Huntington advertiser. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1874-1921, 1875-11-04
THE PUBLIC SHCOoLS.
HuSrINGToN, Oct. 10th 1875

EDrror HUSTTSsroN ADVERTISERS:
In AS much AS feel it will be al
most impossible for me to see and
converse with all the friends and
patrons of this School as soon as ]
desire to do, in order that | nigh,
explain to them my plans, and give
them some idea of my method OF
Teaching and governing a schoo',
and believing this to be necessary,
that might be enabled 10 carry
them out successfully. | beg that
you will allow me to speak Of them,
briefly, througl the columns OF your
paper.
Upon assuming the duties Of Su,
perintepdent Of the Public Schools
OF this CITY, to which it pleased the
Board of Education to elect me, il
was with a full consciousness of the
responsibility Of the position, and &
determination to discharge faithfully
and honestly, to the best of my abil'
itv, the duties which would devolvt
upon me. Those duties knew
would be grave AM responsible, "a
| the trust WAS sacred For into my
hands was committed the education
of vonr children, and with it, it ma,
be their future welfare, in measure
and upon nv efforts would depend
the success of this School, in which
not only YOU but the wh' lie commu
nifty is deeply interested. This | an
free to confess, caused me much ap
prehension. Besides, was stran
ger to YOU, anj y1u to me, and
knew that lhe eve IF all would be
npou me, that they would watch
carefully my course and efforts, and
would compare my method of teach
ing, and my discipline with that oI
my predecessors, and that their judg
ments and opinions would be base
upon that comparison.
Experience justified ne ~ h"pihH
that that judgment would ne: b,
against me. Yet that experenc'
was acquired in Virgins, and thou i
successful there. tnew not whether
! it would avail me- here and be accep
table to all. For dill rent states, like
different people, in different localities
have their peculiar ideas, as to how
school should b" managed, so thai
what suits one, viii not suit another
and ii | found them different, here
from what was accustomed to il
/ Virginia, knew not whether coulC
adapt myself to them.
| determined, nevertheless, to pur
sue my usual plan, believing that
when that is fully understood it must
commend Itself to the Judgment ot
all reasonable persons. Experience
us we'll as reason, has taught me thai
/ the teacher should endcavor to i'll
still in the mind OF the scholar a love
/ for studv. and that the best way tC
accomplish this, is not Ia over task
him, to explain To him fully what he
learns, and to keep the mind con
.taatly refreshed by frequent re-
views.
As to the discipline Of school,
hold that it is much better to rule by
persuasion, by an appeal to honor, by
love, and reward of merit, than it is
bv force and by fear. aud that the
latter ought only be re>orted to in
case Of necessity. Yet still the
teacher should he master in the
school room. "Whatevcr he NAV
oe to other men, however mild to the
pupil himself. he cannot forget. with
ouf ruin inevitable, that i'll the school
room lie must rule alone His gov
ernmert may be monarchy, a re
public. or he may be Il patriarch at
the head of fairly. hut in all it-
forms, he is the Supreme Executive.
Government cannot exist without a
head. Order cannot be preserved
without government, and Order Is
hcaren's first lar"
For wears | have entertained these
opinions, and have been governed
by the principles inculcated in them.
propose to teach and govern this
school upon these principles. have
made known my views and wishes
to all nv assistants, and | know that
they are in full sympathy with them,
aud that | will have their hearty
support in carving them out. Aud
to carry out these views, have sug'
gosted to every teacher the proprie'
II Of adopting some system Of marks,
whereby the children may be stimu
lated. and their progress in study
and Department, made known if pos
sibla daily, to their parents, guar
dians. or 10 any one else who may be
sending them to School. ! believe
all have adopted some system of th'
i-;,l