The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-06-27
IMPERFECT TEACHING.

perfect teaching. We say common schools
not because we think the evil is peculiar to
them, but because it is of them we wish to
speak. Much is undertaken. But little is
accomplished. Pupils are brought into
contact with vast stores of knowledge; but
a very small portion is so perfectly acquired
that it may be called their own. They
have so much to learn that they have no
time to understand. They are not given
time to think, to evolve any thing from
their own inner consciousness. They are
not required by actual effort Of their own
minds to conceive and apply the truths
which they are taught. They are not re-
quired or expected to have ideas, but are
taught parrot-like repetitions instead
They are taught to be satisfied with the
shadow, instead of the substance. They
are feed upon shells instead of kernels.
What wonder then that we have SO many
minds that are weak, vacllating, purpose
less and incapable of graphing with the
difficulties of life. What wonder then
that we have SO .fe,o minds that have that
strength, robustness and vital power that
should have been acquired by vigorous
mental exercise. Teachers think they have
too much to accomplish to stop to insist on
entire thoroughness and accuracy of COM
prehenson. We have no hesitancy in say.
ing that this system of teaching, coupled
with the prevailing practice of changing
the teacher of each school every few terms.
destroys one half the effectiveness of our
schools. There is now in most instances
such a want of thoroughness that no
teacher can depend on the work of his pre-
decessors. If he intends to make thor
oughness his motto, what has already been
gone over will have to be reviewed; and
well will it be if it is reviewed in such
manner that it will not have to be re-re-
viewed. This trouble is aggravated by the
fact that teachers have not the same ideas
as to the manner in which a child's educa-
ton should be conducted, that is as to the
relative Importance of the different studies,
which should be taught first, etc. They
have not been uniformly taught themselves.
One may come from schools where arithme-
another from schools where knowledge of
grammar is considered to be the chief end
and AIM another perhaps has been educated
under the same system that now prevails
in our county and thinks that if pupils are
put through the books it does not make
much difference whether they are taught
anything or not. Under these circum-
stances, where teachers are changed so fire.
quently there cannot but be some working
at cross purposes, which will he injurious
to the schools.
What can be done to correct these evils?
Will our having graded course of instruc-
ton help the matter? Tie simple fact of
our hauing such a course will do nothing;
but if it be intelligently and faithfully APP
piled by teachers and systematically super
vised by the County Examiner there is
little doubt but that it will do much to les
sen some of the evils referred to. Is it
practicable to have and apply such q course
of instruction in the country school? We
fail to see why it should not be just as APP
plicable to country schools as to any other.
We are we'll aware that the schools of our
country are not well adapted to fill up the
measure of the system.
We know that the upper grades will sell
dom be reached, and that it will be the
exception and not The rule, for the work of
grade to be accomplished in the allotted
time lone year, But does this make it
less important that whatever education the
pupil receives should be given in syste-
matte and thorough manner? Does this
make it less important that whatever height
of attainment he may reach, should be
reached by regular and systematic steps?
Because the classification may be difficult
is it less important that there should be
classification? Because the teacher may
find it difficult to determine the standing of
pupils with regard to their studies is it not
more important that some fixed system
should be had for his guidance in the mat
ter? The difficulty of getting pupils adj
vanced from one grade to another will have
a most benefcent effect upon parents 1t
will afford them tangible evidence (when
such is the case) Of the fact that their chill
dren are not receiving that education that
it is their duty to give them. There are
parents who send their children to school
from nine to twelve weeks year mot four
of these weeks perhaps being consecutive
and who think that they are giving them
an enlightened education and that at a
great sacrifice. When such parents find
that it takes four years of such attendance
to complete one grade, and that it will take
all childs school years to complete three
grades, and when they consider that he
will not be fit to discharge the duties Of
knowledge of four or five grades, they
will look at the matter in a new light
They will be led to see and realize that if
they allow their children to spend their
"chincapin bushes" they cannot and need
not expect them to reap the advantages
! that are conferred by regular attendance
at school. There are other parents who
are giving their children every school ad
vantage in their power, who, not being
intimately acquainted with any course of
instruction, cannot judge with any degree
of certainty as to whether these advantages
are being rightly improved or not. There
may be faults in the child's application or
in the teachers capacity to instruct which
the parent has no opportunity Of observing.
Such parents we think instead of Directing
to the graded system will consider it a
great improvement on the old hap-hazard
plan, and will insist on its strict observance.
AS to pupils if the system be rightly
applied, it cannot but be beneficial to
them. The desire for promotion and the
dread of failure will give them something
definite to work for, which is what they
need. Pupils cannot be expected to strive
! for knowledge because an education is
desirable; because it is Indispensable to
! the DISCHARGE of their duties and to the