Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-11-17
FIRST EDITION.
school Govern ment,
ADDRESS OF ". W. WOODRUFF BEFoRE THE WILL
MINdroN TEAOuERs NORMAL INsrITuTE.

Address OF W. W. WOODRUFF BtFoRE THE Will
MINdroN TEACHERS NORMAL INSTITUTE
W. w. Woodruff, formerly Superintendent of
the Public Schools of Chester County, addressed
tho Wilmington Teachers Normal Institute last
evening" on the subject of"School Government.
MIR. Woodruff said he had no set speech, nor
written essay. More teachers fail for the want
oi apilty 10 govern, than from u want of scholar
snip, and 1t is more easy to ascertain our
scholastlc attanments than to acquire an ability
to. o.goyern. One great object is to govern our
selves and teach others to do the same and put
Pupils on their feet to take care OF and control
themselves.
Much time was wasted in making scholars
like soldiers. Military order was necessary for
soldiers, but scholars do not go out in the world
IN platoons, nor appear in society AZ they ap-
pear in school. You may succeed in establish
ing order, but unless you have laid the founda-
tons OF good character you have failed
Teachers should have correct ideas OF what
government is, and should teach their pupils
that there are laws, and illustrate the same by
showing that there must be System. Coming
TO more specific characters, teachers should OH
tain the confidence of their pupils. This can
be done by showing that you have sympathy
Tor them, and that your are honest and sincere.
1t Is not necessary always to confess
your fault to your pupls. but show
show that you are ready and willing to do 30
"heh IL peconeS necessary. Then you should
come before your scholars and say you are sor-
ry. This must not done every day, al your hold
upon the scholars would be weakened. can
did acknowledgment to your pupils, once in
while. will not weaken the respect and conf
dence of the pupil. One OF the best recipes to
secure the love and confidence OF scholar is to
free our minds from all vanity and aifectaton
The first rule in governing we'll il to have no
rules at all. III you adhere to printed or written
rules, you challenge your school to break those
rules. But for the prohibition, the desire to
transgress would not be created. 1t lis necessary
to have regulations subject To notifications,
but have few ruleP. tt.s4 Ii
In the enforcement of ord,r great element
to its success, is to learn to wait. We are apt to
reel tlat all reslHtance to government should be
put down, but there is a rough and a smooth
way OF doing ID. If strong enough physically,
you can drive right through, but il You will wait
and be persistent, you will accomplish the same
result III moro pleasant manner
Charles summer, when he lectured in West
Chester l5 years ago stopped III the middle of a
down in the aisle, and when he had passed out,
no resumed where he had left off in the middle
of the sentence. No one offered to move after
wards. He had conquered by silence and wait
ng.
Another point is to behave well yourselves.
We all have some short conings failures OF
'ome kind. Equality cannot be expected in
good scholars. Ii you expect order, you must
% orderly if punctuallty, you must be pune
ual ; II study, you must study yourselves.
Teachers who go to parties and prayer-meet-
ngs, (not that they are wrong in themselves)
show Indifference to study, and a teacher who |
merely studies enough to get along with will |
never be successful. You must have zeal and
owe for the work, which will carry You beyond
lie requirements OF the hour.
Teachers must show that they expect much !
rom their pupils. They should seem as little |
% possible to govern, and let it be quiet-no |
II the wish is recognized, the will |
loed not be expressed. Study the time to do |
10 and but seldom find fault, and study the |
mood or mind before speaking Of them.
Teachers shonld govern more with. the eye. |!
They talk too much. Men control wild animals |
" looking them in the eye Children can be |
ontrolled in the same way il there is behind it |
kind benevolent heart |
Govern kindlyiby love-not a watery, senti- |
mental kind, but a sincere, true love that WINS |
There are great depths OF love in the heart that
AVE never yet been reached. Govern with dis |
rimination. No two pupils are alike. Some
hildren are strangers to kindness. Parents |
nay love them, but they never give expression |
o such love, and some only find when grown |
Up that their parents ever loved them. Schol- |
rs should be kept busy, and in order to keep /
hem busy, teachers should anticipate and pre-
ARE beforehand.
Being hasty is grievous fault. Some hastily /
AXE position from which they are compelled to
'ack down, and thereby lose their authority.
Do not think that disapprove OF the use of
he rod, for do not, but try the full measure
4 love first, and get the parents to corporate
nth you. You can gain the parents to your
ide by showing that you are sincere. This plan
pursued with honest feelings nstgated by
ove, can scarcely fail to win the pupil and avoid
he disagreeable necessity of using corporal
The lecture was listened to with great interes,
y the teachers, who were all present, and by
Mite a number of citizens. Several of the men, |
ers of the Board of Education were also pres-
nt
At the close OF the lecture Prof. Wiley COM
limented the Institute for the privilege of lis
ening to such an able lecture, and at his sug-
estion hearty vote of thanks was returned to
alrar