National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-09-05
4 PLEA EOR PEPILH.

On Monday next the pubic SCHOOLS Vi
the District open for the nine months ses-
sion. Many of the excellent private
schools open at the same time, and in the
course of the present month nearly all Of
the educational institutions commence their
fall terms The pupils and students have
had three months rest and recreation, and
the teachers have also had an opportunity
to recruit their bodies by rest and fresh
air, and enlarge their minds by practical
observation. No person who is adapted to
the instruction Of youth can fail 10 be bene
flied by each recess for travel, inquiry and
reflection. The experience gained is sure
to be applied to the profession, and the
pupil is the gamer.
Sometimes We are inclined to think that
we give too large proportion of our time
to study and too little to analytical refec-
ton. One idea follows another in such
quick succession as to drive it out of the
mind before it has become clear to the com
prehension, and thus fixed in the memory.
By this process the memory gets filed with
a glimmering OF discordant ideas, none of
which are clear and perfect. The result is
too apt to be a superficial education. Our
system is one of graded schools. We I'M
derstand the design to be that all the schol-
Ars in a single room shall pursue the same
studies and recite together, and shall there
fore be nearly equally proficient in them.
REGULATIONS are. or should be, much in the
form Of conversational IoctrIrac with films
trations upon the blackboard. A success
full teacher of schools of this character must
be a person of first -class talent To be able
to fully illustrate the meaning of the lesson
and bring it to the comprehension Of all in
the class is rare faculty. To be able to
decide whether candidate for the place
of teacher possesses this faculty requires
peculiar tact and precedence in the trustees
whose duty it is to select them. The most
desirable qualities in teachers are not great
learning, especially book learning. The
power to teach is not the possession alone
of the knowledge to be impaired, but
the gift of imparting it to others. 1t
is of the first importance to be able to in
make pupils fall in love with them Then
they will comprehend easily and learn
rapidly. But this must be done by the
teacher. 1t cannot be accomplished by
textbooks or rules. 1t is a magnetic
power, gift, an inspiration, perhaps; call
it what you will, 'but it will effect more
progress in lessons than the seYerest dis
cipline and the most ingenious punishments.
Why have our greatest scholars in this
country been chiefly self-educated? Clearly
because of their love of study and perse-
verance in its attainment. 1t did not come
from textbooks, because very frequently
their first book was New Testament,
Bible or an almanac. Later the newspaper
and general reading, enforced always by
deep thought and practical observation.
As rule you cannot make pupils think
upon subjects in which they do not feel an
interest. They are men and women in
miniature Put yourselves in their places"
You do not enjoy a sermon, or q reading,
or a lecture, or a play, unless there is some
thing in the subject or the speaker to ex-
cite your interest. 1t is just SO with chill
dren and their lessons. But we did not
propose to write lecture upon this subject
The foregoing thoughts suggested them
selves as pertinent, and they have been
thrown out for the benefit of whom it may
Fancy yourselves obliged to at
tend from three to six short lectures on as
many different subjects in day, and to re-
member them all. Do you think they
would get mixed? Would the tendency be
to clearness or confusion Of recollection? /
Do you expect children 10 have more and
better brain power than adults?z