New-York tribune., 1874-10-27
WASTE LABOR IN EDUCATION.
~ of HiuilfDs lOllkgf.

II is supposed that education will prevent
waste Of aDor that the educated aborer in any pro-
ductive employment will put his blows In the right
place and strike them the right time so that his labor
will he more efficient for the good OF humanity and tne
world than the III efforts of the ignorant man.
II Il plain enough that the world as whole Is far
enough from making all labor productive. Tn ough ig-
noring carelessuess pride and dishonesty large por-
ton Of the labor performed is wasted We have but 10
observe for single day TO mark examples. hundred
aborers working under their own direction would
siarve: but directed by skf overseers they subsst
with comfort that borders on luxury. But servants
waste betray, prop rites large and small are
frittered away for want OF organizing ana alreeung
power. There is much fauthnding with the ten,hour
system eight hours or less are wanted-out do we get
hours OF good worki And with US as educators Is
there woki We must OF course grant that there Is
certain necessary waste Of force in our work Ihere
are necessary elements OF waste introduced by our
the waste all necessary Let US see: ..,,
There is, first of ALL waste rom imperiect teaenlg
painfully evident as this often Is But pad haDts
OF sad are allowed 10 % ea seom e ae a
curate standard OF knowledge We suffer our pupils to
hazard with results OF a struggling heap where there
should be wall The worst Of which Is that the sl0Venly
Of the Greek musician WHO asked twice as much for
aching those VINO had had other
not ony TO accumulate information u pupils. but to
cultivate IN them cearness OF thought accuracy oi con
ception, and precision or expression
seeoIS bp OR 1 tex6ooks n are eramned With
details OF information which only be or value IN
later research and which only serve 10 confuse and
burden the mind; II any one OF you take bis best
scholar ask him to write out, whcn he has finished
gwen textbook just wnat he remembers OF that book,
you will nd that he will put DOWN less IN proportion to
the cunDers0meness Of the volume. We need clear,
terse, outline textbooks. We should get them II We
TSe %rers ver Would grumSe but t would be as when
college student grumbes at having his professor run
thry mi DIV ths do not mean that we should teach e
but that should teach more valuable matter-that
our Whole force should spent only what valuable
details OF language ana OF the higher mathematics
which should De given the go-by by many. Throwing
these by need put every energy ourselves, and
bend every energy in our pupils to the most thorough
learning Of what is most essential and logically
valuable.
Just here we are met. fourthy, with the plea that
that the pupil may know THEM they turn up in
parsngis excellent discipline. that 1t is good to be
framework is arranged TO give afction in such liberal
measure that we need oot 60 out Of the way for IT, Il
ets but axes Of the best steel would cut dowp more
used to be held that children were touShened by
p0sure to dampness and all stresses or weather, and
We
books OF the succession OF puzzles which depress the
essentials Akin to this evil is that OF teaching children
branches for which they are not yet ripe In There
cndren and the other, diversity of fitness
given pursuits in even highly capable children BY
treadmilis wanting sponaneiy and the best work Up
the child should study only lightly In simple artth
training In geography and history Will make news
papers OLE and with much general reading
will give appetite for good literature But In tho
main, what Is taught should be in quantities only to
create appeute, and the rest OF the chds energy
should be put upon physical development. which again
should Oversraned. while the body is freed from
ali strain and xpOsure OF another system there
some bright results. that Of John Stuart MILL but
the results exceptional, and shoud say that even
that case Of the nature Of o warning.
A fth source OF waste consists In wrong classinca-
tions schools Perfect grading Is difficult country
but the spirit OF 10 should be carried
teachers mind and animate his work There Is . dan
ger Of laying too great stress rules and regulations
There would best be some lunge; Its absence kills
spontaneity represses Individuality substitutes burdens
for what should be Joyous, hexthfui work.
sixth evil 10 that cnRing wornout methods because
successful men have used them The way the Linneau
method Of botany clung 70 Illustrates my meaning
the old practice of college before daylight
the when Bch0Olh0use was modeled after pretty
good one another place. OF which the fault how
ever, mad be built srrfp
of land 1t hard be specific here without offending
living writer's.
There are seventhly two sources of work for which
the teacher 10 not responsible rst that OF dullards
being high high Institutions
never succeed. The dullard cared for rs Tue
blind or the dumb but he should not be sent to be q
dead weight 70 teacher class into place too high for
hun. TINS remark includes many who strong only
certain directions and who thus forced into high
places The other Of waste lies parents suf-
giaG Duys - ~ absent mach from SCHOOL 70 enter