The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1873-09-18

I'm on SO long about other things l
ardly know whether to venture or
OF. will write what / have to say
ubmitting al to your disposal.
Some Of my statements are my own
deductions from what | have observ-
d and been told; but most of them
ire made on the authority of expert
,nced teachers. Government has
quite recently taken hold Of the mat
;er Of popular education with good
leal Of vigor, and has inaugurated
elaborate system Of school
In some Of its work.
ngs, no doubt, it has been modified
BY the condition in which the schools
we're found when the government in
reference began. Each parish has a
school board whose duty it is to see
that sufficient facilities are afforded
for the proper education of all the
children in the parish. They also
the school; appoint inspec-
tors and disburse moneys. All chill
dren between the ages of FIVE and
thirteen are compelled to attend
school.
Where denominational schools were
already organized, when the new law
come into force, they were allowed
to continue and the education Of the
children was left in their hands. 1t
is this that has given rise to SO much
discomfort on the part Of Non-con-
formists. They claim that the Estab-
lished church by means of its State
support has been able to get posses
sion Of too great proportion Of the
schools. Wherever schools did not
already exist, or where they did not
make sufficient provision for the chill
dren, it was the duty of the Board to
establish schools.
Government does not assume the
whole expense Of the schools rs with
US; it assumes that they have kind
Of separate existence, and pays them
according to the work done. For
every scholar who passes his annual
examinations and has attended $50
days it allows about sixteen shillings
per annum. All other expenses must
be made up in fees charged the chill
dren. In case after an examination
the Board should decide that any
scholar was too poor to pay fee, he
would be entitled to free tuition; and
if school has too many such schol-
ars, it must resort to subscriptions to
make up its deficiencies. There is no
districting Of scholars as with us. A
parent can send his children to any
school he plcases. This works badly
in one way, as it makes the schools in
a sense rivals; the trustees Of one
cannot raise their fees for fear their
scholars will 60 to . cheaper one.
You see the plan is somewhat COM
plex, a kind Of wheel within a wheel.
The school will not receive its allow
ance from the government if its schol-
ars do not attain proficiency; it will
not get scholars if it does not teach
them cheaply and well.
That they do their work more
cheaply than we do you will see from
the statistics Of a school | visited to-
day. The average attendance was
672, and the whole expense for the
year CLASS lis 34d, about sl2.45 per
scholar. I know some Iowa tax-pay-
ers who would count that q trife.
The cheapness, however, is dearly
purchased in my opinion; and | think
most of American teachers will agree
with me. It comes from the employ
ment Of pupil-teachers who receive
very little compensation.
Every school must have a master
who has served an apprenticeship of
Eve years as . pupil-teacher, attend
ed training-school two years and
passed an examination; for every for
" scholars he must have an appren-
iced pupil. teacher, and after the
school has reached certain number
he has an assistant master. The
teaching is all done in one room. In
the school l attended this morning.
800 scholars we're taught in one room.
am sure most Of American teachers
would find it hard to take up reci-
tation under such circumstances.
There were seats enough in the room
for one-half of the scholars, perhaps,
70 they stood half Of the time and sat
half.
Perhaps ! can give you better
idea of the general plan of teaching
by taking some example. An arith-
metic class will serve. The boys are
al ranged in two circles, one within
The other, to bring them as close to-
yether as possible; the teacher stands
On . stool, perhaps, if he is a young
oupil-teacher, to give him due prom
nence. Suppose the class is in null
,iplication; the teacher announces U
hould say ordinarily roars out) null
iply 1884 by 2. The first boy says,
Two times 4 is 8; write down the
j." the next, 1.-TWO times 8 is 10;
write down the six )" and SO on for
he whole hour devoted to arithme.
ic. There is no such thing as the
Of lesson and recitation
it is one mortal long "doing" exer-
Uses, the whole FIVE hours and half
he children are kept together l
Understand a good deal better what is
meant in some Of Dickens stories, and
Tom Brown at Rugby" by "doing'
essons. 1t is fair to say that in one
+ the schools l visited this plan is
aired two days in the week, and the
hildren are put on their own resourc-
8. Any one will see at glance how
such system gives itself
p TO dull work, and how little oppor-
unity there is for personal influence
n the part Of the teacher.
The plan Of employing SO young
eachcrs seems unfortunate too. 1t
, thus they are under the constant
supervision Of the head master; but
his is a very doubtful advantage.
here is very little chance for healthy
'rowth if one is liable to be seized
nd twisted into some particular
hape every FIVE minutes. No pupil
eacher can develop any individuality
q such system. Pupils can be reg
lar annrenficeS af thirteen and / "a IN