The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-02-25

independent; because they are book
worms and not thinkers; because they
must see the words, the problems, the
statements, as they were written in the
book out of which they learned, or else
they are far out at sea, without a COM
pass to direct or a star to guide. They
are much like the boy who Scould solve
any problem in certain arithmetic, but
could not measure load of wood be-
cause be failed to find an example in
the book setting forth like dimensions.
| solcmnly ask, Of what use is our
teaching unless we can make practical
application Of principles? The prinei>
pies must live they are the fruits. The
words must soon drop from the memory
-.-tbcy are the blossoms. Then, to
utilize time and labor, to avoid one great
source Of friction in common schools, we
say: Teachers, let US get something to
teach; let us qualify ourselves BY learn
ing living, generating principles in all
their bearings and relations; make them
our own; stamp them with our own in
dividuality, and however necessary it
may be to have text books. let US be
able to use as not to abuse.
Again, as a result of incompetency,
waste of force arises from the teaching
of things not usctM. Our text books
are greatly at fault here. They are in
mauy cases, crsmp,cd with details Of
dead and senscleas things, which only
serve to burden and discourage the in
structor ani the instructed. Our
Biographies, for instance, are strange
conglomerations of almost every art and
science----almost every subject ever
treated----and instead Of biographies be-
ing an elementary branch, much pre-
paratory knowledge is necessary before
it can be studied with any degree of
satisfaction. Every teacher knows that
it Is quite impossible to teach a pupil
anything about geography under the
present regime, and my humble reason
is that there is not one text book in ten
ou this subject that contains enough
common sense to make it practical
"0ur intellectual arithmetics are school
room juggernauts," as some one has well
said, "and beneath their wheels many
bright intellect is crushed" The men
tai arithmetic is useful enough when
the science is properly applied, but
most text books ON that subject lack
practcali'y.
Friction alss arises from imperfect
methods of instruction. We allow pupils
TO contract desultOry habits of study. We
raise too seldom an accurate standard Of
knowledge. Ut is SO easy to skim the sur
face, and so painstaking to be radical, that
the sloyenly habits Of looseness are allowed
TO fasten upon the scholars. 1t is Il
method with some to have pupils exercise
the memory principally, cause them to
memorize long lists Of adverbs and prepo-
sitions, the idea bein. to discipline the
memory Tlis, in my opinion, is outra-
seous. 1t does little else than to encourage
stupidity. The proper purpose Of oil true
education-be it primary. or academic, or
collegiate, professional, or whatever else
it may be--is to teach the pupil to think; to
use his own senses and his own powers OF
mind i
Another source of friction is the govern
ment Of a school, and especially is there
friction if a scholar he nicely Rogyed.
Teachers, as u last resort, when prayers,
tears, exhortations and long suffering have
.aled TO accomplish the desired snd-when
you have so studied the dispositions and
pecularities of your pupils as TO know hsw
10 act--whea you are driven to the wall
then apply force to your unruly scholars.
| have known schools to be governed with.
cut the rod but | have known schools 10 be
governed far better with the help of the
rod. Corporal punishment, when properly
sppliCd, will adjust matters i'll about ons
case IN twenty. Ia the ether nineteen
the parents will interfere and de-
stroy the effect. What else can he eX-
pectcd when nineteen-tTentieths Of the
parents are ruled by the childTsn. | pity
The teacher who has not Il stiif vertebrate
column, Ior he rules among queens and
kings, \ parent Ouce tod a teacher to Foy
his son if he did not obey, and enc day the
tsacker did fog him and in the proper
way, and tefore light the parent came tC
the school Euiicing and kicked the teacnsr
Out of the door for doing just what he had
told him TO do. l knew II boy to he whipped
for swearing, and the father swore at hia
while logging him. Parents als often in
consistent, often prejudiced against teach
er3, and are arly always willing AM
eager 10 believe any lie about them thai
may be started
Iyreguiar attendance of pupils is another
source of friction. Our text books are gen
orally compi ed so that the student cannot
commence anywhere; but mast, in mos
cases, begin at the beginning, and mus
advance step by step, without omittins
nythiug. The scholar who enters late il
the term, or who attends very irregularly
causes much trouble; is frequently deaf
weight OH the class and an annoyance Il
the Instructor. When will parents learl
thet 10 have good school they must see Il
il that the children are prompt and regula
in their attendance; that to have pupil
advance in learning it je positively neces
sary that they keep daily with the ranks
A day missed is link gone, and the chair
is broken forever. o, patrons of school
| appeal TO you, for the sake Of the pro
gress Of classes, for the sake OF the child
ior the sake of the teacher, for the sake 0
reason and justice, for the sake Of order
for the sake Of the schsol, do see to 1t tina
those whom yOu send are prompt and regu
lar in their attendance. In my opinion tn
compulsory education laws are cutting re
rroaches to indifferent parents aud guar
diars. The idea Of bsing forced by law
do So Important duty as sending the child
rem to sclool. speaks badly for the parents
Let us hope it may never be necessary t
pass such law il Pennsylvania.
BESIDES permitting the children to a
tend very irregularly the parents then
selves stay away from schools almost ell
tirelyi II teaches did not chastize