The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1878-01-26
Written for the CHIEF.
Education.
A Guide for Parents and Teachers
BY REV. DIR. SOPHAR.

| Finally, tutors OICcn idhuiI0 0"o
quantity of their boys bad habits by
adding to these faults the peculiarltles
of the pupil. Suppose merchant
would buy his stock of shoes all OF
the same size, the merchandise would
satisfy only very small number OF
his customers and the balance drawn
at the end of the year would show
the folly of this speculation. Perhaps
one NAV advise him to shape the feet
of the customer to fit the size OF the
shoe. You laugh at this idea and
wish TO know the reason of this alb
surd suggestion. AS well as every
boy has proper shape of his foot, he
has his peculiar character and his pc
culiar talent. If you teach your boys
without having a regard for their
different characters and talents, only
very few will make progress. If you
blame the remaining number for idle
ness and force all of them to accom-
modate their dispositions to your
reckless method, you follow the advice
1 have mentioned-yow shape the foot
to suit the size of the shoe.
You are rebuking your pupils pub
licly. This method may be the right
one for unfeeling boys, who in spite
of all former admonitions continued
to neglect their duty. But this rule
will not work for all boys. The am
bilious boy will be insulted and be
inclined to greater thoughtlessness.
The tender hearted pupil will shed
bitter tears and be discouraged. You
are teaching a class of boys. Some of
the scholars quickly comprehend ev-
erything; by them the daily task is
finished in no time. But some of the
class, nevertheless good and willing
boys, have very slow comprehension,
and study many hours to write COM
position, which in spite of all good
efforts will not satisfy yon. The pupil
is rebuked; he did not deserve re-
preach, but he wants encouragement.
You are teaching Latin and mathe-
matics. Henry absolutely can not
understand the Latin grammar, but
in algebra and arithmetic he is the
first of his class. Sam writes Latin
composition, which even Cicero would
call "fuid Roman language" but as
for mathematics, Sam accuses its in
ventors of "cruelty to animals" But
you want these different talents to
make equal progress in Latin as we'll
as in mathematics. You call Henry
lazy in Latin and rebuke Sam for his
aversion to algebra, and-you wrong
both; because their idleness and aver
sion exist in your imagin alton, but
not in the willingness of your diligent
boys.
This is the symbol which you have
to understand, to accept and to fol-
low, if you wish your activity as
teacher to become successful. But all
symbols have been abused and prob
/ ably this will be the case with the one
before the reader. If, now, teacher
in spite of his most upright efforts
labors in vain, if his pupils learn lit
tie or nothing, if they continue to
indulge in their bad habits and even
contract more faults, the parents will
directly blame the tutor and refer to
the given symbol. But thereby they
do wrong.
Did | say that one must blame the
tutor for all the faults and bad habits
of the pupil? | did not From the
tutor only [ ask that he himself may
look for the faults cause in himself
so that, if in reality it may be found
in him, he may be enabled to remove
it. But you can not infer from this
that Others must blame him for it.
You, the parents of these children,
are also their teachers. Though you
have partly charged others with their
education, still you take all interest
in it, directly or indirectly. To you
also this symbol is given. Consider
it and act accordingly. Do not blame
the teachers for the bad habits of your
children, but look for the cause there
of in yourselves. The tutor and the
parents both may correct wheresoever
they were wrong, and the probability
of success in the education of our ris-
ing generation will steadily increase.
TO BE CONTINUED.
a Gentle Hint.
In ourstyle of climate, with it's sud