Montgomery County sentinel., 1877-06-15
GRADED Sn0nLS

There is no question so deeply aGecti ng the
interests of our county as that of education
The present system of public schools affords op-
lied, for the education OF every child. The
beneficial results to be obtained from it are
already apparent in the fact that there is
scarcely home in the county in which seme
one cannot read and write. What a contrast
between the rising and decaying generation |
So many Of the latter passing away unletered
and unlearned, who never enjoyed tho advan-
tages Of public schools, wiile so many Of the
former are stepping into their places to pursue
the same ayoeations with that increased ability
which education bestows. How carefully
watched aud guarded should be this nestima-
BILE treasure provided By the State for the edu-
cation Of our youth How jealousy should
1t be protected from amy variation or innova-
ton which will in the slightest diminish its
power aud force How carefully examined
and dissected should DO every proposed change
In that machinery which works with such
ease and grace, so thoroughly accomplishing
the desired purposes2 Recognising the fact
that many inventions, theoretically valuable,
under the test OF experiment are found praeti-
eally worthless, we propose TO submits a few
objections TO this wax-winged innovation
called grading Schools" by which, ii is in
sisted, that our youths will bask in the bright
est sunlight of knowledge.
As we understand the proposed change, it is
intended that the scholars OF the public schools
shal progress with equal speed, or rather
slo0ness, through the different studies to be
pursued. For instance the first grade shall be
composed Of scholars who study the elementary
works aud unless, when any scholar has mas
tered the 6rst book of any particular branch be
has progressed equally as far in all of the others
heis prohibited from entering the second grade
Tins il he possesses natural talent for arth-
metic and rapidly masters the frat book, he is
10 be held back in mathematics until he makes
equal progress in reading and writing, for
which he has no talent. 1t is an indisputabe
fact that Nature has lavishly furnished some
minds with extraordinary talent for some par
iiculsr study while she has almost totally un-
fitted them for others. An examination Of
any school will exsmpify this propositon.-
Now is this an Improvement upon the present
system OF classification as opposed 10 grading,
which restraints natural ability for particular
studies merely TO keep il neck and neck with
Inability for other studies Il a child has pecu-
liar talent for either writing, reading or
arithmetic, why not permit him 10 indulge II as
rapidly as possible and while passing from book
10 book in that particular study permit him to
master as much as b: saRof the other branches 2
Thus II he has a talent for reading and can sue
cessfully pass through all of the reading books
while he is passing through one book Of arith-
metic, let him do SO, and the next year he will
have more time 10 devote TO mathematics
II is said that Horace Greeley could never form
e. letter with any similarity whatever, yet
Prof. Newell, with his system of grading
schools, would have kept hnm back his entr,
life ia the first book Of readi ne and grammar
because he could not delineaie poi-hooks aud
hangers found in copy-book No. |.
Teaching should be eindividaalized as much a
possible, the tutor discovering the bent Of The
students mind and then fitting the studies Il
II. Let peculiar talents develop with as mucl
speed as possible. Do not adopt this perpi
cious system Of grading, which, while :ryinl
TO teach boy everything, leaves him an iguo
ramas in ALL Do not let any scholar sa.
when called upon 10 give an account Of tn
one talent for mathematics bestowed upon bin
sLord, a public school teacher buried il unde
McGufy's First Reader"