The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-06-12
Our Com mon schools.

but farmers wife and il may be presump'
tious after so many ADLER persons have spoken
to venture to express my opinion, yet would
like to give expression to the interest ieei IN
the discussion OF the school question, believing
1t to be one OF vital Importance to our State
and Country.
regret to see the position taken by most OF
those who have given expression to their Vows
on this subject. Indiscrlminate censure and
fault finding seems to be the order OF the day
with nearly every one who has spoken on this
subject.
suppose no one will contend that our school
system IS faultless. but gentlemen, please show
us better before you proceed to destroy this.
The idea advanced by some, that our schools
have been degenerating for the last twenty or
twenty-five years Is simply preposterous, as
well attempt 10 convince sensible people that
this age OF progress is going backwards. do
not know but the schools in the vicinity OF Paw
Paw, may be on the decline, and from the tone
OF those who have spoken on the subject, l
should Judge there might be ample cause for it
in the fault-fnding spirit Of the people, can
only speak for those schools OF which have a
personal knowledge, but in those, am sure
no one who was at all acquainted with the
schools in the past will candidly say that there
has been no Improvement. The majority Of
teachers il the newer parts Of the county
twenty years ago were young persons whose
only training was received perhaps in a log
school-house OF the backwoods and though do
ing their best, OF course could not teach what
| they did not know. Ny children have COM
| planned - shall never get through my geog-
raphy or grammar, for every teacher makes us
begin at the first Of the book and gives us just
so much for lesson and we never get more
than half way through the book" which upon
inquiry / found to be the case, and at another
time one Of them who was studying Thomp-
sons Practical Arithmetic, came with the COM
plant /" 1t Is OF no use for me to study arith-
metc this term, FOR my teacher does not un-
derstand cube root and cannot teach IT,
True at that early period there were some
good teachers, well qualified for their work,
but those commanded wages which the newer
and poorer districts felt unable to pay in those
days OF rate-bills and consequently they were
obliged to content themselves with teachers OF
an inferior grade, or if perchance the District
Board feeling the importance OF having good
school, hired a teacher better qualified and
paid somewhat higher wages, good share OF
the people would withdraw their children from
school for fear of the rate-bill. ! have a case
in mind in our own district where every pupil
but three were thus withdrawn, and this. al.
though the Director assured them that there
would be public money enough to nearly OF
quite pay the teacher, but they were like
frightened sheep one led off and the rest fol
lowed.
The Inauguration OF the County Superin
tendent system, caused quite STIR among the
teachers OF our section and many who hat
taught school for years were fain to betakt
themselves TO the Union Schools to prepare
themselves for the coming examination, ant
some OK them we're classed as low a. the
class, IL the Grammar School. as the cat
alogues would testify should mention names
For several years we have sent our children
to mon School, although we were paying
from twenty to thirty dollars tax yearly in oui
own district, believing that it was better to pa,
tuition and have them enjoy the advantage o
more careful instruction than it was possible
For them to receive IN District School. Com
plant has been made that teachers try to lml
tate tie methods Of teaching pursued in Uniol
Schools. but judging by what know of two a
least Of the Graded Schools OF the County,
should say the closer they inflated them, TIT
better, but il is lot possible for any teache
however well qualified to teach anG do justlc,
TO forty or fifty pupils Of ali grades, from tn
child just learning the letters, to the studen
CT Higher Algebra. How much time can th
most diligent teacher bestow in teaching eacl
class when as is often the case there ar
twenty or more classes in school, then too
want o. uniformity il books, is a great draw
back TO the progress OF a school, though hap
PLY. that Is not so common as it was a fey
years ago.
\ few words in respect to the word methot
OF teaching reading. Who that has seen littl
ones taught by the word method, would wis
them taught as they often were in those old
time schools have heard them taught some
thing like this: What's that, Johnnie; A-ah
Or take another example, A-ah bah LA
big-ah d-o-g-ah dog-ah c-a-n ca
r-u-n run-ah, Children taught by the wor
method do not draw their words but read IN
natural manner. 1t is true 1t takes a liv
teacher to teach by this method successful
and few teachers of District Schools have tim
to teach the little ones as thew ought to b
taught, as the oder pupils demand 80 much c
their attention.
complaint is made that teachers wages ar
too high, but high as they are they fail to kee
them al the business longer than until com
more congenial employment presents itself an
in consequence we have few experienced dI.
trict school teachers.
fully endorse all that has been said abou
parents neglecting to visit schools. and l thin
also that farmers are more negligent in tn
respect than any other class of people. Di
they visit the schools more, there would b
fewer complaints. They lend willing ears {
the tales OF their children, 1.-THE teacher
partial, and :" does not try to teach me, c
some such dreadful story Is told, and they tax
1t for granted without inquiry and begin
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