The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-12-26
ATTENTION TO DETAILSIN THE
SCHOOL-ROOM.

and underlying principles IN the art OF
teaching, which all teachers should
and perhaps do consider of paramount
Importance, yet doubtless in this as in
other pursuits, the greatest success is
only attained by close close attention
to the whole business down to minute
particulars.
Be it acknowledged that a friendly
visit to certain school in this county
has called forth this article The
writer has always thought that every
free American citizen should own a
library, limited of course by the means
at command, which might vary at the
extremes, from a single almanac to sew
eral thousand volumes.
The library should do for the mind
what food does for the body, viz,
build up, strengthen and prepare for
present and future enjoyments, labors,
and trials.
Its use being admitted, the sequence
is that every man, woman and child
should know how to take care Of it.
If for no other reason than to be
able to return a borrowed book in read
able shape. Fancy if you can the
feelings of an orderly and we'll educa-
ted man, on the return Of one Of his
fay0rite volumes, which has the appear
ance of having been used at short in
tervals by some farmer while engaged
in digging potatoes; torn and solled
almost beyond recognition.
And yet our children are daily al
most educated into this way Of using
books.
Our solons at Madison have passed
an act, that the text books in our COM
mon schools shall not be changed Of
ten0r than once in three years; per-
haps believing in their innocent souls
that q school book would last three
years.
They might have thought different
ly had they stepped into certain
school with yours truly; to see the &c
ography class diligently gnawing at
the corners Of their books while the
teacher sat with her atlas tunnel in
side out, back against back, where
with to let an abundance of light into
that occult science.
Verify she does not see that rising
genius in one Of the back seats; who,
worn out with fruitless efforts to solve
one of the mysteries Of vulgar frac-
lions, has taken seat on his open
book and nodded off to dreamland.
Perhaps with a vague idea that a.
solution OF the vexed problem would
reach his brain through the medium
of his spinal column.
But alas how feeting are all human
joys! A sonorous snore brings the
teacher to her feet and speedily the
aforesaid atlas descends upon his de-
fenseless head with telling effect as
the flying attest. He starts up doubly
COMPOUNDED as opposing forces meet
Geography at one end, and Arithme-
tic at the other. A vigorous tug at
his ear, accompanied by sundry choice
pits Of advice, as to present diligence,
and his not very tlattering prospects
in the future, enables him to collect
his scattered senses, and to do likewise
with his books, some of which have
fallen on the not over clean floor.
Order being restored, the school re-
sumes the even tenor Of it's way. Rows
Of studious heads bend over the desks.
Rows of open mouths and moving lips
which produce that omin0us and never
ceasing buzz of audible study leads one
to ponder upon the vast amuunt of
knowledge which escapes by way of
the mouth.
Speaking of the .noutb suggests the
important part which that organ plays
in the school. At theturning of almost
every leaf it receives a visit from the
thumb. Moisture added to the dust, etc,
0nth6 latter member prevents it slipE ing
on the clean page; all important item
as will be seen by watching that young
mathematician over on the right.
He is in high spirits and driving
ahead at a young America pace. At
the solution of each example he seeks
the answer at the close Of the book
This thumb oscilating between mouth
ii~