Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1871-12-07
Reading.
BY MISS BoRToN.

Reading 1S q SupJect WHICH ID luii VI IL
terest to the instructor ofcommon schools
as well as in schools of a higher grade
For as all are aware it is in the common
school, that the great mass of the people
receive all their school education. 1t is
only the few who are so highly favored
as to receive the superior advantages al
forded by Colleges and Universities.
4 The Importance of the formation OF
correct habits in this art, can not be over
estimated. Every teacher knows some
thing of the tenacity with which pupils
cling to early habits, and the difficulty
4 there is in enabling them to overcome
them.
The good readers in our schools, are
comparatively few. Now what is the
cause of itg Some of ii is through the in
f1uence of early training, both in school
and in the nursery. Then there is diff
ference in natural ability. We occasion
ally find those among our pupils whom
we call natural readers; they have lively
Imagination, quick perception and readily
throw themselves into full sympathy with
the writer, aad the words fall from their
lips, freithed with emotion which pos
sessed the author whilst writing them. Buc
while there appears to be great diversity
of natural gift in this art, there is l'ot in
reality so great difference.
! One great cause of there being SO much
poor reading in our schools is thetendency
on the part of pupils to consider the
words in the abstract, never associating d
| single idea higher than the mere pro-
nunciation of them, and this being the
case, (the reading Of course) is about as
monotonous as the turning of a wheel.
This can only be remcdied by awakening
thought, by teaching them to associate
ideas with the words before them. This
may be done in various ways: a teachers
own ingenuity. will usually direct him to
the means of overcoming this difficulty
One essential element of good reading
is-thoroughly understanding what is to
be read. Here comes the necessity ofbooks
being placed in the hands of pupils which
are not beyond their comprehension.
One Of the great difficulties in the way
Of success in this art, is the prevailing
disposition 10 push forward in books.
The good old motto, mot how much,
bat how well,' seemed to be perverted
into not how well, but how much.
/ Now this is partly in fault of teachers
aad partly in fault of parents. Better
j, take whole term in thoroughly master
ing few pieces, t'lan skiming over sew
erll hundred papers without understands
4 ing what has been read
Reading Il sentence in the same tone
until the last word is reached, and then
falling with sudden pitch, stopping to
spell out words by letter. are faults with
which all teachers are quite familiar, and
faults usually resulting from under;akiac :
that which is beyond the ability OF thc
p2pil. The former of these may gcner
ally be overcome by what may be termel
the question method; the latter bv re
qiiTing the pupil either alone or in con
cert with tnc clxss to pronounce the les
son backward, backward rather than for
ward, to avoid the habit Of monotonou,
reading. Nothing, or at least very little
can b. accomplished by cue or two drill.
of this kind, hui it must be frequent.
In this branch ci education. as well u.
! III ~4
be, driN, driU, uniting, unccasing drill.
PLyAtoUTE, INDIANA.
Nov. 24th 1871.
3Iesars. Nc Donald & Chase
In compli
ance with your request take my pen {,
note a few thoughts On the question sub
mitted, which is: -.
Should Grammar as a seperatc stud
be taught in our Public Schools, and
Iso, what is the best method of teaehin
1t?
In answer to the first clause of thi
question, l reply emphatically that
should. First, because it is, to say tn
least, desirable that all our youth posses
some grammatical knowledge, and Sc.
ondly, because the public schools ful
nish the only facilities which majorit
of them, will ever possess for obtainin
z it. Lack of opportunity, want Of fund.
and the growing cares of this busy lii
!, will divert their minds into other chan
- I palc ,,u+;l ,1raerr,o - =. not oxror oet
D mating, to say that four fifths of them wi
e never enjoy the advantages of any highe
: institution of learning; what is done fc
: them, in this, or any other branch {
: science must be done in the publ
i schools, and before they are twenty yeai
d ofage. With regard to the second claus
! what is the best method oftcaching it !?
: lam deeply conciaus of my inability
e Go the subject justice. am fully awal
l. that am behind the times, that hay
n failed to keep up with the progress of th
/ age. In the days of my experience
e that line, steam and electricity did nc
/, rule the world as now, and so far as III
1t own capabilities are concerned, have u
Il faith in machine made granlmaiian
II With me, it is slow process, and ca
ii not be successfully accomplished in
d single term. '.f . u t# q
: Lack Of opportunity, and want of lei
'e ure have prevented my testing, or eve
:, examining the late improved method
i sufficiently to enable me to speak unde
: standingly of them. leave the discu
: sion of their merits to those better qual
; fed, greatly hoping to hear from son
e Of them, and proceed to give my ow
E, plan.
Ii Were to undertake the instruction {
y a class in grammar, as | would like
$ have it, it sho-ald consist of both scxe
e and as large number as had leisure t
n attend. None of them should be und,