Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1872-01-11
EDUCATIONAL COLUMN.
Looking Ahead.

valuable suggestions on How to
Avoid Sameness." We have long re
| garded sameness- as one of the most
difficult obstacles in the way of sue
cessful teaching. If the school were
a factory and education a manufacture,
nothing could he more disirable than
the most perfect system and uniformi
.ty throughout; bnt as long as the raw
material has a will OF its own, and
struggles and kicks as it almost invari
ably does during the first stages of the
process, and at last often loses its iden-
tity, we are led to inquire if so much
moulding is entirely necessary.
1t is a great misfortune to those who
are getting an education that they can
not know and appreciate what they
need until they get it, and hence must
often grope in the dark Education is
presented to them in an nnpalatable
form. 1t is given too often, like the
physicians prescription, in disagreea-
bledoses, and is regarded by the schol
ar as a nauseous medicine. A little
Mathematics just after recess, and two
paragraphs of Reading last thing in
the forenoon; ten minutes in Geogra-
ply at two, and, if the patient is con-
valescent, a moderate dose of Gram
mar at half past three in the afternoon.
is the ordinary prescription, and we
think it is good one. But how to
get the pupil to take it-there's the
rub. If reading could be made as in
eresting as looking at pictures, and
Mathematics as ''Odd o: even, IF Ge-
ography should be transferred into a
nice game of Countries l have secn,"
and Grammar be deprived of its name,
then going to school, would be just
fun. Can this transformation be made :?
This is the great question with teach
ers; AMI various plans and systems of
instruction hare been proposed. and
new changes are now being introduced.
Whatever may be the result. certain it
]
was once known and feared for his
prowess, is passing off the stage.
One of the most important p"inci-
pies of the new system, as far as de
. veioped, is, that there can be no true
education unless the interest of the
pupil is excited. And that he may be
interested in his work, he should un-
|. derstand as clearly az he can, what he
is doing.
To excite and retain the interest of q
class of pupils during all the recita-
tions Of a day, is the triumph of the
teachers art. 1t very often happens,
indeed, it might be said, most always,
that the first few recitations in new
branch of study determine whether it
is to be interesting and profitable to
the class or not; and suggestion or
an explanation at the time, is often as
far reaching in its influence as the peb-
ble that turns the course Of a river
As the traveller, drawing near to a great
much, views the approaches to it with
interest, because they are associated
with it, and prepare him to see and
know it to the best advantage, so
should the scholar be led to appreciate
the preliminary steps, knowing some
thing of what is beyond.
1t may be said ''this is all theory it
is impracticable. Common school
teachers can't give full and interesting
explanations that shall present all the
attractive features of Il new study as
often as they form class in it, We
will admit it is difficult, but whether
more difficult than to propel the class
in the old way, and keep them out of
mischief, and Studying" we have our
doubts. Teachers generally meet
} with success when they attempt any
thing in which they believe and are
thoroughly in eernest; and we suggest
as an inducement that,the class would
acquire much more momentum if schol-
ars and teachers combined their inter
est as well as their efforts
Every teacher can explain in a way
that the class will understand the rea-
) sons why the proposed study will prove
profitable-not as containing things
2 they ought to know, but things that
are very wond rfal and interesting
and but few teachers will find it diff
r cult to ask few questions, just before
!. dismissing the class, that the first les
son viii help 4reH.@Ehere is moth
ing that will add more interest to study
than some practical question suggest
ed by the teacher, for the class to think
over and discuss among themselves
and aDswer at the next recitation.
s The interest excited by these pre-
S liminary steps will not, u course, las
/ unless special effort is made to contin
C ue and increase it. A good start i:
c not all that is necessary. But looI
: ahead will contribute much zeal to the
: pursuit, and cause many Of the obsta
l. cles that lie in the way to be over
+ looked; and there is no better time tc
excite interest and arouse enthusiasm
) than when the new field of study pre-
e sents itself in outline-showing only
/ the objective points and leaving the