. The uneducated mind is
blank; and shall ignorant rretenders
write thereon! 1t i, in its formative
period; and shall it be moulded BY TN
skilled hands: "As the twig j. bent the
trees inclined;" is an old and often re-
peated aphorism; with which we should
be duly impressed, we can no more ex-
pect strong and vigorous men and wo-
men, intellectually, upon the starvation
fair of too many of our schools, than
we can expect strong, and vigorous
bodies from insufficient or improper
food. If your teachers can present to
each scholar the right kind OF food, in
proper quantities and at proper times,
You build up strong and active man
| hood. Again, your children should not
be sent to school until they are six or
seven years Of age. They never should
be sent to school to learn their letters.
Ler us fee and act as though our Com
mon School System is our most essential
public interest, and that upon It's proper
support and judiciOus management, de-
ponds our present ard future prosperity.
Theoretically. we are all right here:
while practically, we make it subordi-
nate to every other town interest.
Let US inthese matters, sink all minor
differences. aud work for the common
good. Finally, fellow citizens and par
ents, visit your schools. They are or
ought to be, our pride; and we should
cherish them with parental affection.