The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-11-28

the pnpnc mlna throughout the country
tooysrhaul the whole public school sys-
TEN, and lop OF lie exrresences. By e1.
cresences We mean certain superAuitiss
that do mot belong 10 common school
education; that have no proper place In
the system; that are rather hIndranCes
than helps to the requirement Of good
common school education; that tend not
only to ritter away the time Of Scholars
bot likewise increase the coat OF the sya.
tenn and thus make it unpopular with
large body Of It's supporters.
Two points cOnuected with the school
system are now receiving particular at.
tention IN the discussions Of the press,
viz: the study Of German and the estab-
lishment Of High Schools. The question
is being asked, what has the Common
School system TO DO with tie study Of
German, or Of Latin, or Of higher natlle.
matica2 Lie il short; the school lie Of
the masses Is very short; and why seek to
enlarge the legitimate curriculum Of All
elementary education withGtudies thatdO
not belong to 1t, to the detriment Of The
system aud to the dissatisfaction Of the
tax.payeu?I
This ia the question that is being pro.
pounded and discussed, and it Is a very
suggestive and important one, and, so
far as we observe, the best pens engaged
ia the discussion declare for the public
school system, pure and simple, di-
vested Of all its latter.day trimmings
such as certain specialists and over.
Jealous schoOlmen, out Of a species
OF hobbyism that belongs to those who
have zeal without real knowledge, have
imposed upon 1t.
For our part We rejoice to see this dis
cussion, and especially the turn that It is
taking, and we trust the day ia at hand
when the public mind will settle down
firmly, as near "a may be, to the original
groundwork Of the Common School
system. It is not more education in the
Public Schools that we need, but better
education; not an increaEe Of quantity
but Of quality. We need schooltnen who
are ambitious and jealous for proficiency,
and, for hat matter, for protundity in the
old time three r." ('reAdin, 'ritin and
'rithmetic'') rather than for the new fan.
eled addenda that now, in so many in.
stances, simply confuse and anlagonize
everything like lhoroughness in the &C.
QUESTION Of the proper groundwork OF
an education.
How many children 10 the public
schools, after a stay Of two or three years
in them, are really good spoilers? We
should like some one to give us the exact
per cent. It would be an interesting
item Of educational statistics. How many
can go to the black board and spell and
pupctua,e correctly ten lines that may
dedicated to them. How many car really
read naturally That is, read in rccord.
ance with the old rule that the infectious
Of the human voice 10 reading Should be
so nearly conversational in their tone as
almost to defy detection in an adjoining
room. How many can stand thorough
examination in the essential principles
Of arithmetic outside OF the rules aud ex.
amples to which they have been accus.
tOmed2 How many can compose nat
ural letter on subjects with which they
arc familiar? How many can write
hand 1T to form the proper body
Of characteristic chirography in after
lifeP
These are questions that we undertake
not to answer. Unfortunately We have
no statistics bearing on the subject. Ii
We had We should find some queer and
likewise some atartliug revelations. We
must appeal therefore to general expe.
riencefor answers to these questions. We
apprehend that tbe experience Of intelli-
gent and accurate observers would return
answers not very creditable to our Com
mon schoolSysiem.
No doubt many people look with in
difference on the spectacle Of children
passing from room to room through the
common schools IN state OF mental be.
wilderment, but it Is, nevertheless, 10 the
eye Of any person properly aware Of the
grievous wrong that is thereby done to
children, a very sad spectacle. No intel
ligent parent who il himself or herself
educating one or two children would put
them forward in any such way. The
true way to educate children collectively
is to approximate as near as possible to
the thorough education that would be
given to a single scholar by single we'll
qualified teacher. The most Of children
need great deal more of patient and
exhaustive attention, explanation and
repetition than they get in the schools.
II is impossible for them to get such at.
tentiOn as is suitable to their respective
capacities, but nevertheless the periec.
ton, and the glory Of the Common School
System shouldb be in attaining as near as
possible to the individual standard. This
approximate attainment can never be
reached save by keeping the Common
School System severely down to ia orig
inal scope and purpose, and protecting it
against the quackery Of those who would
magnify themselves or their Office at the
expense OF the masses who are 80 vitality
interested in thorough elementary educa.
ton.
Damage to The Canal.
cumb.rlIni News Of Monday.
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