Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-07-03
Show studies.


Editor .S'ar--In your leader of the 18th ult
headed 1.-The School Examinations, - an instance
of physiology made a show study" is related.
Presenting you allude to class L examined,
please permit a correction.
The class is well acquainted with the subjects
treated in Cutters Physiology, as well as those
illustrated by their charts. They were not espe-
Cially prepared by assigning each subject to a
particular pupil in advance. because did not
know their names and frequently, 10 save time,
called on a second or third person to continue a
subject began by another; and such a course
would have been fatal TO 50 dishonorable plot to
deceive the public. They used no form OF words
found in books, but described the subjects in
the case Of the lady called suddenly to complete
description Of the eye was caused by dedfness
not ignorance. She Is known as a very bright
scholar. The teachers remark to me-rnisin-
tCrpreted hy yOur informant thus, I" She hasn't
studied the eve; she illustrates the ear''-was
really this: - She don't understand you; she
neither
This explains a cruel mistake; no doubt the
word hear was thought by your informant TO be
egr. TIE method OF teaching persued with the
class was the same followed by the best medical
instructors in the country and will bear as severe
examination a. any class In the public schools
think Ten years experience in the practice of
medicine and teaching Of physiology, give me
some knowledge of such subjects, and I have
convinced myself that the class will .'shOw"
vel III any portion of the study, and that they
have been faithfully taught.
Charts and illustrations on the board are in
valuable A. means of Instruction. The mere
HCf OF drawing educdreS the eve. and impreSSeS
The memory nothing else can. Instead of
having less, YOU should have more OF il in your
schools. The best educators everywhere will
agree On this point In fact, the day is fast
coming when textbooks will be discarded almost
entirely. ard oral instruction, illustrated by board
and chart, take their place.
hear tie charts exhibited at the two Gram
mar schools were not drawn during school hours;
and therefore did not take time from other
studies.
H. regard to the proportion of time which
rwN~ . 10 ~ to 1lal -
stud,s, il II important to inquire first, ''what
are practical studies, and how far are they really
PRACTICAL"
have seen classes examined in arithmetic
by tie half hour in your schools, and not half
the questions asked and problems solved, were
such Is would be met by the pupil outside the
The Young ladies Of Washing ton acquire about
all the PRACTICAL knowledge Of arithmetic they
need before entering the grammar schools, and
have spent hours over impractical problems be-
sides. 1t Is far more important that Miss Smith
should understand the process of digestion on
which side the body rests the liver, and how to
care Tor the baby brother, or nurse the invalid
mother, than that she shall know how TO sex
tract the square root" and be able to solve the
'grindstone problem" in the University Arith-
metic.
A knowledge Of the laws of health, the methods
of preventing pain, and prolOnging life, is of
daily Use, and the effort TO acquire such, inform
as fully mathematics.
one kind of knowledge saves life, the other
may save dollars. To which study ought the
most time TO be devoted in public schools?
annOt close without saying that, after attend
ing many examinations in your city, il Is my
opinion that few cities in our country are bless
ed with as coed, and none with better schools.
School Cfhcers, teachers and pupils, all seem to
strive to excel in everything.
JosEPH W. Cliff, VI. D..
Our information does not quite agree with that
Of our correspondent in regard to what occurred
in the examination of the class in physiology II
~r,aS
said about defective heating on the part of one
of the class excuse for failure to answer, it
was also said that the different members of the
class had devoted themselves to specialities Of
the study. We do not disagree with our CORES
pOndent as 70 the value Of physiology if studied
Gnderstandingly, and we hope that the agreea-
bic impression left upon the mind of the youth
tul doctor by the charming young ladies OF the
IEysiolOgy class in question was well founded
without entering into the discussion what are
practical stndes'' it viii be a surprise 10 most
readers TO hear that the pupils learn all
they need 20 know Of grammar and arith-
Inetic before they reach the grammar school
That this is unsafe theory is shown
by the fact that the school in question broke
down in both these studies, while showing of so
satisfactorily-Or to the satisfaction of our cor
respondent, at least-in physiology.
"cNOlu Suggest, ho"e'ef, Inht III tne list OF
branches studied In our public schools is TO be
materially enlarged, that Of instruction In cook
cry should not be neglected. Let the young
lady, while learning the process Of digestion,
learn also how to prepare food M for digestion
Then the liver will rest well wherever it rests;
the baby brother will not come to grief through
colieky pap, and the days Of the invalid mother
will not be shortened by heavy bread.
As regards drawing in the public schools,
there can be no doubt Of the usefulness of the
study when IL really teaches the pupil TO draw
by the eye, from nature, off-hand but the
iabOriously built up show pieces displayed on
examination day no more illustrate q real
knowledge Of drawing than would 60 many
designs worked in Berlin wool.
There seems u be no doubt Of the nomination
of Hon. VIM Pinkney whyte as the democratic