New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-07

experience where art was the Columbus discovering
science In 1t, educational common sense would nsVo
suppanted uncommon educational nonsense. And leav-
ing It, the newly nedged graduate, as does the newly
hedsed jour- would a once earn living"
DR.. HIlgard of Michigan University ADVISED
the Michigan teachers their late meeting TO instruct
children in natural history chiefly by means OF natural
specimens After these he held that good illustrated
works and wall maps are high essentials, as contra
distip from textbooks dictionaries to De
learned by and quickly forgotten with SUCH works
and n moderate degree OF skill in sketebipg (which
should form part Of the accomplishments Of every
teacher and appropriate verbal explanations great
deal may be accomplished even without any regular
cabinet OF natural history any complicated or costly
apparatus for experiments The explanation and usra
ton OF scientific principles IN connection with everyday
ifo is much more striking and leaves more iastng
impression than experiments made WIN eaoora'o anu
complicated instruments with exotic ana rare speci-
latter the pupil too often reures WIN
an intimate impression that the principles only apply
to the elaborate paraphernalia he has SEEM out nave
nothing to do with what he around him every Day
II is of the last Importance that objective Instruction
should as much as possible, be brought home 10 the
childs own experience. Yet this precisely Is point
most commonly ignored by teachers as well as "AE
books.
President Bascom of Wisconsin University
wisely says that In schools there is 100 great" W"
depcy 10 take things pieces, aud name the paris as
"A minute analysis Of tropes in rhetoric ard again ID
grammar, which is taught too much oy 'he eye
with diagrams. Grammar textbooks eouid GU
hrace all that is necessary within 10 pages,
whereas they contain 200 or more
There are too many nice distinctions, too many
cenders, many moods what Is called the fuoluhc'-
i've mood ample, 10 no mood. Pupils shcu'd not
be obliged TO state their knowledge IN any one partlcu-
lar method We ought not 10 spend time In learning
10 forge w o
history and geography for example. to learn all the
canes around continent, all the little rivers
on IT, We need not learn now things that we
snail know later without direct study, for ex-
ample the particulars of language, as quantity and pro-
nunciatiOn. providing the teacher Id good guide'
The same Is largely in regard to construction OF
sentences practice in which should precede learning
rules Postpone that which can he easily acquired
later as in punctuation. for which to give points and
rues before the child understand Them Is burden
some Wait till he cOmprehends the sentences ana
punctuation comes naturally
The following resolutions were passed at
the recent annual meeting OF the New-Hork state
Association OF School Commissioners and supern-
tents:
Resored That the opnoR OF this body OF se en-
teachers Of STATE the policy OF the General Govern
nent shOnd be longer 10 make large grants IRON us
public domain cd corporations hut 70 consecrae
the proceeds Of an sales OF tic pubc ands, sacIeuy
q VI the
ing the States thorough education or the people
RpSOired, That this view, We respectfully recon-
mend TO the careful consideration OF Congress, the Bits
introduced bv the Hon. J. s. Morrill, in the Senate, ana
the Hon G. f. Hoar in the House OF Representatives,
for The CONSIDERATIONS proceeds 81 public land sales III
part the improvement Of instruction III the various
sciences applicable to the industries OF the country ana
in part for the establishment ana maintenance oi pup
lie schools making the distribution rceards the latter
Object upon the basis Of lliieracv for term OF years
thus education TO bear upon mat unlnsructed
mass set Tree by the events Of the last IS years.
Superintendent Ellis OF Rochester said that We need
schools still advanced than our high schools, ana
greater permaneney Of school government. higher
qualification Of teachers is required, ana only such
teachers should be appointed will devote their lives
TO the calling. There is too much Of shifting and
changing Of teachers and the system consequently
kept more or less 10 unsettled condition. AS
rule teachers should receive larger salaries, and one
OF the consequences will be the employment OF higher
grade of talent The schools must be in every way dis
connected from politics, whether in local State con-
troll The Association passed resolution approving the
principle Of compulsory education and asking the Legis
ature OF complete and perfect the act al