The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-05-30
NOTES..

"A good thing for teachers to see: a
photographic report Of all we say in school
for one day.
"A frequent source of incorrect spelling:
the careless pronunciation of words which
pupils practice. There are gross errors
among teachers, as we'll as others, in the
pronunciation of common words. Reform!
The work on blackboards should be
erased as little as practicable while the
school is in session. The breathing of the
chalk dust filling the room from the boards,
is most active excitant of bronchial and
pulmonary diseases.
Never refer to natural and peculiar
weaknesses of pupils in presence of the
school. 1t can only excite contempt for
the teacher who does it. If a pupil is fire.
quently told that he doesn't know anything,
he will either settle down to belief in it,
thinking it of no use to try to be anything
but Ounce, or he will be excited to a
degree of anger equally disastrous to men
tai or moral advancement.
There is a wide difference between
simply observing fact and making it a
permanent intellectual possession. Many
repetitions of an observation may be neces-
sary to imprint a lasting picture. Teachers
often wonder that pupils forget so soon
what they have given evidence of having
once comprehended and learned. The
wonder is that, with the multiplicity of
new things presented from day to day, they
retain distinct conception of anything.
We should, as teachers, be constantly
influenced by the truth, that the first COM
prehension of principle, perception of
truth, or the recitation of facts, is but
towards attaining to their actual ownership.
We are liable to err in judgment as to
what requires much repetition, in the way
of study and recitation, to effect real
mental assimilation. Learning the tables
in arithmetic, the spelling of certain words,
and the acquisition of isolated facts gener-
ally, demand much repetition for fixing
them permanently in the mind. But facts
aSooOialou WIN sOHiCIuluS dlIcduy
known, are easily acquired. The recollec-
ton of leading fact or principle brings to
mind others connected with it by the sug-
gestive force of association. This should
teach us, then, to group facts and principles
for pupils as much as possible.
ITO have ideas is to gather flowers.
To think is to weave them into garlands."
MENTAL culture and a well regulated
education assist the memory. An isolated
idea is with difficulty impressed upon the
mind; but when the newly acquired thought
finds point of contact already prepared
in the intellect, it fastens upon what is
analogous to itself, and forms, along with
its antecedents and consequents, chain
whose very prolongation is the assurance
of its strength. Here, as elsewhere. the
richer one is, the easier it is to increase
riches. "-R. j. !Schoolmaster.
Girls attending school 1--WE don't pre-
sumo to say anything about those who are
not attending schooD should not wear tight
belts. Parents should sec to this. The
development, but it interferes very mater-
ally with their success in the study of
elocution.
The large size of many public schools
creates, and sometimes necessitates, a ten
dency on the part of teachers to reduce
everything and everybody to dead level.
Studies, Rotations, everything, have to be
classified and systematized to such an
extent that pupil finds it next to impos-
sble to get out of certain groove
Teachers would be well repaid for correct
ing this evil to some extent, even at the
expense of considerable extra labor on
their own part. A bright pupil should
always be urged and encouraged to exer-
else his talents to the highest degree pos
sible; and a dumb pupil should be allowed
an opportunity Of being-with some degree
of peace and comfort-as dumb as nature
made him, as it is in this way only, that
his limited abilities can be made the most of.
PAPER PILLows.-Excellent paper pill
lows may be made of old letters-the sitter
the paper the better. Newspapers will not
do. The paper should be cut into slips,
and rolled round an ivory knitting needle;
it is then almost like spring, and makes
much better cushion than the torn paper,
being more elastic.