The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-28
III Course Of Study for Country Schools

PUBLISHED BY REQUEST OF THE VAN BuREN Co.
TEACHERS, CONVENED AT Paw Paw, Nov. STH.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN Il see by the pro-
gramme that am expected TO introduce dis
cussion upon the subject e course OF study
FOR common schools" a course of study i'm
Plies graded school, "A graded school is a
school in which the pupils are divided into
classes according to their attainments, and IN
which all the pupils Of each class attend to the
same branches OF study at the same time
" The due classification and grading OF the
school is but the application to the educational
cause of the same division OF labor that pre-
walls IN all well-regulated business establish
ments, whether mechanical, commercial. or
| otherwise. 1t Is not only the most economical,
but without it there can be little progress or
prosperity. Other things being equal, the
| closer the classification the better the school
| system" J. VI. Gregory, one of the best State
superintendent OF Schools Michigan has ever
| had, says: The advantages OF the union
| school arise chiefly from the grading. The
more perfect therefore the grading, the more
| certain and marked will be the success Of these
| schools" But l am to speak OF common schools
in the sense OF country district schools, infer,
and while we may find in almost every union
school district some influential persons who feel
bitterly opposed to the graded system as work
| Ing in our union schools we may be assured
that this number would be greatly multiplied IN
our country districts il systematic grading were
attempted: yet / believe the time is coming
when all our schools will be graded as perfect
| " as our best union schools now are. Some of
our SO called union schools are graded only in
name, except that natural, accidental graduation
! which works itself out, to some extent, by the
option OF the pupils themselves, without a
definite plan. OF course all children have to
begin by learning words and their components.
| AID those Desinu,D, It the same time naturally
form the first, or loves. Grade of our schools.
This accidental grading beco mes more and more
Imperfect as the pupil advances, unless SPECIAL
attention be gwen it--and the pupil directed
| 1chdt to study and tghen to study. There are
four words OF which teacher ought to know
the full import, VIZ - hat when, how and
why. a perfect knowledge VI .tc-o vii on.
/
to the greatest advantage. In business, es.
pecially in extensive enterprises. a careful and
systematic DIVISION of labor is considered by
AL judges to be Of the utmost importance
and the best practical educators of our land
consider the graded school system the very
best for the public-and as far as our State ID
concerned it Is my opinion that State Board
OF Education ought to arrange q course oil
study, employing uniformity Of text books, fol
al The schools of the State from the lowest &c
to he highest, including the smallest distric,
school and our proud university especially al
below the university. We are behind some OF
our sister States In this respect. The State
Board of Education in California has lstel,
adopted q course of study With uniformity OF
text books for the public schools OF that state
and it seems TO me q move in the right direc.
ton. II our schools were thus graded, parents
in moving from one town to sro.ho- loud
readily transfer their children In school "a
school without loss OF ti-4e and withou. ex.
pense as to their bo0is, etc. As il Is. this ex-