The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1873-09-11
PROMOTION IN UNGRADED SCHOOLS.
MISS NARY PRICE.

An Essay read before the Portage county
Teachers Association At ChariestOyn,
July IS, 1873.
/ Without system no organization
can accomplish great results, what
ever may be the object for which it
exists, and the more perfect the sys-
tenn the more effective viii the body
/ prove in its efforts to attain desired
results. Neither can school be sue
cessful IN its purpose of educating its
/ students without system. The lack of
! this important element in our un-
| graded schools is sufficient to explain
why those who spend half their
/ youthful years III these schools, fail to
/ possess, when they leave them, that
/ education which the time spent would
warrant.
In no other particular is method so
essential as in the promotion of pu-
| pills, yet in no other is it so univer-
| sally neglected. The pupils should
/ be required to arrive at a certain
| standard of qualification before being
passed to a higher class.
The question then arises "Who is
most capable of deciding when that
standard is reached, the pupil, the pa
rent or the Instructor" Most reason
able minds will acknowledge at once
that the child is unfit to promote HIM
self, for grant him this privilege, and
| If sluggard, he will choose to remain
in classes that will not require hard
study, but if ambitious his immature
judgment will prompt him to climb
higher than his ability would justify,
and in either case the mind will not
develop with that natural ease of
hi fha =, Ii
Regarding the parents fitness there
is diversity of opinion, the parents
themselves, in many instances, claim
ing the privilege, especially the un-
educated, though the custom is not
confined to that class for example;
gentleman of average intelligence
furnished his boy of twelve years, a
Fifth reader, Chen the highest of the
series) when he could not read intel
ligibly in the Fourth, and contrary to
the wishes of the teacher was used.
Now, lad of fifteen, his style of read
ing is similar to that of the boy of old
who defined acephalous.
1t is not eXtravagant to say that
there are those among our American
citizens, whose children of ten and
twelve have reached that point in
their education at which the father
graduated from the district school of
his day with, perhaps, the first honors
of his class; and ameng the foreign
population, which forms an impor-
tant element in our schools, most of
the parents speak our language indif-
fercntly and are almost entirely ig-
norant of the reading or writing of
it. The value of knowledge is deeply
impressed upon the minds of these
people, by their own inadequate sup
ply, and hence they are very anxious
for their children TO learn, and in
their simplicity fancy that the more
rapidly they are pushed forward the |
greater is the progress. An instance
came to my knowledge not long
since. A German sent his little child |
to school with book beyond his
comprehension. The school ma'am
mildly objected to his using it, stating
her reason. The report was carried
to the father, who insisted that the |
book must be used, but the lady, |
knowing that the intellectual welfare |
of the child depended upon it, per-
sisted also and refused to comply with |
his request, whereupon he took the |
child from her care and sent him |
where he might use the Objectionable |
book. But admitting that the parents |
education is sufficient, there are other
reasons why he is an unsuitable per-
son. He has no opportunity of COM
pairing his children's qualifications
with others, and viewed through his
partial glasses, both son and daughter
appear far brighter than their play /
mates, and capable of distancing them |
in the race for knowledge; and, again.
he is is sometimes too parsimonious
to procure books when they are really
needed.
The teacher is certainly competent T
as far as education is concerned, for g
public exc mination decides that point
but there Is a prevailing idea that he
is opposed to advancement and will
prevent it if possible, whereas, he can
have no possible selfish motive for
retarding the students progress, as it
is to his interest to promote as rap
idly as the pupils ability will warrant,
for his reputation depends largely on
the work accomplished which is Of
tener reckoned by the number pro-
NOTED than by their proficiency in
the parts or books completed. While
he may ardently desire the ADVANCE
ment Of the student he is generally too
sensible of the child's real need, and
also of the inconvenience such a
course would cost himself to be will
ing for him to proceed more rapidly
than will eondUce to his best inter-
ests. Teachers are convinced that {
the promoting power belongs prop ]
erly to them. Why then do they not
exercise it? Because they are anxious
to succeed, and to gain that object are
willing to do all in their power to
please their patrons.
No one has intimated that they !
should wield this power, and as pa
rents and children are very decided
that it is their peculiar province, they ]
step into the grooves their s
occupied and this course /
practiced for years has produced
truly deplorabIe state of affairs.
The fact that the instructor is usu-
ally engaged for only one term is one
difficulty. He very naturally plans {
for that term only, and if he finds ,
thai the school is not classified prop
erly, is inclined, for the sake of peace,
to proceed without making material
changes, consoling himself with the
thought that his responsibility will c
soon be over, and then his successor 4;
may, if he chooses, classify accord I
ing to merit and not age. The
results of this irregular style of
promotion is manifest to some
axtent in all branches taught, but
may be observed more particularly
in those whose course comprises
several books, for if we have but one q
book. as in Arithmetic, we may use 8
our own judgment, and place the class
On right basis by allowing them to !,
begin no farther than the principles
are thoroughly understood, while in t
Geography, Grammar and Reading we a
must use the books furnished, which !
are often not at all adapted to the un-
sof the scholar. No in
structor can have great success in C
teaching Reading while the learner is t
spelling out words, and SO intent on t
he minute parts of which the lesson