The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-02-22

ultv. or teachers convention, discover |
some new method of teaching, and what |
coincidence! some publisher has just then |
ready book suited to the new sytem.-l
How long will the people be humbugged
in this way?
As sample let US see about arithme-
tics,
l have four children, and here are their
books:
l. Pictorial Primary, by Walton.
2. Walton's intermediate.
8. Robinson's Rudiments.
4. Robinson's Progressive.
5. Stoddard's Practical.
6. Robinson's Practical.
Z Robinson's Progressive Primary.
| 3. Robinson's Progressive Intellectual
Q. Fisks Rudiments.
| 10 Emerson's First Part. -,
1 Second hand booksellers rlease cal!
A statement in regard to the different
readers would be more appalling STILL
Cnace will not permit their enumeration.
| Tbe matter had got so serious that the
aonyant;on of 1870 took it in hand and pro-
v;ded AGAINST jobbing in school books-but
Nth little avail When professor Of
drawing can direct that his books shall be
nsed in the schools, it is about time the
modern system be looked into.
Now as to the grading OF pupils. They
grade down instead of up. The policy is
to shave everything down to a level; for
example: boy is very bright in arithme'
tic-would make splendid mathematic-
} ian-but is poor in grammar; Is not nat
tural grammarian, has not taste TOR 1t !;
he is put into class of about his grade in
grammar, and he must be in the same
|, class in arithmetic. So he is kept back in
arithmetic, because he is not bright IN
l grammar. IF all boys were of equal tastes
r and capacities in all studies they could, Of
course, be classed according to the graded
, system. The old fashioned way Of organ
: izing school was to get together all of 1
y certain capacity or advancement in arlth
: metic-lst class, End class, and so-thei
, geography, reading, etc.-a BOY would bt
Z in the LIST class in arithmetic, 3rd class il
e reading, etc. He turns out surveyor. =
e Another boy of the same age is in the Is
class in grammar and reading, but in tn
y 3rd class in arithmetic; he becomes dis
It tinguished liuguist. Under the grade,
J, system they are run through the mill
a bringing out no Robert Fulton, Prof
q Morse. or Bayard Taylor. Mediocrity
T. their status. 1t they ever shoot ahead i
# any particular branch after they leave tn
D, public school, it is because they hav
le strength enough to overcome the rolling
ic mill process through which they hay
lie passed. If there is any genius in a be
VI the improved system" will knock it a
e. out of him, eEs-. III -
oy Parents wonder why their children don
. get on better. Let them look into Il
matter, and they will wonder no longe
Teachers who never had any children
2 their own get together in convention al
lresolve that great progress has been ma.
so lin teaching, 1t is paraded through Il
m papers, and everybody who begs leave
lot differ is written down an ass and to-
8 Parents and tax payers are expected
of submit to the various professors of dra
De- ling. singing, gymnastics, and all 9th
ret slush that forms part of the modern i
q! provements.
ey They must purchase all the books t
for publishers desire to sell, and if the pul
ey docs not purchase the new book require
g? he must get out of the school. Approp
it'll atoms must be made for the norm
3D. school, and no one must dare to teach |
ing til he joins the ring and sings praises
the Normal and the publisher. He must
in favor of squeezing all the young Of
Through the same hole, and if his bri!
boy in arithmetic cannot keep up in gra
mar and drawing he must be put b
OF with the lunkheads in arithmetic.
ade 2sea JAMES P. Roof