The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1878-10-11
EpUCATI0NAL FOLLIEs.

passing through my brain during the
past few days. During the tedious
hours of convalescence, the "Centennial
Mirror hung where my eyes rested
upon 1t much of the time, and re-
aected whether many OF the improve
ments so.called during the past century
really deserved the NAME. For In
stance, in the old log church of a hum
dred years ago gathered a small band
of sincere worshippers of God to listen
to the faithful exhortations Of plain
but faithful minister in the imposing
edifice Of to-day q fashionable preacher,
with perhaps diamonds on his fingers,
discourses to a fashionable audience of
mammon worshippers. -sl.,
Next, I looked at the traveller with
his covered wagon, and my mind re-
verted to the days OF early youth when
I, too, travelled thus, and I recalled the
delights of camping at night, the noon
day rest by the clear stream, the free
dom from danger I compared these
with the noise and hurry, the cr0wding
trophies Of the railway train. -.
Even the sewing machine does not
present to my mind the practical good
results anticipated for It by the in
ventor-the relief of woman from the
endless sewing Of a large family. Years
ago, woman had more leisure than
now. Then, she could spend a social
day with a friend, taking her sewing
along. Now, she cannot leave the
machine, even to visit the sick, and
why? Because, with the machine has
come q demand for innumerable tucks,
rufles, bias bands and rows Of stitch
ing, while woman daily grows in sell
fshness.
But I did not set out to talk about
railroads or sewing machines; I must
come to the point concerning which
felt the most interest, that Is, educa-
with his rod ready for the bad or lazy
boy. Under the teaching and disci-
pline of just such pedagogues grew up
the men who are now making useful
discoveries and filling the world with
useful inventions. Opposite sits the
nice-looking gentleman who pats the
boy on the head and says, 'sYou must
do better next time, Johnny" But
Johnny does not do better and never
will, until he Is made to sspass under
the rod"
That subject, the education of their
children, is just now troubling the
minds OF thoughtful parents. They
feel that something is wrong, but do
not know how to apply remedy.
In most cases, the father, from press
of business, cannot give the subject
proper attention, neither can the
mother, however intelligent she may
be, who is weighed down and worried
with household cares. But whilc 1
know that some persons do not agree
with my notions upon this subject,
know again that many, with whom
have cOnversed, do feel and think ex-
actly as do.
The first thing that strikes mo as
wrong In tho present system of educa-
ton Is, that children are sent to school
too. young. At an age when they
ought to be making mud cakes, dresses,
dolls and having doll parties, they are
going to school with great piles of
books, poor little martyrs, and often
If they don't know their lessons are
thumped on the head, or slapped be-
tween tho shoulders with q book.
Then they arc pushed on too fast and
into studies far beyond their capacity,
and if some mother who has preferred
to keep her child home until it was of
II proper age for school, sends that
child to school, she feels that it must
he subjected to the modification OF
being classed with much younger
children.
1t is common thing to see mere
children reading in tho Fifth Reader.
Well, any one who will take the trou-
bio to examine the rules in the first
part Of that reader will he convinced
that 1t is more appropriate for advanc-
ed pupils. 1t is probable that none of
those who read In it are guided in the
least by the rules or have any idea of
'sgiving to each letter, to each syllable
and to each word, Its full, distinct and
proper utterance :" or of reading with
expression, or of giving distinct utter
ance to the discriminating consonant,'
or to ''avoid blending syllables belong
Ing to different words - not to speak
of their Ignorance of infections, mono
tone, pauses, &c. t+f'-
g Next, let us take geography, a
study which belongs to young pupils,
because 1t requires only an exercise OF
memory to learn it, and 20 effort OF
the reasoning powers, unless it be In q
small degree to understand latitude
and longitude. But, when say young
pupils, I do not mean the babies who
are sometimes put into geography be
fore they can read distinctly; NEAR
child of at least ten years.