The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1875-10-21
GFor the News.
THEORY AND PRACTICE.

When we consider the vast amount OF
] Theory that has been presented to the
Teachers of this country for the last ten
/ years. and then examine the practical
workings of the Common Schools, we are
completely dumbfounded.
! The different methods Of organization ;
the most successful plans of government
the various ways of presenting subjects to
pupils; the best course to pursue in order
to awaken an interest in the pupils, and in
the community; the various schemes for
preventing tardiness; and the proper in
centives to action have all been elaborate
ly and understandingly discussed in our
Institutes, by teachers of long and success
full experience and acknowledged ability
Moreover, our country is well supplied
with Normal Schools, educational journals,
and other periodicals, in which educational
-natters of all kinds are theoretically pre-
sented in a scientific manner by the finest
educators of the land.
In no profession, probably, is theory
more fully presented, than in that of teach
ing, and the opportunities for being well
informed on these subjects are certainly
all that could be desired.
Notwithstanding all the advantages, the
practical workings of our Common Schools
as general thing-are far inferior to what
they should be. In two-thirds of these
schools, discipline is lax; system is almost
wholly wanting; punctuality in attendance
is bad; and general hfelessness and indif-
ference prevails.
In these Institutes, Normal Schools, and
educational journals, it is the theory that
teachers should be practical in their meth
DDS, and thus fit their pupils for actual
business in life. And yet every business
man in this country knows, that two-thirds
of the pupils who pass through our schools,
cannot make a practical application of
what they have been taught. Many of
them cannot tell what 1s4 yards of calico
will cost at 81 cts. per yard, when the ques-
ton is put in practical way without refer
ence to a book
These pupils seem to understand the
general principles of English Grammar,
but in practice it amounts to nothing, for
they murder the English Language at a
terrible rate.
We might go on and speak of the other
branches, such as Spelling, Reading and
Geography, but we think it unnecessary, as
every practical observer knows that there
is a miserable failure in these, as well as
in Arithmetic and Grammar
Many parents, after putting forth every
effort in their power for years, to give their
children a practical education, are cha
grined by these failures. The mother will
probably ask her daughter to tell how many
yards of carpet one yard wide it will take
to cover floor 1G feet long by II wide; or
the father will ask his son to make calcu-
lation in interest or per centage, when
they are astonished to find that they know
but little about it, and that their calcula-
tons are not to be depended upon
These failures are no doubt attributable |
in many cases to the pupils; but in nine
cases ont of ten the teacher is to blame. |
Pupils, as rule, viii work as they are |
taught, and if they are taught to apply |
what they learn at every step, as they
should, they will leave our schools well fit
ted for practical work
The teachers themselves are not practical.
Too many are mere book-worms, ard have
put little general information. For in
stance, one teacher in this township, two
years ago, reported to the Township Clerk
hat the per cent. of attendance was 40,
md this year the attendance was still bet
,er, and the same teacher reported 27O per
cent.
This teacher could probably work all the
problems in per centage in the book, and
the general theory of the same,
out made a miserable failure in practice
This reminds me of another teacher, who,
when asked to define the word hazardous"
.eplied that it was a female hazard!
Every one must acknowledge that the
eacher's advantages to-day are greatly su-
,erior to what they were twenty years ago;
,ut have the teachers improved proper
ionally? There is no doubt some i'm
,rovement, but the improvement is not in
to the opportunities.