The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-28

pense amounts to no little sum, and poor peo-
pie especially are put to great Inconvenience
and embarrassment in consequence. All this
needless expense taken in the aggregate
throughout the State reaches an enormous sum;
and this sum could better be taken for the gem
erai Improvement OF the schools. Again, q
UNIFORM course OF study and uniform text
DOCKS would enable pupils from the country
districts to enter our union SCI ools to advan-
tage at any time. but at present they are seldom
prepared to enter classes satisfa ctolly, for the
reason that they have studied principally one
or two branches to the exclusion of others
They frequently are able to g do the sums" or
work the examples in Arithmetic, without any
knowledge worth mentioning Of other branches
with which at their age they ought to be familiar.
Sometimes we find individuals prepared in one
or more branches to take high standing in
our Grammar schools, but in other things they
cannot pass the studies OF our primary depart
ments. If we put them in the Grammar De-
partment, they embarrass the classes, and IL
we should put them in lower department,
they would not remain. The d .trict schoo ,
should do the work or the lower Departments
OF the union schools, and 90 well what they
undertake and not attempt to teach the higher
branches; and the courses Of study should so
far correspond that pupil passing from the
district school may be able to enter at once in
the union school, taking up his studies Just
where he left them. And even for those who
finish their schooling III the country and do not
go higher, hold that the system of grading is
most valuable. The very studies from which
the pupils may wish to get excused are often
the very ones that are the most practical and
useful, and il is not wise to leave to the children
what they shall study. To be sure the most
time and attention should be gwen to those
things which are the most practical. The studies
upon which so many years are now spent should
not be neglected, but other studies now greatly
neglected should receive due consideration
that the minds OF the children may be uniform
ly developed.
Individual schools would not be subject 30
much to the caprlces of ignorant and unprinci-
pied teachers and wilful and ignorant patrons
If courses Of study, rules and regulations were
established by an authority so far out of their
reach as State Board would be; and teachers
and school officers would not be annoyed to the
injury Of their schools as they now are some
times. Petty annoyances would not arise in
view Of the innovations OF new teachers, as the
, different teachers would not be held RESPONSE
4 BILE for the establishment OF the regulations,
. and the schools would be for that reason safer
h in the conscious permanency Of its regulations.
0 Teachers and pupils would be melted to great
: er excellence. A plan could then readily be
= adopted for general, systematic examination
h OF all the schools, thus melting thoroughness
a and enthusiasm In the work. To summarize
: The advantages to be derived from a uniform
4 course of study, uniformity OF text books
IS rules and regulations are,
= 1. The better education of the children.
J. 2. The saving of expense to the parent.
}, 3. The saving Of time to the children.
4. The saving Of much unavailing labor anG
! annoyance to the teacher.
d All of which are of sufficient importance t
recommend the system advocated to the favor
OF educators generally; and / submit the fol
lowing course OF study, programme Of exer
;. cises and study as practicable for our best dis
trict schools, each school having but one teach
D. or Many of the schools could be accommo
I. dated and would do better work with les
D. number OF grades, some four. and others five
3 In fact, one teacher ought not to have NOR
Iy than four lower grades to do the best work.
4 But the schools could not all be accommodated
a with the four grades and the six can be laugh
% by one teacher as Will be seen by our pro
n graumes seventh may be added in larg
Ne schools employing an assistsnt. In this grad
- may be taught Higher 4 rthmetic, Elementar
le Algebra. Science of Govern meDt, Natural Phi
al losophy, History, etc. But regular class in
E. struction IN these branches should not be at
l. tempted where only one teacher is employed
,r for it would have to be done at q sacrifice, NOR
|, or less. Of the lower grades.
,r Much general knowledge may b given in tn
le lower grades History may be taught profit
d ably IN connection with Geo graphy; Biography
te and Civil Government with Reading Natura
Or Science, etc., with Object Lessons, so that NJ
n pupil need leave the district school withou
le thorough discipline and good fund of practi
70 cal and general information
,e programme to guide the puds in appor
Is tioning their time in study is quite as essential
r, think, as programme for Rotations. Pu
N pills having a set time for each study will hav
ell better lessons and acquire better habits o
K study, and there will be less dleness and con
ID fusion, generally, IN the school room where
IN programme of study IS implicitly followed.
re AS aids in giving instruction in the abov
lg course resptfully refer you to the following
t. works, as being among the best for the. pur
of pose I know.
IN Language -H arts first lessons.
IN Obi ect Lessons-N. A. Callllns.
le Physical Exercises-Swart's Ma nuel OF Ere
Gymnastics.
to Vocal Music-llasons Charts.
s. s. G. B.
8. HAMPERS WEEKLY closes it's summary of IL
re result OF the November elections with thi
ID sensible paragraph