The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1873-07-02
do They Know What They hearn.p

summer vacation, suggests the cap
ton of this article as text for the
Philadelphia ledger to predicate
some very sensible remarks upon
It says the review and examination
are supposed to exhibit the progress
made, and the average res ult is usu-
ally accepted as satisfactory to all
concerned. 1t is perhaps trife
early to be thinking of the next
term and its exercises; yet ambi-
tious pupils and conscientious teach
ers may spare, even in vacation, a
thought upon what is the main con-
Germ of their lives. The examina-
tons are suggestive; and it may be
worth while for the scholars to in
quire. "What do we really know"
The teachers may ask-"What have
we really taught?'
Memory is powerful faculty, and
is capable, upon uncommon and mr.
gent occasions, of being crowded mp
to extraordinary performances. Es-
pecially is this the case at examina-
ton times. The multiplicity Of text
books. in all departments, from the
primary upwards, covers a larger va
riety of subjects than our grandpa
rents ever thought of, and the rapid
ity and correctness of the answers
Of the majority Of pupils is really
something wonderful. But ques-
tions not in the examination routine
remain still to be answered: and
those questions are stated above
In another form the inquiry may be
stated: How much Of all this APP
parent proficiency is mere mechani-
cal or rote work, not founded on ac-
tual knowledge? How much is the
product of the weary work of mem
orizing, with no expectation OF being
retained for any purpose beyond
that of passing a successful exanin-
alton?
The familiar word examining
suggests itself to all who have had
experience in examination or in
being examined. School books are
collections of results worked out and
presented to the learner, not so much
as aids to learning as to be mem
Orizcd as knowledge. Too many
branches are attempted at once to
permit thoroughness in any. Teach
ers rely too much upon the text
books, and pupils are encouraged in
parrot-lille performance, which dis
penses with substance provided the
words be correct. Let any adult try
to read a book which is full of i'll
understood, unfamiliar and technical
expressions, and how many ideas
will he gather from it? If he is re-
solved to master the subject, and
commits the unknown tongue" to
memory, what has he gained, except
increased labor? New let him turn
to some one who is really versed in
the subject, and who can present it
to him in Ineligible, though per
haps redundant expressions, strictly
considered, and he will learn more
in half an hour than he could from
the book in a week.
The great qualities for teachers
are thorough knowledge of the sub
ject they undertake, and cap acity
to impart their knowledge to their
pupils; in other words, to interpret
to young minds the information
which the text book must necessarily
present in a condensed and contract
ed form. If, in every school, a por-
ton of the time now required for
study, that is to say, as is usually
understood, mere memorising, were
occupied by familiar conversational
lectures, explanations and ''helps
over hard places" the result might
not be so snowy, but would be much
more practical, useful and permanent.