The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-12-08
Communication.

| To the Editor OF the Columbian
The Common Schools Of our County
will compare favorably with those OF
any other county of this State, with
but few exceptions. In the capacity
and competency of our corps of teach.
ers, and in our buildings and school
room furniture we are keeping apace
with the times in school improvements.
The grade of our teachers is being
raised rapidly by the advantages
afforded. by tho Normal School at
Bloomsbury and academies in the coun.
ty, to teachers in the preparation for
their profession. Yet one thing, in my
estimation, of vast Importance TO the
schools and teachers is being grossly
neglected by the teachers Of Common
Schools, aud those engaged in conduct.
ing our schools of n higher grade. We
have published in this county four
newspapers, which proves very conclu
sively that the people of this county are
a people of reading habits, and yet how
little appears in them regarding our
Common Schools. In which respect we
are behind most other counties-nor is
the fault with our newspaper editors,
but with our teachers and those con.
ducting our schools. The politician dis
curses the issues involved, in he news.
papers-the agrIculturist furnishes to
the public, in printed matter, the best
ways of raising different kinds of veg
etables and grains, and the teacher
should do the same by his constituents
in letting them know the manner of
learning most readily the young idea
how "to shoot,o and such other infOr-
nation as he may have acquired from
experience for the benefit of those who
are engaged in the same profession
No doubt either of the editors of our
county papers would gladly give col.
umn of their paper to be devoted every
week TO the subject of Education-or
en- Educational Column" to be edited
by some teacher. 1t would add matter
of great interest to every family il
properly conducted. Every teacher in
the county and those desirous of writ
ing upon the subject of education
should contribute to the column some
original production of their own, and
1t would soon become In teresting to
teachers, parents and children. Should
an article appear by some teacher with
the writer's name signed, his pupils, |
such as could read, would be very anX- |
ious to see it, and excite an interest |
upon that point in the school. Parents |
would be pleased, seeing that it was the
work of "our teacher" and he would |
Immediately rise in the estimation of
both parents and children, especially if
it were the practice of him requiring
his pupils to write "thoSe dreaded
things compositions" They would at
once see that he did not wish to teach
by precept only but by practice also.
AT one time while / was teaching |
wrote an article on some educational
subject and signed my initials, they
were discovered by some of my larger
pupils to be mine, a paper was brought
to the school room in the morning by
one of thom, and soon number of
them were crowded around table try
ing to get a glimpse of it-one after
another as then came in were told oft
and finally small boy came to me and
asked, "teacher did you ,crite what is in
the paper there ?" 1 was asked fre.
quently afterwards when 1 would write
again for thepaper. l instance this to
show what interest can be created in
the proper place.
Every teacher should be ready
and unless he makes an attempt
he will never become proficient. Every
teacher as / have said before can gain
access to the columns of some paper
published in the county, through which
he can impart the results of his expert
ence or of his reflections. Suce course
will benefit the writer and at the same
time will awaken Others of the same
profession to thought and action. In
this way the attention, not only of
teachers, but parents, will be called to
the work of education. One mind may
move thousand. Teachers can through
the press discuss every question per-
tanning to their duties, as thoroughly in
this way as at associations or institutes,
and perhaps better. The newspapers
in our county are instruments that have
as yet been employed too little for edu-
cational purposes. Il.
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