West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-02-02
FROM A TEACHER.
DoMBY

Editor Argus BY your permis-
SOU | Will say few words to the
patrons, as we'll ss the officers, of our
schools. w, are annually paying
large sums OF money for the purpose
OF placing before every child lib
'ral education Tor h or her rece p
ton or seiectlon.
Toe OBI -ot ia view is nobly
grand aud good one, aud demands
the earnest attention o every WIDE.
awake citizen. We need aud must
have men of Intelligence and caps-
bllity TO f | our places of trust and
profit. or our country must suffer
aud Improvement cease to meet the
demands OF The times.
Then admitting tue importance Of
having good citizens we must re,di-
ly perceive the necessity Of having
good facilities Tor producing the
same. Tue workman who has infe.
rlor tools generally produces imper-
feet specimens. So it is with our
schools, and | suppose that no one
would deny that our school system
is in many ways defe ctlve. The oh
sct IN our schools is, or should be-
- give instruction in the primary
branches. The law specifies uum-
her OF branches and then leaves the
other to the discretion CT the Board
OF Education. Ii seem4 TO mo t hat
our worthy "Bonrds" have over
looked the subject OF introducing
new studies into our cubic schools
Fifty years ago the ~. S. Spell ing
Book" was the only work that .
common scholar needed. That time.
with others. has come and gone, aud
and something more is required than
arithmetic grammar aud geography.
There seems to be an idea prevden
figures is the most aud all impor-
ant study for common schol ,rf -
just 20 that they can calculate the
greatness Of their possessions, l cup
pose.
In many cases to-day ia our
| schools there are scholars who think
OF and wish Tor nothing more than
arithmetic. By being encouraged IN
! IT they acquire n taste 10, II (tnd D.
al ohe), and peruse It's study lar be-
You'd the study OF Others really morr
necessary lhus DEVELOPING tie
/ mind IA one channel ainpe. ant
therefore. growing up one sided, mar
ron -nlindcd men and women, One
good example OF this IA seen by no
tiCIDB he teachers ia many Of our
-cbools pushing" their scholars
through tue third and fourth books
N arithmetic, wItpo T. any knowl.
edge OIL Algebra, Algebra 10 surely q
good exercise Tor training the mind.
and we lave primary work oil it
which gives a very clear idea OF the
| principals oil he science
The higher arithmetic ia a work
that ~ complete and entirely too
q fiji ult TO be uoJsfEood by The
untIained mind, AID should be stud-
led Oniy by those who have brought
tie Otber tclencss to the sun1e de-
/ gree OF ompiTtlon. and who wish 10
/ gam pert c'Ion 10 this science. The
result Of attack ug this stuJy too
d ~ q
becomes rerPlexeej and thea Dig
couraked, aud thereby acauires
dislike to tie study aud back OF
couiience ia bis powers which are
alI sufficient II taken 10 the Jroper
way. We have many other Studies
such as Physiology, Puynsai Gsog
| raphy, etc, that are OF more rial
nen,ht to common people than ~
eXtended KNOWLEDGE Of Arithmetic
When authorities seem to leave
the matter opon - just when some
trustees siezs the golden opportuni-
| ~ Of exercising their sub-aIrolgbtv
power by preventing the teachers.
nav b. able and even willing. from
teaching any netO branches.
To such parties / wish only 10 cav
ShaDle be on yoitr Gi,ssTuE ,qnorance
Tor ~ cruelty depuvnug sternai aud
aspiring mluds % the 10 ID necessary
for their sustenauce and devel -
mert.
We ask the boards OF education 30
consider carefully this ub,eet, snd
see that scholars are sutpI.
ed with eihcient teachers. and that
they be allowed, yea, compelled 10
give such instruction ss Is stuctly
necessary. We want men aud wo.
men OF broader intellect aud more
general ideas, and these can only be
attained by building upon q good,
I bro0d foundation.