Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-05-29

very ndppy 10 dLltouilCC thab lhC SOou
old town of Pawlet seems now in fair
way to supply its share of this want.
Written for the Rutland Herald
DiscIpIine-mentaI Culture.
NO. XVIII.
Home geography affords another APP
pr0priate subject for home mental cul-
ture. Children should have their atten-
ton directed early to the prominent facts
in this important science.
First, they may be taught the points
of the compass. East, west, north and
south. These will BE more easily and
correctly fixed in the mind by observing
the position and direction of the sun.
Let the child take standpoint facing
that luminary at the time of its rising.
The sun is now in the east, and the OPP
posite point is due west. Now let him
stretch out his arms and point his fin
gers, and his left hand will point to the
north and his right hand to the south,
his DldCblNdl 1tSoCi1 iGdi llCNl liOlll oD@
servation, should now be applied to
directions of different objects in the
room and in the field. The side of the
room, which il east, west, north and
south What direction is the stove
from the opposite window, and the win
dow from the stove? WHAT'S the direc-
ton of the church, the school-house and
the store from the house Does the
street run north and south, or east and
west? Which way does the brook or
river run, and which way do the clouds
move
Next the attention of the child may
be directed to "a description of the
earth :" that is, of the door-yard, with
which he is so familiar; the fed, the
pasture, and the wood, over which he
| roams. He should be taught to observe
the hills and the wales, the rocks and the
trees, and the streams, and required to
describe them in his child-like way. He
should bound" the yard, the field and
the farm, carefully observing the points
of compass, and the portions of land or
neighboring farms adjoining. And, with
the points of compass, he should be
taught distances and measurements; the
number of rods in the garden fence and
to neighbours house, the number of
miles to the next village the number of
acres in the corn field and meadow.
Such instruction lays the foundation for
that thorough and practical knowledge
which enabled Columbus to discover a
continent, and which is important in
every department of practical life.
The observing faculties are early ex-
ercised, also, in numbering the different
objects which come in childhood's way,
and this is practical arithmetic. Count
ing the fingers was the origin of the
Arabic and Roman method of notation;
| the reason of the increase from right to
left by tens, and of the ten characters
which we have to represent numbers.
Hence, the word digits, the name given
to the figures, which literally means
fingers.
Let children be put to counting their
/ fingers, their blocks, their marbles, the
doors and windows with their panes of
| glass, and the sets of household articles.
Let them count the. tlocks and herds, the
stones, the trees, and all the objects of
nature which can attract their attention.
| Let them count the stars (which no
| man can number" They should also
be required to exercise their memory by
ha thinoro 81
to exercise their judgment by consider
ing comparative bulk in relation to
numbers and to make this home in
struction practical, let counting, adding
and subtracting be applied to the bust
ness transactions of the farm, the work
| shop and the store. :.
BY the proper discipline of the OBJ
| serving faculties in childhood, two i'm
portant objects will be accomplished,
which cannot fail to have an important
bearing upon the success and welfare of
the man and woman in after life First
taste will be cultivated and
foundation laid for accurate and
successful study in the different
departments of science, literature,
and language. This home school is
necessary to fit the child forthe different
/ grades of instruction which he will re-
ceive in the public school, academy and
college.
The second object to be secured, by
training the eye and ear to accurate see
ing and hearing, is the habit of knowing
and telling the truth. Careless observa-
ton must result in imperfect knowledge
and false representation.
Misapprehensions and misstatement of
facts are to-day prevailing evils in every
neighborhood, and in every grade of So
ciety, ia our land. The gossip of the
ea-party, and the gossip of the newspa-
per, continue to disturb the peace of ev-
cry community, by manufacturing strife