Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1871-06-14

ANANnei ~ W A"N e.etNui NhtNu EtthNct
such results, aud which the righ,-thiuking
teachers are individually unable 20 re-
form. The standards Of the system are
false. Ii eOnfounds knowledge with the
verbal representatives Of knowledge. 1t
assumes that a child knows a fact or
principle when he can repeat the words
used to express it 1t considers prompt
ness aud precision in parrOt.reciiatiOn the
measure of good teaching, and thus makes
the acquisition of verbiage the grand OBJ
ject Of primary instruction, and leaves out
Of sight the development of power aud
the acquisition of skill in the art of get
ing knowledge. 1t begins work in the
wrong way, and by largely misdirecting
the child's energies, it prevents his truest
development and culture. And what is
worse than all the rest, it teaches him to
think that he knows when he does not
know, and prepares him for lifelong
delusion with regard to the scope and
character of his knowledge. 1t trains
him to rely on other peoples assertions
when he ought to use his own senses and
judgment. 1t teaches him to regard au-
thority as the ultimate test of truth and
cultivates in him habits of thought which
will practically incapacitale him for an
Independent pursuit of knowledge by dir.
ect personal investigation.
We do not assert that the actual work
of all schools, or of any school, is unmi.
tigqtcd cram, but that the popular system
of instruction fayors cram and, as the
system is more or less thoroughly carried
out, disoourages culture. The average
examination-test may be summed up il
the single question: How many pages Of
how many textbooks have you committed
to memory this term? A true culture
test would rather ask How much mental
growth have you attained how much
mental power have you acquired, how
much skill have you gained in the art Of
learning? If this were the standard Of
good teaching there would be little oc.
casion to ask whether primary instruction
should be memorater or rational.
Whatever ones theory of mind may
be, the fundamental principles Of educa.
tiou remain the same; The beginnings o.
knowledge come from without; keeuness
and accuracy Of sensc-perception, on which
keenness and accuracy Of thought so muct
depend, are gained only by discrimin
ating use Of the senses; rational power il
developed by reasoning; and so on through
the whole range of human capacities. Ii
every case proper use develops ans
siren ngthens faculty misuse and disust
weaken and destroy it, And to one whc
believes that the development ant
training of the faculties of sense and in
tellect should be the chief aim of primary
education, and not the mere storing of thu
memory with words, every attempt t.
teach children what they cannot under
stand will appear nIistimed, absurd, ant
mischieyous and every failure to max,
clear to them what they are required t
learn aud can understand, not less than ;
criminal neglect of duty. The habits o
accepting without comprehending is per
haps the most vicious mental habit t.
which pupil can be trained, and every
system of education that favors it, in 81
far does positive harm.
If there were any lack of educationa
material adapted to the needs and capa
cities of childhood, the attempt to impose
on them matter not SO suited would b.
less reprehensible; but there is no sucl
excuse. The means of true culture arr
practically unlimited, and always within
reach. 1t is shame that they are 81
commonly neglected. Go to any average
scho oil, and you will hear children recit
lug the names Of the productions Of Ota
heite--mere words to them--while they
have no true acquaintance with the pro
ductions of their own school district
They will tell you what the Geography
says of the forests of South America ant
the minerals of the Hindoo-K Koosh, ant
be ignorant of the names and uses Of tn,
trees of the nearest wood, or of the rock
they stub their toes on every day. They
will tell you in so mrny words the differ
ence between an absolute and limiteC
monarchy, and have no conception Of th'
political organization Of their native town
They will give you the rule for calculat
ing foreign exchange, and not know hov
to find the contents Of the wood-pile, o.
the area of their playground. La short
instead Of pursuing wisely-directed ex