The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-10-08
Ghe Daily Argns,
EDUCATION.
Teachers Examination.

Ieacnefs GENERALIZATION.
A significant comment upon the eapaci-
ties of many teachers comes from Ehz-
abeth, n. j., where applicants for positions
in the public schools have just been exam
ined. A dozen would be teachers present
ed themselves at one time. The Commit
tee proceeded to examine them all. There
were several positions vacant, and it was
hoped that out of the dozen sufficient
number would pas" to fill the positions.
The examination was one eminently prac-
teal, as only primary grade certificates were
needed in only four or five elementary
studies The result was anything but sat
isfaetory. Twenty-Five words were given
out to be spelled They we're all OF them
practical and in common use every day
One applicant spelled two correctly out of
the twenty five, another spelled three one
or two only spelled nearly all, but none
spelled every one Mannagery, "Nu-
monia, y Parallel Mitch, Belleta, -
" Crocha, Mischietous, Croqua, -
" Scholarly are some Of the spec
linen words as copied from the examina-
ton papers themselves. The Committee
on Teachers insists that candidate must
receive at least 10 per cent-only five
reached the standard in spelling Yet the
ones who were most deficient thought they
could get along if the committee would
only give them a chance In geography
the examination showed up several candi-
dates in light that would have been com
ical under different circumstances. The
questions and answers were both written
Here is a specimen:
Question Name several of the princi-
pal seaport towns of the United States.
Answer New York, Massachusetts,
Maine and Florida"
Question" How would you go from
Philadelphia to Vienna by water"
Answer" Delaware River, Delaware
Bay, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Pa
citic Ocean
These are actual written, bona .fide an
swers of applicants for positions as teach
ers. In all the other studies in which the
candidates were examined there was shown
the same lack of competency, and out Of
the twelve who applied, only very small
cent. in all the studies.
TOO MUCH MEMORY WORK.
A Mobile newspaper senslbly says that
the prime evil of the prevailing method
of teaching consists in the careful cultiva
ton of the memory to the neglect of the
| thinking powers. Commencing with the
teachers, even of the highest grade, dowr
| to the youngest child in the school, there
is an almost slavish adherence to the mere
| language of the text books Teachers de
| not trouble themselves to study over tht
/ lessons, to comprehend thoroughly thell
| full significance, but on the contrary only
too frequently go into the classroom and
have to depend upon the book In order tt
| hear the lesson. In theory this is not al
lowed, but in practice it is pretty general
Such being the case, the teacher, havins
no higher sense of responsibility than tn,
necessity Of going through certain form
in order to secure the quarters salary, i
very well content to find the scholar per
/ feet in the mere language of technicalitie
| of the lesson. The scholar, finding moth
ing further required, is only too glad t
perform the comparatively easy task O
committing so many lines or paragraphs t
memory, leaving its comprehension severe
" alone or to follow bindly rules withOu
any pains to discover their scope and value
As consequence most school childre
have their minds choked with dates facts
and the mere language of laws and princi
pies of which they have no understanding
whatever, and aside from the routine 0
the text books know absolutely nothing an
have not made their own, by mental di
gestion, any appreciate portion of tn
knowledge they have spent 50 many hour
, in attaining.