The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-12-02
CONCERNING SCHOOLS.
BY HATTIE TYING GR1swoLD.

| CONCERN1NG SCHOOLS.
/ BY HATTIE TYING GRIswoLD.
"And the second is like unto the first. )"
I wish to take up the miserable meth
eds of teaching, of which I spoke N my
first article, little more in detail. And
I wish to premise by saying, that in all
the criticism | make, understand per-
| fcctly that there are many and noble
exceptions to all the general statements
made. Individual teachers, and whole
schools TO whom my fault fnding will
not apply in the least, but | speak solely
of the average school. Beginning in the
primary room and extending al! the way
Ghrouah, could 1t be possible by any
process of human invention to turn out
a worse set of readers, than are turned
out yearly by our schools? thingsnot,
and when I lear a class of assembled
teachers themselves undertake to read,
l do not wonder at the result of their
teachings Not one in ten can read
decently not one III twenty well enough
to teach class ofintants, and few or
none read as they should Now with q
proper knowledge af the art of reading,
for good reading rises to the dignity Of
an art, there are few things easie- than
to have whole school vitality interested
in learning to read, and to make good
readers of a large proportion of the
pupils. On this one point I speak ad
yisedly. I have tried 1t and know it
can be done. The first thing to be uone
80 accomplish this, is that tt present
class Of teachers, or their successors if
they refuse to improve, should them
selves be thoroughly taught. This might
be done partially at least, in Teachers
Institutes, by Professor of ElocutioD,
employed purpose!y for that, who would
be thorough in his drill. and merciless
In his criticism of the present standing
of the teachers In this respect.
Then the spelling, to sum marie
briefly. Alas there are no Professors
i of spelling unless we call Josh Billings
and Nasty such. But that some i'm
provement ought to be made In this re-
gard, will be admitted by all think
who know what wretched failures, the
majority of common school students make
of this branch. Far more time should
i I think, be given to reading, spelling
and writing in the lower grades of the
schools, as so many scholars never attend
school alter the age of IL or IA years
ALI who leave school even at this age
ought to be respectfully proficient il
these branches, while the fact is, no.
half of them, can either read, write OF
spell. with even tolerable grace Upol
the best methods Of bringing about thi
desired result, / would again beg fol
help from practical teachers.
! Drawing should be taught in all TIT
primary rooms | think. even before
writing Is begun, it nothing further o
the Klnderg arten method is brought int
use at first. Children will learn t,
write far more easily for few lesson.
in drawing while the general Importance
of educating the eye and the hand, Cal
{ scarcely be overstated.
As soon as child begins study in an,
, of the usual text books, be it Geography
History or what not, the miserable prac
!tice OF examining the memory with les
sons learned by note, begins, in nearl.
all schools. Perhaps the majority 0