New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-26
EDUCATIONAL NOTES.

The agricultural department of the Missouri
etate University is In charge Of Prof G. c. Swallow" ao
state GeoOgiSt OF Kansas and contains IS pupils Inc
Freshmen, numbering 40. including IL girls are "ue
IN horticulture and the practical part OF tree anu VINO
raising, from the seed up through pan'nk ~ -
budding anspanting pruning the nature OF thei us
eases and the depreciation OF insects ETC. I"e Vs
planted 2oOOQ grape cuttings this spring anu h''N
stapdine the unfavOrabe season 1900 nave Neu anu
,aae GOOD growth In all these exercises the gis VI
,ne class take q lively part. The vineyard contains
hop 900 vines In prime condition. The vintage OF lA
produced 1900 gallons OF wine that now sells az - P
bottle
The Baltimore Ga:ette says, in relation 10
,cv text book for beginners, "Iuroducucn 10 In
rhsh Grammar" ave utterly protest against INTRO
dueipc, Young children to English grammar, for we are
convinced that IL than useess--it Is buriui'
Grammar is the most metaphysical study oil the school
course II is abstract and abslruse, and difficult for
even mature minds 10 grasp. When enid
,p.aks GOOD English. Il is only because he has been
accustomed 10 hear good English spoken. When
he makes error 1t is well to tell MIN mat
he is wrong and tell him what is right; but to at
tempt 20 give him abstract law of language, so as to
locp nm from making similar mistakes in future, Is
siur,y homeless There can be little doubt
that injuries the mind Of child to fo,ce him 20 study
what he cannot understand The learning Of things By
Toc hurts the intellect 1t teaches ii to rely upon the
memory instead OF the understanding 1t breeds
slavish habit Of mind, which accepts things because
they are in the book Instead Of thinking on theu II
fosters The iudoent tendency TO pass over things WIN
out an EFFORT to understands; and oil these hurts the
study Of grammar asens upon young buds OF intellect
sixteen wears old is young enough TO begin the study
In an address recently given before the Seneca
Comfy Teachers Institute, the Hon. s r. Ten Eyck OF
waterloo related bit Of youthful experience which IL
lnsirafcs too common fault in teachers and textbooks
toward the close of the last term that ever ATTENDED,
in "a district school," he said, being then Is years OF
noe had cot az tar the division OF vulgar fractions
I'm arithmetic, when came to dead hait, because
could not comprehend the rules In my dire perpeAs
rnd and reead the rule for the division OF fractions
with winch YOU are all familiar, invert the terms OF the
diysor and proceed a. in multiplication and the words
sounded in my ears like a funeral dirge After
struggling ia vain fathom their meaning, al last
called upon te teacher for assistance he readily per
formed an example for me. but when asked MN why
he proceeded in the manner that he did, he turned 10 tue
rule audm harsh and forbiddng tone of voice read
pyprt tie terms OF the dvisOr and proceed as in null
Indication and turned away and left me more per-
picked than ever. HIS answer was about as mteIlgloe
10 me n was the answer Of that pious old lady VINO
when asked by her pastor what she thought OF the ooc
Urine OF total deprayity replied by saving that she
thought Il was very good doctrine ana she hau no
doubt that il had been the means of saving great
many souls"
One of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools,
the Rev. q. steele reporting this year on Lancashire
IN regard TO reading 1t is his custom to ex
anime the first class in the newspaper OF the day The
children stand in a semicirce aud pass the newspaper
ronud aud he requires them 10 read in such manner
mat ne and all present both hear and understand
and then he asks questions He does not generally enter
Innch INTO politics but contents himself with the chill
fren's understanding who such persons as MI Glad
stone. Mr. Dsraeli, M Forster and NJ. Theirs are.
Accidents fires and suicides excite the keeuest interest
hut he often gets very fair TO such questions as
these. What "A telegram. locomotive, an iron-cad a
telescOpei Whatdo you mean by Prime Minister judge
Vorouer NJ. F., NJ d. once TO his question, What do
Won mean ny p M little boy sharply answered,
"Past morning" which was not had. 1t showed far
better teaching aud learning than that mere mechanical
system Of which inspectors often complain as only an
exercise ound and not In One Inspector notices
how very rare it is to iud dictionaries among the stock
OF elementary school books. Another Mr. Renouf, men
tons that u paper written o sixth-stsndard girl, II
was stated that OF the provisions OF Magma Cnart'
was that the rights Church should be preserved
I'm violet" He is afraid that many even OF those who
wrote "invioate" did know what they were writing
about II was a word for explanation in examination
MI steele that he gives 1rsrate report
uness the children show general intelligence as well as
accurate knowledge.