The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-09-14
schools and studies.


content withthe curriculum Of the average
American school Is fact patent to all 1t
manifests itself in newspaper andmagazine
criticisms, in the opinions Of intelligent
parents and guardians, and even in the
addresses and writings Of very many prin-
cipals and other teachers. Something is
wrong; the prevalent system does not con-
fer upon the pupil the educational results
which We have a righttoexpect, and much
anxious thought Is concentrated upon the
question Of what changes may be madefor
the better. Up to this time We are bound
to say that there has been more fault.fnd-
ing than valuable suggestions Of remedy.
II appears very much as II the schools
have settled down into certain ruts, move
ments out OF which they resist with all the
obstinacy OF inert force. Perhaps the con-
yiction Is very strong in the mind OF q
great many people that the errors OF the
system are fundamental, and that some.
thing in the nature Of revolution would
be required to destroy them. It is hardly
questionable that one source OF evil aud
failure Is the multiplicity Of studies, and
the tendency to teach many things super
ficially instead Of q few things thoroughly.
These blunders naturally grow out OF an
idea that seems fixed in theminds OF some
preceptors, that "higher education" as
they arc pleased TO term it, depends upon
the number, variety and completely bt
studies. And when teachers may be found
| TO grayely PROFOUND, in substance, this
doctrine, II Is not remarkable that heads
Of families become impressed with the no
ton that student is acquiring ample
learning because he is provided with q
multitude OF textbooks and has memoir
ized vast number of facts parrot.fashion.
Bnt this should be styled lower rather than
higher education, for the knowledge Is not
assimilaied or digested, and when 1t fades
from memory. as fade il must in the major
ity az cases, what is left behind is scarcely
more than blank. ..
In his recent lectures on Civilization
and Science" before the Frankfort Associ'
alton, Prof. Emil Dubois Raymond, OF the
University OF Berliu, made a very strong
and pertinent plea against the introduc-
ton OF the examining practice in the Ter
man gymnasia, where its indications have
already been developed. This veteran
and brilliant educator paid US the very
doubtful compliment OF styling such Prae-
tice peculiarly an Americanism, and he
fused illustrations Of its effects in this
country as warnings TO the school. men oil
his own land to avoid similar mistakes.
Prof. Reymond's addresses were too tech
nical TO admit OF quotation here, but many
OF the points he made are strongly put by
DR. Walter Kempster in an address lately
delivered ut Milwaukee. DR.. kempstet
spokeo Of ''nental hygiene in its relations
TO present methods of education, and
much that he said is worthy OF close At:
tention, especially as he is recognized
authority in all matters connected with
mental physiology and hygiene. he struck
directly at the system so common now oil
endeayoring to crowd crude mass OF va
ried knowledge into the mind Of the aver
age child at school, and he argued that this
Is one OF the potent causes OF mental dis.
ease and feebleness later IN life. The mind
is oyerstrained in the effort to master
things to the study OF which 1t has no IN
clination, and much of which arc OF no
great value to the posseSsor. The curri-
culum is made to cover too wide COM
pass. The old rule Of learning one thing
at a time and learning 1t well has been
discarded to q too great extent There is
too much striving for universally in our
common school education. II the ordi-
narv scholar actually learned and remem-
bered all that he is set to learn in ten
years, he might either suffer o mental
breakdown or else turn out to be per
feet encyclopedia Of rather useless infor-
nation. A wise provision OF nature par
tally protects him by making him forget
a large share OF what is drilled and cram
med into him.
Another harmful phase OF schooling to
which DR.. Kempster directs attention, Is
that OF compelling all pupils to follow the
same course OF studies, without regard 10
fitness or tastes. There are natural and
special aptitudes, he holds, which should
invariably be consulted in mapping out q
plan Of education for child, and any at.
tempt to disregard them can only result in
disappointment, and not unfrequently IN
disaster. He might also have added that
there are special inaptitudes which 1t Is
quite us important to consult. There are
children born into the world without any
faculty for mathematics, music. drawing
or other branches. II is cruelty aud folly
to make the unmathemetical mind, for in
stance, wear itself out in vain effort to
master what nature never meant that II
should, while other strong faculties It may
possess are allowed to wither for lack Of
cultivation. The thousands OF girls with
no musical turn who are forced to do so
much stunning on the piano per day, TO
the intolerable yexation Of everybody
within ear shot, are cases in point.
| We are quite we'll aware how much
easier It Is to point out defects than TO offer
remedy, and to do one without the other
has the appearance Of carping. But il i
an incontestable fact that this subject is
/ fastening itself upon the thoughts OF cul-
tured people, and that We can have no re-
form unless the agitation is continued. II
may be mentioned here that in the public
schools OF Boston o new programme has
been adopted this year in the system OF in
struction. In the primary departments
the teaching is almost entirely oral, the
scholars learning from objects and from
the teacher instead Of from the book. Oral
lessons are given on pictures, plants, ami
mails, form, color, measures, vegetables,
minerals, &c, and the children in this way
accustomed to the use of words. Atten-
ton is also given to fables, stories and sim
Pile poetry. The entire system IS taught
from the metric apparatus. The primary
speller Is done away with, and easy, com
mon words from the reader substituted.
In the grammar schools the grammar, in
name at least, is abolished, and also the
spelling book. In the lieu ofgrammar Is
Language" which means less attention to
parsing and more to composition, the con-
structon Of sentences, letter-writing and
analysis. These changes arc more in the
nature OF an experiment than anything
else, and they are only applied to the low.
er grade Of schools; but he principle in
them is that OF simplifying studies and re-
These are. after ali. The leading objects to