The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-06-28

the young should De CaugnG LilaO WudU
ever they do should be done as we'll as
possible. One of the greatest obstacles
to social comfort and social progress
may be found in the fact that so few
perform any service as well as they
are capable Of performing it. 10
reduce this source of evil to the small
est dimensions, the teachers OF youth
should insist upon the rigid observance
of certain details in the performance
of what may not be improperly called
the machine work of the school-room.
A pupil, for instance, should be re-
uuired to hold his book correctly while
reading, to stand properly when reclt-
ing, to pass from point to point grace
fully, to enter and leave the school
room appropriately; in short, to per-
, form in the most approved manner all
mechanical actions, not because he
may have occasion to perform any OF
these acts in after life, but that excel
Ience of execution may characterize
every kind of activity in which he may
ENGAGE through the powerful, it not
Irresistible, influence Of acquired
habits.
1t is, perhaps, possible to pay so
much attention to details in the eXecu-
tion of given plan as to delay it's
accomplishment beyond q reasonable
amount of time. 1t is well known
that in most systems of graded in
struction the plan Of work to be ac-
complished is so comprehensive as to
preclude that attention to the details
of execution which most intelligent
teachers would prefer to give. But
when the thought recurs that the great
purpose of education, of instruction,
is not the requirement Of a definite
amount of knowledge, but rather SO
to form the mind as to prepare it for
the most useful action in the future,
the adoption Of any means fitted to
accomplish the grand result would
seem both Unstable and desirable.
E. C. DELANO.
All teachers that amount to anything
owe duty to their profession. This
duty includes more than mere faith
full discharge of school-room work.
The true teacher has an interest in the
general advancement of education,
apart from self-interest. It is an
axiom of duty to the profession shat
every teacher not fossiliZed Should
subscribe for at least one educational
journal; and that teachers really GttUe
will subscribe for, and read, two or
three journals. There are teachers, it
is true, who say they never find any
thing worth reading in any school
journal. They belong to that class Of
persons who are too ignorant to dis
cover their own deficiencies. There is
no self-conceit more insNfferable than
that of a fossilized teacher. 1t is a
clear duty we all owe to our profession
to encourage our own home journal of
education. AS a general rule, your
cOnceited teacher who looks down up
on school journals never in his life
wrote two consecutive pages worthy
of being printed. JOHN SWEET.
----0~~~>- --a@s-S ~>-------
A Few Thoughts on School Discipline.
Government exists III the school for
the two fold purpose of instruction and
training-for the impart-0f knoWl-
edge and the harmonious development
of both the intellectual and moral fac
ulties. This government in order to be
successful IN the highest sense Of the
word must not be in opposition to, but
in full harmony with the child nature.
/ am aware that many teachers by
mere force Of will, and, by the strictest
adherence to set of arbitrary rules.
Stringently enforced, often secure what
is regarded as very superior order.
Their schools move off with all the
precision OF ClOcK-WOrK, ana the slight
est breach of decorum, no matter how
strong the temptation may have been,
is regarded as serious offense to be
visited with speedy and condign pun
ishment. Such a course is neither rea-
Sohable nor wise. 1t does not develop
the better part Of the childs nature
What is needed is a sense Of depend
ence and submission on the part of the
pupil with as little show of authority
as possible on the part of the teacher
Order must be secured and obedience
enforced if need be, but if this obedi-
ence is spontaneous on the part of the
child, if it springs from a desire tc
please and not from the fear of punish.