Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1872-04-20
GnncatinnaI.
[FoR THE AMERICAN.
Suggestions and Recon III ndatiOns
made TO the School Board Of sun
bury by the aOyyn superintendent.

The condition ofthe public schools, in any
place. will depend very much upon the in
terest which the people of all classes mani
fest in their improvement. II they take no
part or interest in any measures which may
be, or which ought to be set on foot to ad-
vance the education of all classes, the
schools, which have been put in operation
to accomplish this great end, will not meet
with that success which the authors Of the
school system and the friends of the rising
generation expected to follow their wise
and benevolent labors. 1t is necessary TO
to the successful operation of our excellent
system of public schools, that those persons
especially, who are the heaviest tax pay
ers, take an active part in all measures
calculated to promote our great cause.
This is beginning to be the case in many
parts of our State, and especially in our
cities and large towns. And | think
feeling of the same kind is beginning to
make itself felt also in the town Of Sun
bury. The property holders, those who
are the heaviest tax payers, can readily
understand that good schools and gooa
schools buldingsAre some of the strong
influences that can be brought to bear on
the minds of strangers, 10 induce them to
make their homes where such desirable
privileges can be found as are furnished by
good system Of public instruction. Hence
they know that all property improves and
rises in value with every additional I'M
provemcnt in the schools. To increase
this interest, and to encourage this feeling,
| propose to make few suggestions TO
you, and through you to the citizens OF
Sunbury, in regard to the condition and
wants of our schools.
| have, of course, been too short time
among you, and know as yet too little OF
the condition of your schools to be able 10
say much in regard to them. But, even
the limited knowledge | have acquired Of
them, will, l hope, enable mo TO make n
few suggestions that may be OF some SER
vice to you in your future deliberations
and actions.
There is one deficiency in the scholars Of
your schools to which desire to call par
ticular attention. 1t is n deficiency that
exists in many other schools. Indeed, |
think il can be truly said that it prevails
all over the land. ! have reference TO
reading. You have very few good readers,
scarcely any, in your schools. Such de
| tcency causes serious hindrances in all
other studies a pupil, who is not good
reader, can not study any subject with ad-
vantage. He will labor under insurmounta-
bic difficulties, 30 long as he is poor
reader. For, he, who is n poor reader,
can hardly understand thoroughly any
| thing he studies. Hence, in committing
rules and definitions to memory, he learns
words only, and not principles. Therefore,
\ he forgets as fast as he learns.
| One cause of this deficiency arises from
the fact that the young learners have put
into their hands reading books, the senti-
ments and language of which are entirely
| beyond their powers of mind to compre-
/ hend. Can it be expected that young
children, of the age of II or Is years, can
understand the sentiments of the speeches
of Daniel Webster or Henry Clay, deliver
| cd on the most profound subjects of the
| craftsmanship and to such audiences as
/ they had before them in the persons of
J United States Senators? BY no means.
| And yet such is the case in many schools
as well as your own.
Such q deficiency arises very often also
! from other causes, which are found at work
producing their bad effects in the primary
and secondary schools. Distinct and clear
pronunciation of the vowel sounds is often
! too much neglected in the lower schools.
! When q habit of indistinct utterauce has
been formed in early life, it is very difficult
10 break il OF TO change il for better. Such
q bad habit Is sometimes even strengthened