Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-04-07
A Talk with Teachers.


openei again for the summer term. Inc chill
dren VII gather once more 20 resume the ln'a-
ris5is round Of reading. writing, geography aua
Arithmetic It is the same old story term 2iiei
tern sni wear after year and i Is no WONDER
tbst even bright BOYS ana girls sometimes md
isdau routine. Especially Is IT 50 when the
ssboo.-uA'am simply " keeps school an
o. near. lessons 30 without teaching al Gil. NOT
that the keeping and the less0n-hearlnE are not
par, Of the teachers duty but we mean 10
imply that they do not constitute the whole OF
H-tbst both thess things combined DO n1-
make the teacher
When we consider nov much tIule is 1svo'e- %
the two staple studies arithmetic aud geos'4i-''
and vet how poor d training and outht ~ ih1-
Is actually furnished in mos, schools W AT
disposed 70 inquire if better use cannot zee -'i-
ola norton. st least. Of the time usus-y assign
ed 70 then. II il lust D lssibe thai geography is
introduced 100 soon-thsi Is, geography as gen
ersiiv mr. presente5. 10 a textbook, And a-s2
ina, IN. ,7ro,e.ses Of Logical arithmetic cipher
inc ami the rest-fud place 81 too early
poiDt IN the eiusstioua. course Certainly the
svs-sv. outcsue seems slight, when We consll-
e- Al whs- az outay Of time and labor
il has been produced il is safe 20 say,
that moth these urEnches could be deferred
for -ro yesrs. All grammar for still longer
period 81 ys, The pupils be furnished az the age
o. fifteen. vi-1 fuller and more scientific sni
more usa1.e knowledge Of al three than they
nov posses Tue poverty Of results accruinE
from our SCHOOLS IS nov managed, Is due parity
Co fa,se and uuproiuctve methods Of instructor,
ba- partly also 90 the fac. t1st the dt time ior
beginning these studies j. uuWise.7 anticipate
Weariuess an DISCUS are the 700 FREQUENT re-
suits Of the ed5-t % force the infant mind. ln-
aa.e g. grasp TIE su6jscu presented, getting al,
empty words ia place Of ideas falling 90 ger
through tls huss TO the kerua-. l- clnce.ves au
indifference or al aversion 10 tae uu1ompra-
aeadei science taat seldom, often never wear
wholly AVA
But whst does tle ordinary graduate of the
public sch9s.-sly az fifteen yezr--knov Of the
world il which be Huis himself. How unszll-
eibeis IL me tares RS. everybody can testify.
de hnds himself surrounded with countless OBJ
i-cts of sigh, ar- touch, with most Of which be
has but the lenierest Acouainance The curiosity
that was g. quick and restless a. the age CT i've.
isu.v .angcii. l.tlsss. al but dead. Iepresssl
bg ths artificial drill Of the scHoo.--o1a-. Before
tie sohoo. seized upon him be was eve. OF ths
alert Al eye, o. ear- experimenting witt
touch z4i taste by actua. trn. solving biz
own questions So far a. be vas ahe- and p-.-
cling bis elders by h.s incefsaat What and
Hov
be was working out his Own oiuslti9a l7u-
by hour, getting b wider kn0wleire OF ttr..
and 10y conta,r with things constantly develop
ing and Strengthening his own powers Whist
kaoEieige ne gaInei was Hrst-1aai ir vs= bis
owl. IT was zeal knowledge that is. know
edge OF reaiites, and no mere e1l-ra Of book 0r
teacher. lie understood as far IS ne went. an
went iust as fast as be understood HIS parants
may have thought he was wasting bis time b-.
he was learning faster and more thoroughly
are sure Of it-thaa after be came unia- The
hand Of the professor Of AB e.. Under tns
guidance q his i've senses, he learned facts lr
II be did not. be was 10 me way OF correcting
all me errsrs AT schoo. ne 20, si-us ami sym
bols, whose use and meaning were tu. dim.T
perceived. He ceased gradually TO learn from
things. AM osme more AZ moe TO- trust O.
books. Tue sun rose II the east. for b. the book
said So In Al srithmetical computation be 1l-|-
upiiei OF divided, because e.. the rule said
Il be wished 70 knox how many bones there were
10 his hand, Or now many legs -y hs-. be
looked ID a book 70 see He rad become the
slave Of the book lie mad ceasei, 10 d great
measure, 70 use his own eyes and bis own i1iE-
ment, and had come 20 mistake words for tAlnes
and sentences for truths Iu the scl1lI-roou
his sslf-rei-anea his 1neaul iHispeaieucs.
iEiniied away AID ms know eire-aa1 81 bis
poWer-was conditioned % WhEt be could rs-
nea.ber Of his Lessons aud rules
This representation may SEN unfair aud enc
aided. We could wish there were 40 grounds
for j, We know there Is q neral movement ia .
the educational world toward better methods .
methods III conformity with the nsture both ottaa .
child and Of taIugs-methois inst are designed
T. stimulate and guide the native curiosity ofths .
live, irrepressi5.e. often puzzi Il ani unansve--
able little interrogation pom Bur we know
too. that this change is Wor lil e but slowly iu .
the schools Of this State.-ths t the old ruts orr
deep and hard TO leave that the old traiiuols
have rrm and tenacious grip on all, or nearly .
al, our primary school teachl ID. They may nc.
be SATISFIED with the ways II ey follow. but they
know, and 20 can employ, no otHe- Should
they leave the beaten path, De- would be utterly
at tea. Besides. new ways " 3uEd require though
ami study Better neJa3 q might necsssiaia
some work on their part TIN consideration.
however, Will stumble ally those wa1 ought
never 10 hsve thought of school vors-nl- tta
true teartr, her VINO is 8. called % 10 this high
Office To suaa one we have suggestion 90
make
BY the tine your scho3I opens. spring viii
hsve come IN good lrnest The earth viii be
covered with pl4uu and aovers the sir be-
toll % birds an II sects. Why NOT
AXE up some de ,x-1ment Of Nstur4- History
on may not be verse; 10 any branch Of 10. and
10 hesiiste 20 n axe the attempt. Never mind
an you not learn DO you not know at least
Is much abe j; {, as the tsn-yesr-olis. and car
ou not ler n as fast as they suppose you
hoose Bot lny,--ou the whole, perhaps. tine best
rsnch for The experiment you would make DO
l4tter IF YOU cannot tell a stsuen from an xxi,
earn ~ teaching, you know. &c, O. COPY Of d,
i,s loumAns' Firsi-B33t Of B0ilng ID Ap- 4
letou IS Co.. n y. J. q system of object lessons. ,
be most suggestive and helpful book Tor begin y
ere lay pupils from SIX 70 ten years oidl thai b
re nave yet seen. Read her very sensible pre- s.
ace snd suggestions TO teacher examine the &
umerous Illustrations and accompanying schel- 81
ies note bow gradually and with what or b.
cry sequence she develops the elements Of the Sc
'ienee without confusion, or mixing Of veEe'-
bic physiology see now IN the examination Of
af. stem, flower and roo; successfully. she ez- q
-cises aud trains the powers Of observation. So ID
ert a, tbis age, but which the old method ne as
ects and then ask yourself if you cannot oe
OK - simple, 50 practical, scheme We
axe ne question that your pupils would re-
ice in 1t. that your own enthusiasm would be
ndlei by it. and that the plant lessons would
among the most useful. as they would be
ire to be the most delightful, Of the whole term
Our reason FOR giving TINS advice We
.uuot state here. bot happily there is lite
ed. for you VIII ind g capital discussion Of
e whole matter 10 an essay al the end Of the
ok, which we wish every jesche- might read.
ark, and iuwArdIy iiEest This essay alone is
arth the price Of the book. BY the time the
msuer schools Of 1872 oner W. bo-s t5o